Hey guys, I am with AirNZ Airpoints. V hard so switching. Two scenarios.

My mother; would Air Canada be better because the reward tickets are among the least required with SIA, ANA etc .. but AC has a 7yr expiry. BMI has less points for rewards but uncertainty with the Diamond Club.
(1) What is your home airport? (SFO, LAX, MCO, etc.)
Wellington, New Zealand
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? (C, F, Y, etc.)
Generally W fares or T fares.
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)
<25k. Once yearly return NZ - HK which is 12K or return to Vancouver from NZ. Not too sure much much miles that is. 24k return?? Occasionally maybe double to that.
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? (UA Premier, M&M Senator etc)
No, not interested in status.
(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 reward tickets - international tickets to HKG or Canada from NZ.
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)
NZ - HKG or Canada return.
(7) Preferred Airlines
N/A
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?)
Pleasure, can fully choose.


Now for me:
(1) What is your home airport? (SFO, LAX, MCO, etc.)
Wellington, New Zealand
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? (C, F, Y, etc.)
W or T fares international. Much of the time I go with lower cost carriers like Air Asia.
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)
<25k. Maybe 12 - 30k a year.
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? (UA Premier, M&M Senator etc)
No as AirNZ is too hard to get.
(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.)
A mixture but maybe more with Gold Star Alliance perhaps.
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)
International to Asia maybe.
(7) Preferred Airlines
N/A maybe Star Alliance.
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?)
Pleasure, economy class etc ... much of the time low cost carriers now and then the normal W or T economy fares which gets points with a Star Alliance carrier.

Would I be best to go with Asiana? I can get Gold easier spread over two years. Once I got Gold with fire sale tickets which with a NZ or Asian FF programme I get no points, but I can still access lounges etc .. And they require 78,000M for reward ticket (NZ - Asia return). Versus AC, ANA, SIA they need 60,000M. Not that huge of a difference. That's like an extra economy fare NZ - Asia that I need to do. Plus Asiana has a v long expiry date.

I should add that on both instances; we fly out of Auckland or Christchurch, NZ. Wellington does not cater much to intl flights other than using AirNZ or Qantas to Australia.
SIA, ANA getting Gold is more harder per year. And their points expire faster.