nonesuch flyer

From: Gardyloo

It sounds like BA Gold would be reachable;

That was my thought and I ran my last few years flights through the BA tier point calculator and reached Gold easily.

I confess I'm not familiar enough with QR's program to comment knowledgeably.

Just started looking at QR, at the highest Tier you get 60 Q-credits that seem to enable you to upgrade at least 1 and possibly 2 international long haul returns. Down side for me is that miles disappear in 3 years no matter what, and I am more into earn now and burn in 4 years when I retire.

But let me ask - what Emerald perks would be important to you compared to your baseline Sapphire ones that you'll get as LT Plat anyway? First class lounges?

Yes, I have become addicted to the QF, CX etc First Class Lounges

Obviously Sapphire or higher with another OW airline would get you into Admirals Clubs on domestic itineraries (or FLs if you get to Emerald) but is that key?

I did not know that BA Gold etc. gets you into Admirals Club on domestic US trips (even flying on AA


For me, when I was EXP the biggest perk was the EXP desk itself, with the SWUs a distant second.

I like that EXP desk but it is not clear to me how much better it is compared to the PLT desk

I had very bad luck with auto upgrades on domestic flights - SEA was too small an AA market, with too few destinations, to bank on A space being available - they just never released it, and I really got tired of playing roulette on C seats opening on overseas segments from AA-accessible hubs for TATL or TPAC flights.

Everyone's situation is different... I run over 90% upgrades to domestic F. I am generally able to book onto flights that have many more empty seats in F than premium seats filled in Y. Internationally over that last 5 years I have only missed two upgrades to J from Y using SWUs and those were on DFW-HKG and HKG-DFW.

This year I was upgraded J to F on the Transcon and TATL segments of LAX-JFK-LHR-ATH, as well as LAX-LHR-MAD-LIS. So as a result I have been very please with my SWUs. Unfortunately AA has halved the SWU's and made upgrades ranked on spend. I suspect that my upgrade rate on SWU will plunge to near zero next year as well as my domestic F upgrades.

I have done really well with AA but my business and personal travel budgets are simply not high enough to work well with their new system.

So for me the EXP desk was really the main perk, rather than the SWUs or auto-upgrades. YMMV.

BA's award system sucks for US flyers IMO due to having to pay for multiple awards on simple connecting itineraries, and I believe BA has dropped the "cheap" Avios tier for shorthaul flights in the US. Not to mention having to pay "first class" Avios for domestic F simply because AA doesn't have J on most sectors. And also, of course, there's the matter of the dreaded BA fuel fines, regardless of what BA calls them.

Good point about having to use more Avios for F as AA does not have a J cabin except on some Transcons. On the other hand from a tier points earning perspective domestic F credited to BA can be relatively cheap. The downside to BAEC for me is no upgrade coupons until



So I'd evaluate what I'd use BA status for - MFUs from WT+ to Club on TATL trips? 2-4-1s?

TATL upgrades and lounge access would be my main aim with BA. Sorry but I do not know what "MFU" or "2-4-1s" means?

And then - out of the box - I'd look at Alaska. Decent redemption rates, increasing reciprocity with AA, LOTS of excellent earn/burn partners including the likes of Hainan and Emirates, and once they've swallowed Virgin America they'll (hopefully) retain VX's airbuses with their fabulous first class product. Just sayin' - have a look at AS.

I had not thought of AS but I will take a close look. Not OW of course.

Thanks for the suggestion!

Gardyloo

"2-4-1s" = companion vouchers based on credit card spend - http://www.britishairways.com/en-us/...s/credit-cards

"MFU" = "miles for upgrade" i.e. using Avios for upgrades, often very good value for premium economy (WT+) to business on longhauls, also from business to first.

For entrance to ACs or FLs based on Oneworld elite status (not AA) see here - https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...nge-access.jsp (scroll down.)

nonesuch flyer

Thanks very much for the information. That is very useful.

I am thinking BAEC may fit my needs.

Ryst1

Hi everyone! I was advised that I should post this here. Hope someone can 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: Priority service/good redemption rates would be most important.

(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: I didn't really fly before this year that often, but in the next calendar year I'll be doing quite a bit of travelling, up to 50k miles and beyond so I need to choose a FPP. My air fares are paid for so are usually economy.

