Frequent Flyer Program Award Redemption Satisfaction Survey 2013 Edition
May 16, 2013, 3:56 am
#1
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Marietta, Georgia, United States
Posts: 24,996
Frequent Flyer Program Award Redemption Satisfaction Survey 2013 Edition
Please click here for the article and poll results.
_______________________________
How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with award redemptions at your current frequent flyer program(s)? FlyerTalk and Frequent Business Traveler are conducting the Frequent Flyer Program Award Redemption Satisfaction Survey, which will be active through June 15, 2013.
This is the second in a series of joint surveys by FlyerTalk and Frequent Business Traveler magazine. Frequent Business Traveler will provide the survey; FlyerTalk members will provide the opinions. Most FlyerTalk members redeem frequent flier loyalty program miles — but depending on personal preferences, the frequent flier loyalty programs of some airlines are significantly more satisfying and beneficial than others.
Results of this poll will be announced by both Frequent Business Traveler magazine and FlyerTalk.
So — with which airline frequent flier loyalty programs are you very satisfied, and with which airline frequent flier loyalty programs are you least satisfied? Please vote today and let everyone know!
_______________________________
How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with award redemptions at your current frequent flyer program(s)? FlyerTalk and Frequent Business Traveler are conducting the Frequent Flyer Program Award Redemption Satisfaction Survey, which will be active through June 15, 2013.
This is the second in a series of joint surveys by FlyerTalk and Frequent Business Traveler magazine. Frequent Business Traveler will provide the survey; FlyerTalk members will provide the opinions. Most FlyerTalk members redeem frequent flier loyalty program miles — but depending on personal preferences, the frequent flier loyalty programs of some airlines are significantly more satisfying and beneficial than others.
Results of this poll will be announced by both Frequent Business Traveler magazine and FlyerTalk.
So — with which airline frequent flier loyalty programs are you very satisfied, and with which airline frequent flier loyalty programs are you least satisfied? Please vote today and let everyone know!
Last edited by Canarsie; Jul 1, 2013 at 10:55 am
May 26, 2013, 1:56 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: YXY
Posts: 3,506
Westjet is missing. It is the best program for rewards of all the programs I am a member of. No blackout days, no reward seat limits, no monkey business.
Porter Airlines is missing too, but it is a smaller airline. Alitalia.
Porter Airlines is missing too, but it is a smaller airline. Alitalia.
May 27, 2013, 10:18 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Anywhere but home
Programs: UA 1K/MM, DL GM/MM, AA Gold, HH Dia, PC Plat, ALL Sil, MR Gold
Posts: 4,550
Quite a simple poll, can only indicate three levels of satisfaction for each program. I rated Delta as not satisfied and United as very satisfied. Would have been interesting to add more questions, such as ease of online booking, ease of booking over the phone, low-tier mileage availability, award fees, perks of being an elite, access to alliance partner awards, etc.
May 27, 2013, 12:12 pm
#5
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Marietta, Georgia, United States
Posts: 24,996
Here's the link: http://www.frequentbusinesstraveler....faction-survey
The results will not be available until sometime after June 15, 2013.
May 29, 2013, 7:28 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Ann Arbor / DTW
Programs: DL GM
Posts: 3
Southwest overrated - Old rewards unusable
Southwest consistently gets high grades for award availability. I would have agreed - until now. I have multiple trips planned from Detroit to California (Bay Area, Los Angeles area, San Diego). "Old" awards coupons, which are about to expire in the next year or so, are simply unusable. I am flexible as to both airport and date. But there are zero, or very near zero, seats available for the round trip this summer (June, July, August, 2-7 day trip) all summer from Detroit to SFO, SJC, OAK, LAX, SNA, and SAN.
These awards expire and are non-extendable. Delta award seats at 25,000 miles are hard to come by. But at least they don't expire, giving the hope for future use. With Southwest, it is "use it or lose it", with "use it" not being an option.
Had the computerized ratings tried to use old awards, not just new ones, I expect Southwest would be down with Delta (or lower).
These awards expire and are non-extendable. Delta award seats at 25,000 miles are hard to come by. But at least they don't expire, giving the hope for future use. With Southwest, it is "use it or lose it", with "use it" not being an option.
Had the computerized ratings tried to use old awards, not just new ones, I expect Southwest would be down with Delta (or lower).
