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Need advice on which *A FF scheme to join? - please post here

Old Jan 20, 2016, 10:53 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: jtet
A number of threads have been started with members asking for guidance on which mileage programme they should join. In order to help users I have started this thread to allow people to post their requests for information here and to allow people to offer assistance.

For members asking for information please help people to assist you, can you provide:

(1) What is your home airport? (SFO, LAX, MCO, etc.)
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? (C, F, Y, etc.)
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? (UA Silver, M&M Senator etc)
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? (Frequent upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, good award redemption rates, free lounge access, etc.)
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)
(7) Preferred Airlines
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?)


GENERAL INFORMATION:


If you fly less than 50k miles per year: it is almost guaranteed that your choice will be between Aegean Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and Asiana Airlines. Please look up these airlines' frequent flier programs, and make a decision as to which best suits your needs.

Some considerations to take into account:

Airlines tend to treat members of their own frequent flier program better than members of other frequent flier programs. If you fly one of these airlines, it is recommended that you choose that airline.

Some airlines have better earning/redemption charts for your pattern. For example, if you fly on cheap fares on a certain airline often, Turkish might give you miles for it, while Aegean might not. However, Turkish Airlines might charge much more for the redemption that you want to make than Aegean.

Asiana Airlines offers lifetime Star Alliance Gold for 500k miles over life. The other 2 airlines do not offer this benefit.

Asiana Airlines has a credit card in the USA and some other countries. If you are interested in credit cards, check to make sure that the program that you join has a credit card in your country.
If you still aren't sure which frequent flyer program is for you after looking these up, feel free to ask on this thread.
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Need advice on which *A FF scheme to join? - please post here

Old Mar 14, 2015, 7:37 am
  #1531  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: BRU / SCQ / LUX
Programs: Iberia, BAEC GOLD/ Priority Club : ROYAL Amb / Miles and More: SEN
Posts: 913
Hello,

Was Senator till last monht. I fly a lot of Brussels Airlines Check and Go ( what booking class is this, as I cannot find it) I have already following flights this year :

BRU - WAW - BRU ( SN: what booking class)
BRU - TLV - BRU ( SN: what booking class)
BRU - BER - BRU ( SN: what booking class)
BRU - ZRH - LCA - ZRH - BRU ( LX: Swiss K-class)
BRU - ZRH - LCA - ZRH - BRU ( LX: Swiss T-class)
--------------------------------

(1) What is your home airport?

BRU, DUS, RTM

(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ?

Economy, Premium Economy

(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year?

10-25k

(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it?

BA GOLD, FF Lufthansa,

(5) What is most important to you in a FFP?

lounge, upgrades, priority

(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)

Europe short haul,

(7) Preferred Airlines

BA, AA, LX, SN

(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?)

I can choose airline, often class
mgo72 is offline  
Old Mar 14, 2015, 9:36 pm
  #1532  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Auckland NZ
Programs: NZ Gold Elite, AS, AC, QF
Posts: 744
Too funny: our lives are sort of the opposite of each other's. I left Canada for NZ a couple of years ago for an academic role. Had to transition from Aeroplan to Airpoints because of AC's sticky metal requirements (my first year here I flew over 50k on *A, but got no status from AC!).

If you're based in Canada and have a good Aeroplan Platinum or gold credit card, it's a great programme--provided you can book rewards on other *A carriers to avoid AC's fuel surcharges. You'd still be able to use *A upgrades on flights, if the inventory's available: you would lose recognition upgrades for NZ metal.


Originally Posted by Kiwi06
Hello - first time on the forum so a little unsure of etiquette but here goes:

I am a new Zealander living in Canada for past 9 years and looking toward this being pretty much permanent. I have had Gold *A through Air NZ for past 15 years with a few years of GE. I am very attached to my *A Gold status and fear I will need therapy if I ever lose it! I have been known to book trips just to retain it -especially since Air Canada savagely reduced the ability to earn *A points on domestic routes in economy in anything but the most expensive fare classes.