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
(First, Business, Premium economy, Economy, cheapest)
Reply: Economy/cheapest.

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: Yes I can choose my airlines and can't choose my class. I travel mostly for work.

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
(US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply: usually fly LHR-DUB in Euro traveller with BA, but as I say, will be doing DUB-LHR-DFW-SCL around 2-3 times next year with American and intra-South American travel with LATAM.

(6) What is your home airport?
(SFO, SCL, London LHR, HKG, Singapore SIN etc.)
Reply: LHR

(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
(AA Executive Platinum, QF Gold, UA 1K, LAN Comodoro, etc)
Reply: Currently with BA (no elite status - just blue) and I have some Avios which I'll probably redeem when my tier points expire.

(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Reply: BA/American I'll be flying on. Don't mind which FPP I go with.

I was going to join American since it'd quickly get me to OneWorld Ruby, but then I read their (confusing) rules about revenue based earnings, so I won't be able to get to Ruby as quickly with American. Someone suggested joining Qatar and climbing the ranks there since it's easy to get to Ruby (as far as I am aware you don't need to fly QR segments to earn Qpoints).

Hope someone can help - thank you!

bhomburg

Um, no. You will NOT get status quicker going with BA than with AA, on the contrary.
AA still lets its members earn one EQM per mile flown regardless of fare. Europe to SCL via the US on AA is 20,000 miles per return trip. Times three is 60k miles , and 60k EQM even with the cheapest fares. So if you credited this to AAdvantage you would easily make Platinum/ OW Sapphire status (assuming you met the EQD target).
Credited to BA, one SCL trip in fare classes O,Q,G, N or S (lowest buckets) will earn you 5,060 Avios and 90 TP. Three trips won't even get you to Bronze/Ruby at 300....there you go.
Crediting to QR, one SCL trip in fare classes O and Q will get you 70Qpoints, and 96 in fare classes G,L,N,S and V. You need 150 to qualify for Ruby and 300 to qualify for Sapphire - you can get Ruby easily, even on the cheapest fares, but Sapphire will depend on higher fares and additional flying, but it looks doable.

Especially with longhaul travel in the back of the bus and stingy travel policies, status is important. Sapphire will convey useful benefits such as lounge access, the ability to select seats on BA flights free of charge, or premium MCE/exit row seats free of charge on AA flights and make your travel and transfer experience markedly better. I'd trade this for potentially (depending on fare class) better RDM earning on other - distance-based - programs in a heartbeat.

Caveat: as these tickets can be priced very low (unless you'll be booking on short notice, they will not exceed €1,000), you'll likely run into issues with AAs new-for-2017 spend requirements ($6,000 plus taxes) for platinum status. Calculate if your other flying will bring you over that.
There's €178 in taxes and government fees in a DUB-LHR-DFW-SCL return ticket which you need to subtract from the ticket price for RDM and EQD calculation purposes.

Basically, go with AA if you can be reasonably sure you'll be spending more than ~$6,500 annually on AA and oneworld flights, otherwise go with QR (or AY).

almostfrench0612

Was wondering if someone can help me decide if I should make the switch for next year. I will requalify as EXP with travel already booked by end of year. I am SFO based and travel on paid J to Europe about 3-4 times per year and to NY about 3 times also. the rest of my travel is short-haul within California, or to Denver etc and those flights are in discount economy. With the changes to AA I actually on balance probably benefit a bit but wondering if it is not worth switching to UA because of the better nonstop flight options for me from SFO hub. I completed a status match to 1K 2 years ago and decided it was not right for me then but obviously there have been a lot of changes at AA. But it means I won't be able to match again (at least I don't think?) so it would be starting from scratch.

(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: upgrades, priority, baggage allowance. Access to good award redemption.

(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: about 100k, about 80% in paid J

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
(First, Business, Premium economy, Economy, cheapest)
Reply: paid J for distances over 4 hours, discount economy for anything less.

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: Yes mostly. Mostly work and only on vacation for pleasure a few times a year.

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
(US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply: SFO-Europe (London and Germany mostly), SFO-JFK/EWR and then short-haul every 2 weeks or so.

(6) What is your home airport?
(SFO, SCL, London LHR, HKG, Singapore SIN etc.)
Reply: SFO

(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
(AA Executive Platinum, QF Gold, UA 1K, LAN Comodoro, etc)
Reply: EXP on AA.

