Best Skyteam program for someone in Bangkok...
Feb 27, 2016, 7:11 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: The Embassy
Posts: 677
Best Skyteam program for someone in Bangkok...
I never really fly Skyteam, but have found myself about to travel 30,000 or so actual miles on Vietnam Airlines and China Airlines, on various cheapish business class flights.
I'm in possession of a Freccia Alata Plus card due to status matching, but just starting to think perhaps it might be better to credit to somewhere else.
I do a lot of BKK-LON, and assuming Vietnam Airlines 787 Business class isn't terrible, it's currently about 60% of the price of competitors, so I could see myself flying that route frequently. I also have the occasional need to get to the west coast of the US.
Mostly I'd plan to use my miles for random silly little holidays in premium classes from Bangkok.
Any thoughts?
I'm in possession of a Freccia Alata Plus card due to status matching, but just starting to think perhaps it might be better to credit to somewhere else.
I do a lot of BKK-LON, and assuming Vietnam Airlines 787 Business class isn't terrible, it's currently about 60% of the price of competitors, so I could see myself flying that route frequently. I also have the occasional need to get to the west coast of the US.
Mostly I'd plan to use my miles for random silly little holidays in premium classes from Bangkok.
Any thoughts?
Feb 29, 2016, 7:01 pm
#2
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
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Mar 4, 2016, 8:17 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 905
Just be aware, if not already, that Vietnam D class bookings earn zero points in the Alitalia program. All other members give reasonable points for VN discount business.
VN fares ex BKK are highly competitive, for now, as you note. Paris and London are lower than Finnair and Melbourne/Sydney are less than Malaysia ( all those destinations about 50% of Thai and Qantas).
The downside of Vietnam is that most flights from Australia now require an overnight in SGN. A330 angle flat on Australia flights.
Upside: A350 to Paris, 787 to London, lie flat.
Redemption rates changed recently , from memory January 15th, making the program less generous and with significant high season premiums on award bookings.
VN fares ex BKK are highly competitive, for now, as you note. Paris and London are lower than Finnair and Melbourne/Sydney are less than Malaysia ( all those destinations about 50% of Thai and Qantas).
The downside of Vietnam is that most flights from Australia now require an overnight in SGN. A330 angle flat on Australia flights.
Upside: A350 to Paris, 787 to London, lie flat.
Redemption rates changed recently , from memory January 15th, making the program less generous and with significant high season premiums on award bookings.
Mar 4, 2016, 8:26 am
#4
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IIRC some of the Chinese carrier FF programs give access to their own lounges at SkyTeam Elite (not ElitePlus) level. This could be useful to you. The tradeoff is that these generally aren't good FF programs.
From BKK, do you see yourself flying KE much? Their program has some nice advantages, IIRC lifetime status at very reasonable requirements and pooled family accounts, as well as the opportunity to redeem for IFC.
From BKK, do you see yourself flying KE much? Their program has some nice advantages, IIRC lifetime status at very reasonable requirements and pooled family accounts, as well as the opportunity to redeem for IFC.
Mar 4, 2016, 10:35 am
#5
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: The Embassy
Posts: 677
Flew the 787 a few days ago, as noted on the QR forum. Substandard to QR in almost sense, but ... only a bit. The lounge was very pleasent, the food was entirely edible, the staff were nice, and the lie-flat was comfortable.
It has the signifcant advantage of being one short flight and one very long one, meaning it's great to sleep on. It's also $1,000 cheaper than QR, so I think I will struggle to justify flying QR again on the route while the fare difference is so large, and the service difference comparatively small.
Mar 4, 2016, 10:37 am
#6
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: The Embassy
Posts: 677
Unlikely - they've rarely been competitively priced to the US from BKK for me, especially with Asiana flying the route on A380 1-2-1 config