1.Home airport =Ottawa
2. Domestic, USA, Europe = Economy but LAX - Auckland always book Premium Economy and use Air NZ points to upgrade to business
3. Typically around 50,000+k per year (2 trips Ottawa - NZ + 1 trip Ottawa -Europe + various small domestic trips in Canada)
4. Currently *A Gold - Air NZ
5. Most important = lounges & potential upgrades to business on long-haul flights between North America & NZ
6. Ottawa-LAX-Auckland (2/year); Ottawa - Europe (1/year)
7. Am big fan of Air NZ as it feels like I am home the minute i step on the plane (or into LAX lounge), I have a real frustrating time with Air Canada who seldom recognize my *A Gold status and I find their service really bad - but have limited choice from Ottawa.
8. Am university professor travelling to conferences so am using research fund that I have built up through consultancies and grants so travel not paid by employer, but is tax free. I am restricted to booking economy except in long haul flights where I book PE (LAX - AUCK) and typically use Air NZ points to upgrade to business.

MY Question: Now I am destined to live in Canada should I wean myself off my Air NZ loyalty and take up another *A FF program? While I am currently travelling home to NZ 2/year this is mainly visits to my mother and I organize work to coincide with visits - but since she is 93years old this will not continue forever.

Any advice appreciated.
jawnbc is offline  
Old Mar 15, 2015, 2:25 pm
  #1533  
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Belfast, UK
Programs: Executive Club (Gold), Marriot Bonvoy (Gold)
Posts: 119
Hi,

I'm a BA silver, but take the occasional *A flight - and have flights lined up this year on Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia. I also sometimes fly on ANA, but to be honest, I'm probably looking at two star alliance flights per year, so I'm not really expecting status. I do have a Miles & More account, but not sure if there's a better option. Any advice appreciated!

(1) What is your home airport?
BHD

(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? (C, F, Y, etc.)
Usually Y, Prem Economy if it's offered

(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)
With Star Alliance, probably <25K

(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? (UA Premier, M&M Senator etc)
Not with Star Alliance

(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? (Frequent upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, good award redemption rates, free lounge access, etc.)
I'd like priority services but realise I'm probably not going to obtain it with the limited Star Alliance flights I do. So award redemption rates would probably come top of the list.

(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)
With Star Alliance, domestic between Australia, NZ, Japan, intra-Europe

(7) Preferred Airlines
None really!

(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?)
Travel for both - if work related, I can choose airlines and class of service

Last edited by Simonmiller; Mar 15, 2015 at 2:31 pm
Simonmiller is offline  
Old Mar 18, 2015, 3:10 pm
  #1534  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1
Question

I've been on Aeroplan for more than a decade but the fly-on-AC requirements are starting to kill (since I'm starting to go to a lot of places AC doesn't serve and will soon have a base outside Canada)

(1) What is your home airport?
For 20 years, YYZ (Toronto)
For at least the next 12 months -- and possibly quite a bit longer -- GVA (Geneva)

(2) Do you currently have any status?
This moment, AC "Prestige" (*A Silver)
Over the years I have bounced all over the place between 100K Elite and nothing, sometimes in consecutive years. Because of a new contract (the one that has me going to Geneva, I will probably be going on one intercontinental flight per month or so, increasingly to destinations AC doesn't serve.

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
I usually don't have control over this. Until now it's been the low half-miles fares; I think (hope!) the new contractor won't be quite so stingy.

(4) Which airlines/routes do you usually fly?
All over the place. Every continent, almost no Canadian domestic. Often to places AC serves, but usually not (Singapore, Tunis, Delhi). Over the last decade I have been on 19 different *A carriers -- sometimes just to try, sometimes by necessity. Sometimes the cheapness of my travel benefactor has forced me to take UA trips via EWR/ORD when AC did the same route nonstop (but was more expensive). This has been a cause of ... stress.

