Best Star Alliance program for the the not-so-frequent-flyer
#18
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: MEX
Programs: TK G,UA *S
Posts: 1,134
Update:
1. A3- qualification is not that easy because you will need 48k miles for Gold or 24k for silver. LH crediting is not good at all, UA crediting slightly better. qualification only for 1 year. However, if you are an old Gold member then requalifying could be still possible. The 300% UA A fare crediting is still alive and the 12k miles can be earned for as little as 500USD. Add 4 segments on A3 and you are Gold again.This is my first choice
2.TK- if you could match from an existing Gold card to TK you would need to fly 25k miles in a year or 37,5 in 2 years for a 2 year qualification. UA credit good (was just reduced, no minimum miles anymore), LH credits not so good. This is my second choice at this moment.
3.UA- you will need around 50k to get to gold or 25k to get to silver. UA crediting very good, LH crediting good.
4.M&M- difficult to consider, nothing attractive to get. Even FTL status for 35k miles is high in my opinion, given the low credits you get even on LH flights.
5. OZ- 40k in 2 years to get gold. UA crediting good (was just reduced), LH crediting not that good overal.
6. SAS- 45k in one year to get gold. UA crediting good (just reduced), LH crediting not that good, but at least you receive something even for the cheapest fare.
March 2015 not a good month for cuttings in crediting in so many programs worldwide.
1. A3- qualification is not that easy because you will need 48k miles for Gold or 24k for silver. LH crediting is not good at all, UA crediting slightly better. qualification only for 1 year. However, if you are an old Gold member then requalifying could be still possible. The 300% UA A fare crediting is still alive and the 12k miles can be earned for as little as 500USD. Add 4 segments on A3 and you are Gold again.This is my first choice
2.TK- if you could match from an existing Gold card to TK you would need to fly 25k miles in a year or 37,5 in 2 years for a 2 year qualification. UA credit good (was just reduced, no minimum miles anymore), LH credits not so good. This is my second choice at this moment.
3.UA- you will need around 50k to get to gold or 25k to get to silver. UA crediting very good, LH crediting good.
4.M&M- difficult to consider, nothing attractive to get. Even FTL status for 35k miles is high in my opinion, given the low credits you get even on LH flights.
5. OZ- 40k in 2 years to get gold. UA crediting good (was just reduced), LH crediting not that good overal.
6. SAS- 45k in one year to get gold. UA crediting good (just reduced), LH crediting not that good, but at least you receive something even for the cheapest fare.
March 2015 not a good month for cuttings in crediting in so many programs worldwide.
#19
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Plat, UA Gold
Posts: 609
Update:
1. A3- qualification is not that easy because you will need 48k miles for Gold or 24k for silver. LH crediting is not good at all, UA crediting slightly better. qualification only for 1 year. However, if you are an old Gold member then requalifying could be still possible. The 300% UA A fare crediting is still alive and the 12k miles can be earned for as little as 500USD. Add 4 segments on A3 and you are Gold again.This is my first choice
2.TK- if you could match from an existing Gold card to TK you would need to fly 25k miles in a year or 37,5 in 2 years for a 2 year qualification. UA credit good (was just reduced, no minimum miles anymore), LH credits not so good. This is my second choice at this moment.
3.UA- you will need around 50k to get to gold or 25k to get to silver. UA crediting very good, LH crediting good.
4.M&M- difficult to consider, nothing attractive to get. Even FTL status for 35k miles is high in my opinion, given the low credits you get even on LH flights.
5. OZ- 40k in 2 years to get gold. UA crediting good (was just reduced), LH crediting not that good overal.
6. SAS- 45k in one year to get gold. UA crediting good (just reduced), LH crediting not that good, but at least you receive something even for the cheapest fare.
March 2015 not a good month for cuttings in crediting in so many programs worldwide.
