Frequent Flyer Programs (FFP) are not equal.
1 (one) mile/point of FFP’s are not equal (just like currencies)
Each airline FFP can have different benefits from status.
Each airline FFP has different rules for earning and retaining status.
Each airline FFP has different rules for earning miles/points.
Each airline FFP has different rules to stop miles/points from expiring.
Each airline FFP has different rules for using (burning) those miles/points for awards and different copay $$ fees.
Each airline FFP has different rules for upgrades & different copay $$ fees.
Each airline FFP has different rules for lounge access (own & other airlines)
Useful summary
Overview of Frequent Flyer Programs by
FLYGVA
From a post on 2 Feb 2013
Originally Posted by
Gardyloo
< snip>
To get your feet wet, start by reading the sticky threads in this and other forums. What you need to do is look at your flying (and credit card, if applicable) patterns and preferences, then pick a program that works best for you. While miles/points aren't interchangeable, you can usually use one airline's miles/points for redemptions on that airline's partners - either in the same alliance or in some cases unaligned partners - or for non-flying activities. Each airline has different "earning and burning" characteristics - how miles/points are earned and used, and you'll need to investigate these carefully, as the differences can be significant and expensive (or beneficial) to you depending on your choices.
One important thing to note is that miles/points earning and redemption are only a part of the whole FF business. A big factor in choosing your plan preferences is whether you'd fly enough with your chosen airline(s) in order to reach elite frequent flyer status. With elite status comes various perks - access to lounges, expedited passage through airports, seat selections, upgrades, baggage allowances, etc. - that can be as important if not more important to frequent travellers. So those factors also need to be understood as you make your choices.
It involves homework and research, but the rewards can be very significant, well worth the effort. (Or so many of us think. Of course we can be both delusional and exhibit OCD symptoms in this regard. Welcome to the madhouse.)
Earning depends on fare booking class (which is different to cabin)
For
earning miles the fare bucket (a letter A to Z) is very important and not just the cabin you fly in (first, business or economy). Some low cost fares can earn nil miles/points in your FFP, especially if not flown on your own airline.
This web site gives info on redeemable earning
Where to Credit | How Many Miles | Every Frequent Flyer Program (but no idea how accurate: use at your own risk). Status earning is harder to easily determine.
Some ffp's allow pooling or free transfers to others subject to ffp t&c's
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...e-pooling.html
It's better to have
status with the airline you fly with most - it just works better, and you should get preference for any upgrades or during service issues. Airlines tend to give
members of their own frequent flyer program better service, than members of other frequent flyer programs. The airline you fly with the most will often have inherent home scheme advantages. If you fly one of these airlines, it is recommended that you choose that airline. As a very general rule, it's best to maintain
status on the airline you mostly fly, other things being equal. Often
status on the carrier being flown gets you access to special seats or even eligibility for upgrades. It will matter more than alliance status during IROPs and might give you higher priority for OPUPs.
Status:
Easiest FFP to obtain One World Emrald/Sapphire Status May not /will not be up to date.
Award flights with your airline, and its FFP partners (alliance airlines
and non-alliance) are subject to availability & the rules of your airlines FFP. Alliance airline FFP's do not have the same non-alliance airline partners.
Award flights are not free. Some can have very high cash co-payments.
[Wiki] Recent Devaluations
Some airlines have better earning/redemption charts for your pattern. For example, if you fly on cheap fares on a certain airline often, Airline ABC might give you miles for it, while Airline XYZ might not or give fewer miles. However Airline ABC might charge much more miles and/or cash surcharges for the redemption that you want than does Airline XYZ.
Earn to burn is what matters. 10,000 miles in one ffp may get you a longer award flight than 15,000 miles in another ffp.
