Originally Posted by
gbsfo
although if I go AA I may be better to wait until June 16/July 1 and pay for a challenge as I have a SFO-LHR WT+ trip in July which will easily get me >10k EQP and then I'll have status until Feb 2014 right?
There's a sticky in the AAdvantage forum on this, but I believe that this would qualify
only if booked as an AA Codeshare
(1) What is your home airport?
Reply: SFO
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class?
Reply: ~50k perhaps less actual miles with ~20% in FF coach.
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy ?
Reply: mainly economy, some full fare economy and premium economy (BA)
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or, class of service?. Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: Work is all coach, mainly UA options, but I can choose.
(5) Which routes do you fly most often?
Reply: Transatlantic (SFO-LHR, ~2x year), US domestic.
(6) Do you have FFP status of any kind of OW or other airline at present? What is it?
Reply: I will soon get my BMI status matched to BA Silver.
(7) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Reply: Low-cost redemptions, Elite ground handling (check-in, security etc), upgrades, lounges (international)
(8) Preferred Airlines
Reply: AA, BA
TIA
I would go with AA, as you don't appear to fly enough high TQP routes to earn Silver with BA. However, you state your actual mileage may be a little below 50k, which could make AA PLT will be a close call. Unlike UA which allows high bucket fares to earn 50% extra EQM, AA separates out EQM and EQP. High bucket fares earn 1.5 EQPs per mile flown, but only 1.0 EQM per mile flown. Many low bucket fares that still earn 1.0 EQM/mile flown only earn 0.5 EQP per mile flown.
Illustration: If I fly 35,000 in deep discount Y, and 10,000 in full fare Y, I have earned 50,000 EQM with UA.
But with AA, I have earned only 45,000 EQM (35,000 + 10,000), and only 32,500 EQP (35,000 * 0.5 + 10,000 * 1.5).