1. A3- qualification is not that easy because you will need 48k miles for Gold or 24k for silver. LH crediting is not good at all, UA crediting slightly better. qualification only for 1 year. However, if you are an old Gold member then requalifying could be still possible. The 300% UA A fare crediting is still alive and the 12k miles can be earned for as little as 500USD. Add 4 segments on A3 and you are Gold again.This is my first choice
2.TK- if you could match from an existing Gold card to TK you would need to fly 25k miles in a year or 37,5 in 2 years for a 2 year qualification. UA credit good (was just reduced, no minimum miles anymore), LH credits not so good. This is my second choice at this moment.
3.UA- you will need around 50k to get to gold or 25k to get to silver. UA crediting very good, LH crediting good.
4.M&M- difficult to consider, nothing attractive to get. Even FTL status for 35k miles is high in my opinion, given the low credits you get even on LH flights.
5. OZ- 40k in 2 years to get gold. UA crediting good (was just reduced), LH crediting not that good overal.
6. SAS- 45k in one year to get gold. UA crediting good (just reduced), LH crediting not that good, but at least you receive something even for the cheapest fare.
March 2015 not a good month for cuttings in crediting in so many programs worldwide.
Is there ANY program that will give me more than 50% miles on discount economy united flights? I'm thinking i've come full circle and should stick w/ united now.
#20
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LAX, LGB, SNA
Programs: AA EXP OWE, DL DM ST+, AS MVPG, UA, BA, WN CP, Hyatt E, Ritz Plat, HH GM
Posts: 3,185
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 20,885
May be of interest
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...help-here.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star-...post-here.html Sadly gets very replys to posts
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...help-here.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/skyte...i-sign-up.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...help-here.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star-...post-here.html Sadly gets very replys to posts
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...help-here.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/skyte...i-sign-up.html
#22
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: MEX
Programs: TK G,UA *S
Posts: 1,134
Update:
1. A3- qualification is not that easy because you will need 48k miles for Gold or 24k for silver. LH crediting is not good at all, UA crediting slightly better. qualification only for 1 year. However, if you are an old Gold member then requalifying could be still possible. The 300% UA A fare crediting is still alive and the 12k miles can be earned for as little as 500USD. Add 4 segments on A3 and you are Gold again.This is my first choice
2.TK- if you could match from an existing Gold card to TK you would need to fly 25k miles in a year or 37,5 in 2 years for a 2 year qualification. UA credit good (was just reduced, no minimum miles anymore), LH credits not so good. This is my second choice at this moment.
3.UA- you will need around 50k to get to gold or 25k to get to silver. UA crediting very good, LH crediting good.
4.M&M- difficult to consider, nothing attractive to get. Even FTL status for 35k miles is high in my opinion, given the low credits you get even on LH flights.
5. OZ- 40k in 2 years to get gold. UA crediting good (was just reduced), LH crediting not that good overal.
6. SAS- 45k in one year to get gold. UA crediting good (just reduced), LH crediting not that good, but at least you receive something even for the cheapest fare.
March 2015 not a good month for cuttings in crediting in so many programs worldwide.
1. A3- qualification is not that easy because you will need 48k miles for Gold or 24k for silver. LH crediting is not good at all, UA crediting slightly better. qualification only for 1 year. However, if you are an old Gold member then requalifying could be still possible. The 300% UA A fare crediting is still alive and the 12k miles can be earned for as little as 500USD. Add 4 segments on A3 and you are Gold again.This is my first choice
2.TK- if you could match from an existing Gold card to TK you would need to fly 25k miles in a year or 37,5 in 2 years for a 2 year qualification. UA credit good (was just reduced, no minimum miles anymore), LH credits not so good. This is my second choice at this moment.
3.UA- you will need around 50k to get to gold or 25k to get to silver. UA crediting very good, LH crediting good.
4.M&M- difficult to consider, nothing attractive to get. Even FTL status for 35k miles is high in my opinion, given the low credits you get even on LH flights.
5. OZ- 40k in 2 years to get gold. UA crediting good (was just reduced), LH crediting not that good overal.
6. SAS- 45k in one year to get gold. UA crediting good (just reduced), LH crediting not that good, but at least you receive something even for the cheapest fare.
