Originally Posted by
ylifin
Hello guys, I'm new here and I hope to get some good suggestions from you. I don't fly as much as many of you, only 2~4 long-haul trips a year. Currently I'm using China Southern Airline Sky Pearl FFP for easy status earning. I fly primary on discounted economy tickets on round flights HEL-AMS-PVG-WUH or HEL-CDG-WUH and I'm using majority only AF/KL. The nice thing why I have chosen CZ FFP is because they used to give 100% miles for discounted L, T classes so that I can easily earn Elite with only 2 return flights a year or Elite Plus with 4 per year. CZ even allows free lounge access with Elite status on CZ flights, and also it costs little miles to redeem a short-haul domestic ticket in China (10000km to redeem domestic flights above 800km). But unfortunately they have revised the rules after 10th Apr 2012 that discounted classes such as L, T on AF/KL are counted only 40%. .
Hi there,
welcome to FT.
If you are trying to select some other ST FFP, each of them would have some benefits as well as some disadvantages. And you would have to weigh in the priorities between them. Unfortunately, most FFPs are getting stricter. Gone are the days of BMI, and similar others.
After reading several of your posts, I think it would be better for you to stick to CZ FFP. At least CZ gives you 40% mileage for the lowest economy fares. Most other FFPs in ST, with few exceptions, only give you 25% for the lowest economy fares.
Then again, there's nothing wrong with airlines giving 25% or 40% for their lowest fares. It's a frequent flyer programme, meant to reward the frequent travellers. It's their product, and the travellers would reap the rewards or benefits if they meet certain thresholds. Not the other way around. Definitely not designed to suit the average traveller's travel patterns.
Perhaps, if the minimal fares is all you are willing to pay for (which is not a bad thing), then Star Alliance carriers may be a better suit. Most of their economy fares are flat out 100% fares. However, I cannot comment on Star Alliance offerings in Wuhan.
There's quite a bit of information already given by other FTers above, so you would have to make your own choice. But in my opinion, stick to CZ, and work a bit harder to get the top tiers.
Good luck!