(5) How many miles do you usually fly each year?
Actual miles usually varies from 30-70K. Accrued AC miles much lower because of the cheap fares bought by my previous source of funding.

(6) Do you mainly fly for work or for leisure? / Do you have any flexibility in choosing the airline/fare bucket etc.?
No flexibility in airfare, often (but not always) some say in choice of airline.
Mostly work related, except for some travel to LON and FLL for family.

(7) What is most important to you in a FFP?
  1. Lounge access *A-wide
  2. Upgrades
  3. Early Boarding
  4. A grace period to allow a status to carry over between heavy-travel years and light-travel years
  5. Reasonable flexibility in booking rewards

Last edited by Evan Leibovitch; Mar 18, 2015 at 3:37 pm
Evan Leibovitch is offline  
Old Mar 30, 2015, 5:46 pm
  #1535  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1
MileagePlus or Aeroplan for YVR traveller?

Hi all,

As is probably often the case, I've joined up because I am completely confused about these FF programs and could use some guidance. I'll start by answering the standard questions.

(1) What is your home airport?
YVR

(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ?
Economy tickets of all sorts - not sure the what all the letters mean

(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year?
The past few years has been 25-50 but this year and for the foreseeable future I'll be doing 50+

(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it?
Silver at KLM and Silver at United

(5) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Frequent upgrades on travel and free lounge access are top of my list. Basically I just want to be comfortable despite being restricted to economy and economy plus seats. That said, I haven't really looked into what I can get with redeemable miles

(6) Which routes do you fly most often
Mostly YVR to Asia plus some inter-Asia. Some US and European flights thrown in. Planned itinerary below.

(7) Preferred Airlines
No real preference. YVR being my home, Air Canada seems to offer the most direct flights.

(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure?
Travel for work and am restricted to Economy/Economy Plus tickets. No restriction on airlines.

Basically I am trying to figure out whether it makes more sense to go with MileagePlus or Aeroplan (although limiting it to these two could be me showing my ignorance). I have Silver with MileagePlus (and KLM) but AirCanada offers more direct flights to my typical destinations. I should do more than 50K this year, but maybe that doesn't matter any more since everyone is going fare-based and I am buying relatively cheap tickets.

Here are my travel plans so far:
Tokyo
Melbourne/Auckland
Beijing/Seoul/Taipei
Singapore/Mumbai
Lexington/Charlotte/Boston
Bonn/Helsinki

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

Last edited by FlyingShouldSuckLess; Mar 31, 2015 at 3:53 pm Reason: Improve legibility
FlyingShouldSuckLess is offline  
Old Mar 30, 2015, 8:10 pm
  #1536  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 10
Best *A FF scheme for flying out of HKG?

(1) What is your home airport? (SFO, LAX, MCO, etc.)
HKG

(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? (C, F, Y, etc.)
Economy - All classes (depends on travel agents)

(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)
25k-50k on *A

(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? (UA Premier, M&M Senator etc)
None for *A. Recently zeroed my M&M balance.

(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? (Frequent upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, good award redemption rates, free lounge access, etc.)
Free b-class or prem econ upgrades is a priority. Good award redemption may help, but I would prefer to cushion my long-haul flights.

(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)
Transpacific - HKG to USA (60% CA, 40% rest of USA)

(7) Preferred Airlines
SQ operates a HKG-SFO leg, which is convenient for West Coast business, but then forces connections through SFO (and SFO alone) for other USA travel. Fares/flexibility becomes challenging.
BR is probably the fastest connection for HKG with non-stops to LAX, SFO, SEA, IAH and NYC
NH seems to have the most comprehensive connections to USA, but many flights are codeshared with UA ()
OZ might have best probability for collecting miles on partners. Plus I fly HKG-ICN a few times per year.

(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?)
Both, but work travel is generally restricted to economy class and sometimes discount fares.