March 2015 not a good month for cuttings in crediting in so many programs worldwide.
I would like to add that apart from issues to book *A award with TK miles, they also have issues with retroclaim of flights. This is making TK a really hard destination, even if not that difficult to achieve status.
#23
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: TLV
Programs: QF,VA
Posts: 12
I'm going to piggy-back on this thread if that's OK, as I think I fall into a similar category. Up until now, I have flown mostly OneWorld, but it looks like I may be flying *A a bit more. I have around 10,000 points left on SAS (no status) which are expiring at the end of this year, but since I no longer live in Scandinavia (based in TLV now), I think there may be a better programme for me. I have an upcoming return flight on UA (13,000 miles each way) in discount economy. Have been considering the following options:
Can anyone help me stop pulling out all my hair?
- Stick with SAS since at least I have something there.
- Move to SQ - since I also have points with Virgin Australia (and they have a points transfer programme)
- UA - but earning at 5x cost isn't that great - given that the upcoming trip will get me around 7,000 points only)
- A3 - seems a popular one for good a good reason
Can anyone help me stop pulling out all my hair?
#24
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NRT / HND
Programs: AA EXP, NH Plat, Former UA 1K
Posts: 5,497
That's really interesting - I hadn't considered either of them. Thanks!
Do they require that you fly with them every once in a while to maintain the status (it's not really that often I'm in Japan , or is it enough to fly with the other Star Alliance partners?
Also, do they award points from the partner-flights (mainly LH, UA and SK) "on par" with their own flights, or is there some kind of penalty?
Thanks again for all the help!
Do they require that you fly with them every once in a while to maintain the status (it's not really that often I'm in Japan , or is it enough to fly with the other Star Alliance partners?
Also, do they award points from the partner-flights (mainly LH, UA and SK) "on par" with their own flights, or is there some kind of penalty?
Thanks again for all the help!
Since this thread is apparently still alive and well, it's worth note that none of the suggested and later debated airlines are in Japan.
NH though does require 50% of your status miles to come from NH flights, but that was never on the table.
#25
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 1
I have my own way to help you have a two-year gold card. message or email me for the detail
[email protected]
[email protected]
#26
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: TLV
Programs: QF,VA
Posts: 12
In case someone is in a similar position to me - in the end I decided that Asiana was the best option, primarily because of the relative ease of being able to achieve gold status since their accumulation period is 2 years instead of 1 year.
#29
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: MEX
Programs: TK G,UA *S
Posts: 1,134
As a UA,LH,CM flyer I analysed my variants and there are only 3:
1. stay with UA but only to get silver and credit rest to other programm ( I would not get to gold due to less flying). Status will be good for E+, but the award miles received will be cut substantially over the past years.
2. go further with A3 gold, but the 4 segments on A3 will be every year something to take into account for requalification. Although the UA A fares credit very rich to this program. Customer service is better compared to TK.
3. try to requalify fast with the awarded TK gold to get status until 2019 and see what happens in this period of time. Customer service is poor, miles do expire, *A award are hard to book. Only the status validity is here a plus as I see it.
What would you do?
1. stay with UA but only to get silver and credit rest to other programm ( I would not get to gold due to less flying). Status will be good for E+, but the award miles received will be cut substantially over the past years.
2. go further with A3 gold, but the 4 segments on A3 will be every year something to take into account for requalification. Although the UA A fares credit very rich to this program. Customer service is better compared to TK.
3. try to requalify fast with the awarded TK gold to get status until 2019 and see what happens in this period of time. Customer service is poor, miles do expire, *A award are hard to book. Only the status validity is here a plus as I see it.
What would you do?
#30
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: A3 Gold
Posts: 297
To retain A3 Gold, it's 12000mi w/4 A3 segments or 24000mi with no A3 segments within 12 consecutive months since the date of upgrade to Gold will retain status for an additional year.