May 31, 2013, 10:50 am
#10
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: SNA/LAX/YYC
Programs: United MileagePlus, Starwood, Marriott Rewards
Posts: 36
Just booked two business class tickets for Christmas and New Years Down Under with United. No issues, other than having to call rather than book online since we're landin in one city and leaving from another.
May 31, 2013, 12:03 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
Posts: 31,474
Using the multi city option I think you could have booked it on UA.com
Jun 1, 2013, 9:16 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
Southwest consistently gets high grades for award availability. I would have agreed - until now. I have multiple trips planned from Detroit to California (Bay Area, Los Angeles area, San Diego). "Old" awards coupons, which are about to expire in the next year or so, are simply unusable. I am flexible as to both airport and date. But there are zero, or very near zero, seats available for the round trip this summer (June, July, August, 2-7 day trip) all summer from Detroit to SFO, SJC, OAK, LAX, SNA, and SAN.
These awards expire and are non-extendable. Delta award seats at 25,000 miles are hard to come by. But at least they don't expire, giving the hope for future use. With Southwest, it is "use it or lose it", with "use it" not being an option.
Had the computerized ratings tried to use old awards, not just new ones, I expect Southwest would be down with Delta (or lower).
These awards expire and are non-extendable. Delta award seats at 25,000 miles are hard to come by. But at least they don't expire, giving the hope for future use. With Southwest, it is "use it or lose it", with "use it" not being an option.
Had the computerized ratings tried to use old awards, not just new ones, I expect Southwest would be down with Delta (or lower).
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...ard-award.html
You could have found that had you gone to the Southwest forum and searched on the word "extend".
Jun 11, 2013, 6:58 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186
^ for your post, 
for Aeroplan itself. Indeed the worst program for award redemptions, both availability and cost. And to Altitude for worst elite tier benefits among NAmerican FF programs.
For example, in a two week period in mid-July there was only one economy award seat available between YYZ and YEG at the Classic (regular) redemption rate, and that was routed YYZ-YOW-YEG. Cost one-way would have been 18K (vs 25K for a return ticket, but no return space available at all for the next month and a half!) and $164. Found the same seat through MP and booked it for 12.5K in miles and $52 in fees/taxes! Any wonder why AE sucks royally?
Moved all my STAR flight credits to MP and have not put a single flight mile into my AE/Altitude account this year. Stopped putting flights into AE mid-year last year (hit 84K EQMs and had no interest in requalifying for SE) and this will be my final year of being elite (Elite in AC/Presidents Gold in CP every years since elite tiers introduced, and SE most of them after the merger) in the AE program after 29 years being a member!
AE has the only MM program that does not recognize flights taken on its merger airline CP, nor even AC flights in its first 4-1/2 years of operation!
Conclusion: AE is the worst FF program in NAmerica. Adios AE...hasta la vista AC!
for Aeroplan itself. Indeed the worst program for award redemptions, both availability and cost. And to Altitude for worst elite tier benefits among NAmerican FF programs. For example, in a two week period in mid-July there was only one economy award seat available between YYZ and YEG at the Classic (regular) redemption rate, and that was routed YYZ-YOW-YEG. Cost one-way would have been 18K (vs 25K for a return ticket, but no return space available at all for the next month and a half!) and $164. Found the same seat through MP and booked it for 12.5K in miles and $52 in fees/taxes! Any wonder why AE sucks royally?
Moved all my STAR flight credits to MP and have not put a single flight mile into my AE/Altitude account this year. Stopped putting flights into AE mid-year last year (hit 84K EQMs and had no interest in requalifying for SE) and this will be my final year of being elite (Elite in AC/Presidents Gold in CP every years since elite tiers introduced, and SE most of them after the merger) in the AE program after 29 years being a member!
AE has the only MM program that does not recognize flights taken on its merger airline CP, nor even AC flights in its first 4-1/2 years of operation!
Conclusion: AE is the worst FF program in NAmerica. Adios AE...hasta la vista AC!
Jun 11, 2013, 12:19 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: New York and Vienna
Programs: PA WorldPass Platinum, AA, DL, LH. GHA Black, SPG and HHonors Gold
Posts: 3,870
Just a few days left to participate in the survey
The Frequent Flyer Program Award Redemption Satisfaction Survey will end later this week.
The Frequent Flyer Program Award Redemption Satisfaction Survey will end later this week.