(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Reply: right now AA and BA, but I like LH. Not hugely keen on UA product but i have to make a sacrifice somewhere.

Bottom line - I know that benefits are pretty similar / sort of a wash for me, but the huge benefit to switching to UA would be access to more nonstop flights (SFO-Hawaii for example, or Puerto Vallarta) when traveling on vacation or to Germany. My question though is whether the redemption is as good vs AA. I find it fairly easy to find award travel to Europe on AA at the saver award level but when I tried to book a ticket to Paris on UA, only one nonstop flight was available during the month of October for example. Is that typical for UA and will I be disappointed with the redemption options if I switch? that is my main concern.

Gardyloo

Well this is the Oneworld forum so I don't know if this is the best place to ask the question. Ordinarily cross-posting is discouraged or banned on FT, but I think a similar question on this thread - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star-...post-here.html - might be appropriate.

It's rather early in the "new" AA scheme to say anything definitive, but in the meantime I wonder if you might not benefit by looking at Alaska Airlines as a possible alternative. AS says its merger with Virgin America will close sometime in the 4th quarter (we'll see) but if you're going to requalify for EXP this year anyway you'd have plenty of time to wait and see.

For transcon and regional flying, the VX/AS combination might be very good for someone based in SFO, which of course is VX's base. And if the AS/VX merger keeps current AS partners (which admittedly is a big unknown) as part of the combined mileage plan, that would give you a bunch of Oneworld and Skyteam partners with good coverage out of SFO for award flights - everything from CX to AF.

Plus you'd have terrific coverage on the west coast and to Hawaii.

Just a thought.

shonamac

I have lifetime Sapphire status (from AA) and have already qualified for Emerald in 2017 (AA EXP). However, 2018 is a different story - since even if I achieve AA's EQD requrement, I will still earn paltry RDM (and hence award currency) from whatever flights I take if they are credited to AA.

Looking for suggestions on where to credit OW flights from now onwards.


Here are my answers to the 'Question':

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Reply: Upgrades (preferably complimentary)
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
Reply: Usually about 130K miles / annum; mix of Business & Economy
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
See (3) above
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: Mostly pleasure; can always choose my carrier
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
Reply: Mostly US-Europe, US-Asia
(6) What is your home airport?
Reply: SJC
(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
Reply: AA EXP + UA Premier Platinum
(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Reply: Anything other than BA & UA

Mwenenzi

The grass in not always greener on the other side

You are not going to get upgrades on AA crediting to another ffp. On non USA airlines always expect to travel in class you buy. Non USA airlines do not give out upgrades (free or with miles/cash) like is common on USA based airlines.

USA based airline ffp's tend to be more generous (status benefits/earn/burn/upgrades/award cost/award cash surcharges/expiry/affiliated credit card ff mile earning/promotions) compared to non USA based airline ffp’s (even after the recently announced changes to some USA ffp’s). But if you are not flying the airline of your ffp the useful benefits are somewhat limited.

The airline you fly and the airline ffp you credit those flights to does not need to be the same.
AS may suit you as AA, DL and many Oneworld airlines, including CX, are partners

And again:-
The grass in not always greener on the other side

shonamac

You may have misunderstood me - I did not ask for upgrades on AA while crediting to another FFP

I simply indicated that to me, upgrades were the most important feature of a FFP

Gardyloo

Complementary upgrades are very scarce of course. By excluding AA, BA and UA, and based in the Bay Area, that really leaves only Delta with both transpacific and TATL service, so for Oneworld that would pretty much mean you'd have to pick an airline that offered one transoceanic possibility or another, thereby reducing your upgrade options hugely.

Cathay Pacific might be worth investigating - subject your travel history for a typical year to AsiaMiles/Marco Polo metrics and see how you'd do. CX has been known to give comp upgrades to their elites more than some other airlines.

If your annual travel includes both transatlantic and transpacific flights, and you're based in the US, I'm compelled to suggest you give a long look at Oneworld's RTW products. You might find that buying one or more business class RTWs overseas in countries where the prices are lower than the US (some dramatically so) and using them not just for longhaul but domestic flying inside North America, would be a means of flying in premium cabins affordably while accruing elite status in any program you choose. This would hinge on your travel patterns of course, but it might be a fruitful avenue of research.

