Eb_1

Potentially flying an employee round trip from CLT to BOI every weekend (give or take) for a year. From a company stand point what is the most cost effective way to earn/redeem miles with this one weekly trip. I am not interested in earning points through any other purchase. Thanks in advance!


1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
upgrades, priority services, baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, lounge access, etc.
>>> Replyoints earned per flight

2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?
less than 25000 miles, 50000+ miles and 20-25 flights, etc.
>>> Reply:50K plus

3. What fare class do you usually buy?
first, business, premium economy, economy
>>> Reply:Cheapest (Economy when available)

4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
>>> Reply:No, work flights only

5. Which routes do you fly most often?
transatlantic, domestic USA, intra-Asia, etc.
>>> Reply: Domestic always

6. What is your home airport?
>>> Reply: CLT

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?
>>> Reply:No

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
>>> Reply: AA seem to have the flight that I use the most. CLT to BOI and back

Mwenenzi

The frequent flyer miles belong to the person who travels and not the entity who pays for the ticket.
The frequent flyer account is in the name of the person (not a business)

tj7358

I'm looking to start traveling a lot more throughout the US and hopefully internationally and am wondering which FFP would be best for me. Any help is greatly appreciated!

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Reply: good award redemption rates, and upgrades on travel

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
Reply: Currently <25000 but I would like to increase that significantly

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy ?
Reply: cheapest

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Airline most flown? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: yes, n/a, pleasure

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often
Reply: US Domestic

(6) What is your home airport?
Reply: SFO, OAK, SJC

(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in an airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
Reply: none

(8) Preferred Airlines
Reply: none

ladyinneed

still no reply to post is this board not moderated anymore?

guycaspi

Hello! I am new to flyertalk, and first I want to decide which FFP to join. Thank you for help!
(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
(upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, extra baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, free - discounted lounge access, etc.)
Reply: extra baggage, lounges, upgrades, good award redemption rates
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
(<25000, 25000-50000, >50000 miles - <25, 25-50, >50 flights?)
Reply: 1 return flight to Europe in economy class.
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy ?
(First, Business, Premium economy, Economy, cheapest)
Reply: ecenomy
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Airline most flown? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: class of service - economy. I am flying only for travel.
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often
(US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply: Israel to Europe.
(6) What is your home airport?
(SFO, SCL, London LHR, HKG, Singapore SIN etc.)
Reply: TLV
(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in an airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
(AA Executive Platinum, UA 1K, LAN Comodoro, etc)
Reply: no
(8) Preferred Airlines
Reply: no

Mwenenzi

If only doing a few flights pick the cheapest and/or best schedule that suits your needs.
Then join the airlines ffp or a partner ffp and treat any ff miles as a bonus that may or may not be able to be used in the future.

Surgee

I used to be big in the game around 2009-2011 (was EXP, and 1k for a year) but have been out for a long time due to non-travel work/school. I'm now starting a new 2 year program that will have a lot of international travel coming up and looking to determine what the best FFP might be! I am much less familiar with all the new requirements with revenue based programs these, so I'm seeking advice from this board.

Most of my travel will be paid international economy fares (low fares), and mostly between NYC or Boston (mostly Boston) and India -- so there is a long list of possible carriers I could take -- as well as a small handful of cross-USA flights (~2-3 year)

Of note: I am lifetime Gold on AA, but am not tied to AA. I have considered leveraging a status match and/or moving to one of the Middle East carriers given superior quality of economy, though I'm not sure which one.

1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
upgrades, priority services, baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, lounge access, etc.

>>> Reply: Given that I'm flying economy, I'm seeking priority services then lounge access then award redemption rates. Have a pretty big mile stash that I can redeem for my fun travel. Trying to ease the pain of economy work travel.

2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?

>>> Reply: The remainder of 2017 I'll probably fly 20-25k. 2018 I'll likely fly 45-60k miles.

