I have an LHR-SYD and SYD-LHR upcoming over Xmas, and some *A flights around Europe, which at 100% earn would have been enough to take me to BD*G.

I already have a fair few BA miles so am not so keen on my BD miles turning into BA miles - it would be a lot of eggs in one basket, and it is good to have a second alliance for when redemption availability is limited.

So -

Do I credit my upcoming flights to BD in the hope that a new BD*G will turn into SEN (or a consolation prize of BA G, which I guess would be an improvement on BA S)?

Do I credit to DJ? - assuming SQ>DJ credits come in by then, this would put me well on the way to DJ Platinum with the benefit of multiple soft landings. There is always the hope that DJ may join *A or ST or find a European partner - its current alliance arrangements are great if you are only based in Australia but not so good if you fly round Europe too.

Do I credit to A3 - therefore committing to use A3 as my main *A programme going forward? Since A3 does not have a UK or Aus based credit card, it is less appealing to me as a main *A programme than an airline which does, and the lack of flexibility changing miles bookings doesn't recommend the programme. Additionally, A3's future is perhaps the most uncertain of any *A carrier, as are the continuing terms of its frequent flyer scheme - so a little like BD I guess, without the credit card or any booking flexibility.

Do I credit to LH? - I have a LH miles-earning Amex and therefore my LH miles don't expire, but while my flying patterns could conceivably earn 40K miles on *A for the next few years, I don't think they would support 100K a year to maintain SEN, unless I don't credit elsewhere at all. If I keep A3 for status and use LH to build up miles for redemption use this might work - but I hear A3 are not too keen on this.

Or do I look at making anther *A carrier my main programme - and in this case, which one offers closest to the perfect combination of miles-don't-expire, one-way awards, flexibility in changing awards, *A upgrades, UK or Aus credit card, family accounts, low *G threshold and lifetime status? I think TK, SQ and SK are out for me due to miles expiry, and UA and CO are out due to own metal requirements, so I guess that leaves OZ, LH, A3 and US as *A alternatives. OZ does not offer miles don't expire, but miles have have 10 and 12 year expiry if you have status, there is a two year earning window for status miles and then a two year status period, and it offers lifetime status so it is looking the most tempting at the moment.

All I can think to do is not credit the SQ flights for a few months (but not too long!), and wait and see what happens...

Would welcome others' thoughts on this.