Thanks in advance!
steve15182 is offline  
Old Apr 11, 2015, 12:24 am
  #1537  
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 2
How to apply for FFP?
mitra is offline  
Old Apr 11, 2015, 6:11 am
  #1538  
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SIN
Programs: JL GC | Marriott LT Silver | Global Entry
Posts: 6,812
Originally Posted by mitra
How to apply for FFP?
You just go to your desired airline's website.
lcpteck is offline  
Old Apr 26, 2015, 3:39 pm
  #1539  
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 2
Hi

Got 4x flights booked with Quantas to NZ (though one of the legs is with Emirates). Not currently with any FFP, so wanting to know the best place to log my miles to please

(1) What is your home airport?

LBA, MAN

(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ?

Economy

(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year?

average 25k

(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it?

No

(5) What is most important to you in a FFP?

good redemptions against shorthaul flights in europe (budget airlines incl?), upgrades on long haul, priority, lounge

(6) Which routes do you fly most often?

Europe short haul and occasional long haul - Sri Lanka and S Africa are also on the cards for the next few years

(7) Preferred Airlines

None

(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?)

Pleasure - family holidays, no business travel

TIA
bassbikemike is offline  
Old Apr 26, 2015, 4:17 pm
  #1540  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 20,884
Originally Posted by bassbikemike
Got 4x flights booked with Qantas to NZ (though one of the legs is with Emirates). Not currently with any FFP, so wanting to know the best place to log my miles to please

(1) What is your home airport?
LBA, MAN
As living in UK join BA ffp http://www.britishairways.com/travel/home/public/en_au
Is the flight on Emirates an EK or QF flight number? Is this Aust to NZ?
Mwenenzi is offline  
Old Apr 27, 2015, 5:37 pm
  #1541  
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 11
Hi,

Would love some advice on this.
Currently I have about
SAS Eurobonus: 25,825
United MilagePlus: 12,105 (award mileage balances), 17,698 (lifetime flight miles)
I am a temporary resident in US and will stay for a few years and hopefully move back to northern Europe. I usually fly in US, Europe and China for business and would like your advice on either of the two which I should focus on. It seems Its easier to gain status with United (even tho I dont like flying with them) but not sure if it makes sense to focus on United if I move back to Europe in the next years?

1) What is your home airport? (SFO, LAX, MCO, etc.)
: Currently AUS (austin), next year Chicago (ORD, MCN)
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? (C, F, Y, etc.)
: Economy
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)
25-50k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? (UA Premier, M&M Senator etc)
SAS Eurobonus: Member
United Milageplus: Primier
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? (Frequent upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, good award redemption rates, free lounge access, etc.)
Good award redemption rates
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)
US Domestic, Europe (not transpacific), China (Domestic),
(7) Preferred Airlines
Bad experience with old planes and bad service from United (LAX->PVG). Other then that no preferences.
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?)
Work (can choose airlines but only economy)

Appreciate your advice=)
Sebastiann is offline  
Old Apr 27, 2015, 5:42 pm
  #1542  
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 11
Hi,

Would love some advice on this.
Currently I have about
SAS Eurobonus: 25,825
United MilagePlus: 12,105 (award mileage balances), 17,698 (lifetime flight miles)
I am a temporary resident in US and will stay for a few years and hopefully move back to northern Europe. I usually fly in US, Europe and China for business and would like your advice on either of the two which I should focus on. It seems Its easier to gain status with United (even tho I dont like flying with them) but not sure if it makes sense to focus on United if I move back to Europe in the next years?