Jeth Ho

I just recently started taking oneworld flights, and I will be taking quite often in the next 6months. As I'm currently based in Malaysia, most of my flights are MAS. However Enrich requires me to get the minimum requirement before I get to upgrade my tier to silver by Dec 31st, which I definitely unable to. So I was wondering if I can choose one particular FFP, (I'm looking at Qatar Privilege Club), and just clock all my mileage into Qatar PC without taking Qatar Airways to achieve my elite status. Or can someone give me a suggestion on which FFP will be the easiest for me to get oneworld Ruby?


Questions
For members asking for information, to help people to assist you, can you please provide:
(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: Priorities in airport

(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: <25000

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
(First, Business, Premium economy, Economy, cheapest)
Reply:Business

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: I can choose airlines and class of service. Work and Pleasure

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
(US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply: Asia

(6) What is your home airport?
(SFO, SCL, London LHR, HKG, Singapore SIN etc.)
Reply: Penang

(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
(AA Executive Platinum, QF Gold, UA 1K, LAN Comodoro, etc)
Reply: No

(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Reply: No preferred. Most common is MAS or CX

jamilsayuti

Questions
For members asking for information, to help people to assist you, can you please provide:
(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: upgrades on travel
(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: >50000 (150 000 miles usually)
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
(First, Business, Premium economy, Economy, cheapest)
Reply: Economy
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: No cannot choose. Travel for work
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
(US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply: Asia to Europe/Africa
(6) What is your home airport?
(SFO, SCL, London LHR, HKG, Singapore SIN etc.)
Reply: Singapore SIN
(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
(AA Executive Platinum, QF Gold, UA 1K, LAN Comodoro, etc)
Reply: Emirates Silver
(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Reply: Qatar (most commonly flown on)

Hope anyone can recommend which program to get best milage accumulation for class upgrades.
Many thanks

Mwenenzi

jamilsayuti Welcome to FT
Being 100% realistic upgrades are not going to happen
What is your definition of "best mileage"? Freq flyer are not equal to earn or burn. They are not 1 to 1.
Are you a member of the QR ffp?

For upgrades the general rule is you can only upgrade a flight marketed (flight number) and operated (metal) by the airline of your frequent flyer programme (no codeshares) with your airlines upgrade instrument (e.g. SWU, miles) or complementary with status (if applicable) or ff miles/cash. All subject to the t&c's of your FFP and your paid ticket. Low cost tickets are often not eligible for upgrades. Cross airline upgrades are uncommon. If cross airline upgrades are offered they tend to require a very expensive base economy fare. Its is only USA based airlines that commonly give out upgrades to their own freq flyer due to status (free) or with miles/cash co pay. The upgrade process with non USA airlines is a lot different. You need to look at the individual ffp.

Soly

Hi guys, I am currently on BA gold. Have been with BA for quite some time. However recently I have started using some of the miles accumulated and noticed that I can barely get any availability and they charge a truck load of miles and on top of that you pay serious $$!!

I usually fly business 90% of the time and the remainder is on first class.

(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: upgrades, priority, baggage allowance. Good award redemption (burn rate) and availability.

(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: about 50k, 90% paid in J and the remainder in F.

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
(First, Business, Premium economy, Economy, cheapest)
Reply: Mostly discounted business if viable otherwise J regular fare. Discounted First when available.

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: Yes, I choose whatever airlines I want and I choose class of travel. Travel is 80% for work and the rest is holidays with family with award redemption most of the time.

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
(US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply: Twice a year BEY-LHR-PHX or BEY-LHR-SFO or BEY-LHR-IAD in club world. Then 4 or 5 times between BEY and Europe on Club as well. Once or twice From Bey to SYD and another city in far east on Club or F. Lastly 3 or 4 trips from BEY to DXB all Business.

(6) What is your home airport?
(SFO, SCL, London LHR, HKG, Singapore SIN etc.)
Reply: BEY

(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
(AA Executive Platinum, QF Gold, UA 1K, LAN Comodoro, etc)
Reply: Gold on BA.

(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Reply: BA for transatlantic and Europe, AA for US domestic. Any of the Gulf airlines and Qantas to far east/Australia.

I would like to know if switching to AA I can get more upgrade availably to F when flying transatlantic and cheaper and more available redemption on award flights.

Thanks for your help.