With
airline partners you can fly an airline and may be able to collect frequent flyer miles in another airline frequent flyer program. Some low cost fares can earn nil miles/points in your FFP, especially if not flown on your own airline. That said, a good indicator is always to look at the program of the airline you are flying with and check the partners flights you can credit to it. The option to credit flights is
typically a reciprocal benefit between FFPs. But you always have to double check on the website of the program you want to credit to. (thanks to
a post by cityflyer369)
Expiry For low miles/points balance it is better to keep all in one FFP, and not have multiple accounts. Many FFP's have
expiry rules and it will happen if you are not careful. A very good summary about expiry of OneWorld miles/avios/points in
post 554 (
updated 13 Sept 2014). A little more OW information in
post 573. And for many airlines in
Frequent Flyer Mileage Expiry by
KiwiFlyer (01 Feb 2010) More here in
Airline Miles Expiration Policies Roundup in The Points Guy blog (April 17, 2013). Many of the airline ffp sub forums have a thread on simple ways to keep miles from expiring.
Link-->
Miles/Points that Do and Don't Expire
Effectively
transfer/conversion of miles/points from 1 airline ffp to another airlines ffp is not possible or practicable. Transfer via
www.points.com or a hotel loyality program is sometimes possible, but the conversion rate is unbelievably horrendous. For some ffp's there can be indirect ways via hotel frequent-guest programs, but these typical result in a significant reduction in the number of miles that ultimately end up in the other airline's FFP.
Retro credit of flights taken before signing up to a FFP varies by airline
For many you need to be a signed up member at the date of the flight.
Some information
Keep the physical boarding passes.
Upgrades
For
upgrades the general rule is you can only upgrade a flight marketed (flight number) and operated (metal) by the airline of your frequent flyer programme (no codeshares) with your airlines upgrade instrument (e.g. SWU, miles) or complementary with status (if applicable). All subject to the t&c's of your FFP and your paid ticket. Low cost tickets are often not eligible for upgrades.
However as is the way with FFP's there are some upgrade exceptions
Non flying earning by credit card, rental cars, hotel stays, shopping, on line surveys, etc are a good way of earning and for keeping accounts alive for many people.
________________________________________________
Airline Information
Individual airlines FFP are here
Airlines Mileage Programs
Flame-free airline threads on FlyerTalk are listed in
post 7 of
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...esk-forum.html
Major airline alliances are
Star Alliance - Home - Star Alliance web site and the Flyertalk forum
Star Alliance
www.oneworld.com web site and the Flyertalk forum
OneWorld Alliance
www.skyteam.com web site and the Flyertalk forum
Skyteam
Non aligned airlines include
-
Emirates
-
Ethihad
- many others
For advice on the intricacies of each
Star Alliance airline frequent flyer program [FFP] please refer to the airline web sites and the airline specific forums (as blue links below)
-
Air Canada
-
Aegean
-
Air New Zealand
-
Asiana
-
Avianca
-
LufthansaAustrian-Swiss Brussels LOT
-
United Airlines
-
Scandinavian Airlines
-
Singapore
-
Thai Airways
-
Turkish Airlines
- more to follow
For advice on the intricacies of each
OneWorld airline frequent flyer program [FFP] please refer to the airline web sites and the airline specific forums (as blue links below)
-
Air Berlin Topbonus OW membership 20 March 2012 Bankrupt & shutdown Oct 2018
-
Alaska (a good FFP for many people due the
airline partners)
-
American AAdvantage
-
British Airways - Executive Club
-
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
-
Finnair Plus
-
Iberia Plus
-
JAL Mileage Bank
-
LAN LANPASS Left Oneworld 30 April 2020
-
Qantas Frequent Flyer
-
Qatar Airways Privilege Club OW membership 31 October 2013
Other OneWorld airlines do not have separate forums on FT.
Malaysian & Srilankin Airline posts here
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/other...-programs-470/
For advice on the intricacies of each
SkyTeam Alliance airline frequent flyer program [FFP] please refer to the airline web sites and the airline specific forums (as blue links below)
-
Air France
-
Alitalia
-
Delta
-
KLM
-
Korean Air
Other SkyTeam airlines do not have separate forums on FT.
Awards assistance tools (use at your own risk. May not be up to date. These are not recommendations)