3. What fare class do you usually buy?
first, business, premium economy, economy
>>> Reply: economy

4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
>>> Reply: I usually am required to book among the cheapest economy fares, but does not always have to be the absolute cheapest. I can typically pick carrier if fares are within a few hundred. Travel mostly for work, some for pleasure. Wiling to take a few end of year MRs as needed.

5. Which routes do you fly most often?
transatlantic, domestic USA, intra-Asia, etc.
>>> Reply:
NYC/BOS - India
NYC/Bos - west coast USA

6. What is your home airport?
>>> Reply: Mostly BOS, some NYC.

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?
>>> Reply:
Lifetime AA Gold, >400k miles banked
UA ~200k miles
BA ~200k miles
AS ~75k miles
Chase ~200k points
Amex ~50k points
SPG ~100k points

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
>>> Reply:
Open to suggestions

Thinking my options are
1) stick with AA, build on that, and fly BA or QR as available to India -- (or consider other OW program?)
2) Jump to *A program (UA, or consider other possible programs to accrue to). Many good European connections to where I need to travel. Consider status match? AC?
3) Consider Emirates? I can often choose to fly emirates. I just don't love how few partners they have. Consider status match?

Thank you!

Surgee

Cat Man Do

For this route, there are basically three choices:

AA, UA, and DL all have fares in the 400-450 range, round trip. All three award miles based on fare, not distance.
Alaska awards mileage based on distance, but their prices are much higher.

AA, UA, and DL will earn approximately 5 miles per fare dollar (base fare only), so probably 80000 miles if the employee is traveling 50 weeks per year.

Butt-in-seat miles (which is what counts for status) might be 200-250 per year.

If an average redemption round trip is 25k miles, any of these three would cover two of them, approximately.

Is this one single employee traveling every week, or sending "an employee" every week, which could be anyone? If it's multiple people, then it really doesn't matter which program, as the miles will be split between the employees. The employer does not get to keep or use the miles - they belong to the individual flyer.

If it is one single employee traveling every week, I'd ask their preference - they're likely to earn status halfway through the year, and may wish to use it the next year too.

In that case, I'd consider having them join two of the three programs, and collections miles and status miles on both if they are truly traveling every weekend - 200-250k miles is enough to get top tier status in two programs, so might as well get what they can out of it.

If they aren't flying almost every week, then maybe join just one FF program.

This seems to be a route with much competition, and three very similar mileage programs in terms of earnings and status requirements, so you can probably base your ticket choice purchases on service and preference.

Your employee should join all three programs, and take advantage of as many miles and as much status as possible.

silveringking

Hi, I have some issues, sorry if I am not answering all the question in the first page, but I'll try to make myself as clear as possible.

I already have a OneWorld card (my card is with Iberia program), but I also sometimes fly with Skyteam and StarAlliance.

So here's my questions, my objective with accumulating miles is simply earning enough points to make free trips, I only pay for miles IF paying for miles gives me trips and IF it is cheaper than buying the ticket already.

Well my whole philosophy of living when I am traveling, besides having a minimum of comfort (that's why when I traveled from Spain to Hong Kong I choose premium economy as my class), is that is not about the flight as much as it is about the experience in the ground, knowing new cultures, experiencing new things.

Like I said I have a card with OneWorld (Iberia), I also have an number of an account with TAP (Star Alliance), but I'm not quite sure I want to have a TAP number, because they plain out refuse to give me a card, and I plain out refuse not having one, I want a card, so when I check in the desk I can say:

Hey, here's my card, can you please put my miles here? Thank you!

Having paper or checking my phone for the number is always annoying, a card is more convenient.

So let's break down what I said until now:

I want to use my points for traveling

I don't care much about flight (but I want a minimum of comfort specially on long trips, short trip is whatever, I do not mind to use airlines like Ryanair).

I want a card.

And last (I haven't told yet but is heavily implied), I'm based in Europe, in Portugal to be more exact.