1) What is your home airport? (SFO, LAX, MCO, etc.)
: Currently AUS (austin), next year Chicago (ORD, MCN)
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? (C, F, Y, etc.)
: Economy
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)
25-50k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? (UA Premier, M&M Senator etc)
SAS Eurobonus: Member
United Milageplus: Primier
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? (Frequent upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, good award redemption rates, free lounge access, etc.)
Good award redemption rates
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)
US Domestic, Europe (not transpacific), China (Domestic),
(7) Preferred Airlines
Bad experience with old planes and bad service from United (LAX->PVG). Other then that no preferences.
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?)
Work (can choose airlines but only economy)

Appreciate your advice=)
Sebastiann is offline  
Old May 2, 2015, 11:53 am
  #1543  
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 1
Cool Desperate LH / Austrian Miles and More Senator

Hi guys,

I am still Miles and More member with a Senator Status until begin of next year. I am flying maybe 100k miles a year but with the rates that we book and the new rules that LH put Forward, ist really getting tough to get the 100k miles for the status.

So here my stats:

(1) What is your home airport?
GRZ (if you dont know where that is, take VIE, MUC or FRA instead)

(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? (C, F, Y, etc.)
the cheap ones, Q, S, V, W, sometimes H, M

(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)
>50k

(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it?
M&M Senator etc

(5) What is most important to you in a FFP?
lounge access and spending my miles on flight awards

(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)
Europe to US, Latin America, China and within Europe

(7) Preferred Airlines
LH, Austrian, UA, TAM

(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure?
travel for work, redeem for pleasure (from Europe to US and Asia)


I think 2 things are interesting for me, what programs allow to take over my Gold status (and not taking over the miles, but thats ok) and where can I redeem for flight awards nicely

Would be totally thankful for a suggestion here, I am really p*ssed with LH & Co

cheers, Martin
mliebl is offline  
Old May 6, 2015, 12:57 am
  #1544  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Tehran (IKA), Vancouver (YVR), Nice (NCE)
Programs: QR Platinum (Oneworld Emerald), AZ Freccia Alata (Skyteam Gold), Shangri-La GC (Jade)
Posts: 235
I would really appreciate your help:


I have a United Mileage plus account and I was quite satisfied with award redemption. I will be flying in J to north america and back in a few month (December) on TK and as I have become oneworld sapphire, I can request for a TK status match to *A Gold.

But I don't know where to credit my *A miles. I want to credit my *A flights to a program that would be generous in redemption even if I don't receive the gold tier miles.

Retaining status on *A, although nice, is not my main objective.

Qatar Airways award redemption is terrible and I really dont want to make the same mistake with *A.

Thanks very much for your help.


1) What is your home airport?

YVR
IKA
NCE

(2) Do you currently have any status?

QR Gold - OneWorld Sapphire

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

Mostly Y. Occasionally J.


(4) Which airlines/routes do you usually fly?


IKA-NCE
IKA-YVR
IKA- DXB, DOH, KWI

Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa

(5) How many miles do you usually fly each year?

Varies. Average of 60,000 I'd say. Sometimes more. Last year 130,000 on QR

(6) Do you mainly fly for work or for leisure? / Do you have any flexibility in choosing the airline/fare bucket etc.?

Mostly leisure and pretty flexible.

(7) What is most important to you in a FFP?

Award redemption (Good availability in premium cabin, ease in booking awards, relatively affordable redemption rates)
wandering_persian is offline  
Old May 6, 2015, 1:30 am
  #1545  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 20,884
Originally Posted by wandering_persian
I have a United Mileage plus account and I was quite satisfied with award redemption. I will be flying in J to North America and back in a few month (December) on TK and as I have become Oneworld sapphire, I can request for a TK status match to *A Gold.

But I don't know where to credit my *A miles. I want to credit my *A flights to a program that would be generous in redemption even if I don't receive the gold tier miles.

Retaining status on *A, although nice, is not my main objective.

Qatar Airways award redemption is terrible and I really don’t want to make the same mistake with *A.
For earn to burn hard and low award co payment fees hard to go past USA airline ffp’s.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...demptions.html

In the major 3 alliances award availability is nominally the same, but each ffp can have better award availability for their own freq flyers, especially if you have top level status.
Mwenenzi is offline  

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