I think A3 is probably the best programme for anyone who will earn 4K-20K status miles a year (or achieve 20K in one year, then fly once a year on *A thereafter).

At 20K a year Asiana (40K over two years) is also an option.

Once you get to 50K status miles a year, it is easier to maintain status with a number of carriers and one can look at earn and burn options in more detail. Both SAS and US let you maintain (thought not attain) *G for 50K status miles a year.

At higher levels of status miles LH offered better benefits, however the recent changes to LH make it less attractive to anyone not flying full fare.

The three programmes I could find with a low gold qualification threshold, no own metal requirement, fairly OK earn and burn ratios and a UK miles-earning credit card option were Asiana, SAS and US.

The lack of a UK miles-earning credit card option is arguably Aegean's biggest drawback: potentially more of an issue than its non-flexible award tickets. This is also the reason I would not choose Turkish or Egyptair, both of which have low *G thresholds and otherwise look like OK programmes.

Between Asiana, SAS and US: are SAS or US's flexibility of changes to award bookings better than Asiana's lower qualification threshold and lifetime *G status at 500K miles, and is US's approach to mileage expiry better than SAS's flexible award bookings? I am still undecided.