I want an affiliate program that satisfies me with SkyTeam and Star Alliance.

Can you help me out, I would be grateful.

Thank you so much!

arollins

Hello, and welcome to flyertalk. Joining a frequent flyer program is free, so no issues there. Being in the UK, the 2 biggest one are British Air and Virgin. There are others. The key here is to determine where do you normally see yourself flying to on a regular basis, check which carriers fly there and that gives you an idea on where to join.

Once you join a frequent flyer program, start patronizing it, provided of course is within economical reason. Keep in mind that 3-4 flights a year may not be enough to qualify for elite status in the program.

You can earn more miles/points as you fly, the higher the cabin, the more points. You can also earn more with branded credit card as well. This is just the basics for earning miles.

Mwenenzi

Ladyhawke Welcome to FT

Look and ask here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...help-here.html

Often it is best to buy the ticket that suits you (price, schedule, etc) and threat any ff miles as a bonus that may or may not be able to be used in the future.

Ladyhawke

Hi. I'm sorry if this is in the wrong place but I wasn't sure where to post it.

I'm new to flying and completely clueless about what is involved in earning/using Air Miles. I've been trying to look into it but I get lost very quickly in posts that are using terminology that I don't know.

I had never flown at all before last year (or travelled much at all come to that) but, since trying it, I've discovered that I like it and would like to travel more often.

I'm trying to work out whether or not it is worthwhile (or even possible) for me to join a frequent flyer program and get anything out of it.

About me...

I live in the UK.
I'm a full time student.
I have a small amount of debt (almost paid off).
I also have student debt accumulating.
I have poor credit background which rules out a lot of credit cards.
I'm hoping to fly to Asia and America as well as within Europe.
I'll probably fly 3 or 4 times a year.
When I've flown so far I've bought economy/premium economy seats.


Any suggestions/advice would be appreciated.

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Reply: The ability to earn miles outside of flights is probably the most important factor as I’ll only be flying a few times a year. Upgrades and Lounge access would obviously be nice.

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
Reply: I only started flying last year. No idea how many miles, but 4 flights (2 x return in Europe, 1 x One-Way (UK -> China), 1 x One Way (China ->UK).

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy ?
Reply: Economy or Premium Economy

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Airline most flown? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: Yes, I can choose the airline and class. I’ve only travelled for study so far but will be flying for pleasure from now on.

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often
Reply: No specific airline. I’ve flown Ryanair, Cathay Pacific, Malaysia

(6) What is your home airport?
Reply: London LHR

(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in an airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
Reply: I have no status of any kind with any airline and no miles. I haven’t signed up to any reward schemes yet.

(8) Preferred Airlines
Reply:None

Ladyhawke

Thank you. I was looking at BA's program.

Most of my future flights will probably be within Europe but I'm hoping to travel outside of Europe as well (just needs a lot more planning).

Mwenenzi

BA freq flyer program will OK for flights on Oneworld airlines, including BA, Cathay Pacific(CX) & Malaysia(MH). However some low cost fares may not earn with any ffp. This is common with Cathay Pacific. No ffp with Ryanair
Ladyhawke's Post 1420 in Which ffp thread

unclebotak

1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
upgrades, priority services, baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, lounge access, etc.

>>> Reply: lounge access and upgrades

2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?
less than 25000 miles, 50000+ miles and 20-25 flights, etc.

>>> Reply: 100000+ miles and 30 flights


3. What fare class do you usually buy?
first, business, premium economy, economy

>>> Reply: premium economy, economy

4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?

>>> Reply: Mainly for work and I have option to choose airline

5. Which routes do you fly most often?
transatlantic, domestic USA, intra-Asia, etc.

>>> Reply: Domestic Malaysia and regional flight and additional 5-8 Europe flights

6. What is your home airport?

>>> Reply: PEN

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?

>>> Reply: No i have smaller amount mileage on Finnair+ and Eurobonus

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?

>>> Reply: No one special