Originally Posted by
ARPcPro
Hi guys,
Which oneworld program is the best to get free gifts with small mileage (less than 10000 avios)?
I know that on miles&more (star alliance) we could get items likes pillows for the couch, and other items of similar value. I'm looking for that because last december I had 4300 avios on Iberia that expired and now back to zero I can choose a new program.
I use low cost whenever possible but I will use Qatar airways next month for a trip that should be around 6000 miles each way.
(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
1st Miles not expiring. 2nd Possibility to spend miles on stuff like watches, usb pens, concert tickets.
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
<15000 - <5 flights - about 5000 miles per 2 years
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
The cheapest
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Mix of Business and Pleasure
(5) Which routes do you fly most often?
Europe domestic
(6) What is your home airport?
Portela Lisbon (Portugal)
(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
No status. I have about 4000 on start alliance and 800 on skyteam. Banked???
(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
TAP, Brussels, KLM, Alitalia
Thanks in advance
Free gifts? None that I know of. And M&M doing this and partnering with payback was a very smart move on their part that made people overlook the fact that it's almost worthless as a FFP for non-business travellers now as it evolved into a frequent-spending rewards program for those who fly premium cabins or full fare tickets from the frequent flyer rewards program it once was until devaluations started ten years ago.
To answer your question: Qatar's Privilege Club Qmiles can be used as a currency in the DOH duty Free shop:
http://www.qatarairways.com/Privileg...th+Qmiles.page.
Cheapest economy fares on Qatar Airways don't earn much or even nothing in most other oneworld programs. They earn 0.25 Avios per mile in IB plus, and zero in BAEC...Even QRs own program gives you only .25 or .50 Qmiles per mile for the most prevalent economy fares (chart
here)...
The game has gotten tougher for infrequent low-fare travelers. The only way to build and maintain a meaningful miles/points balance (and keep them from expiring!) would be with non-flying activity. Easiest way to do this is with credit card spend on either airline co-branded cards or with rewards cards that let you transfer their rewards scheme points into airline miles. Also, check out retail partners that let you earn points through shopping.
So my recommendation would be to stay with IB plus (they do have the most generous expiration policy out there, together with BA), and get an Amex card that earns Membership Rewards points. These can easily be transferred into Avios, sometimes even with generous bonus payouts (they had a 50% bonus at the end of last year, for example)
Originally Posted by
JDiver
A lot of discussion in the AA fora about this, and it may be quite possible the "new AA" will begin enforcing this next year (when we assume the integration of AAdvantage and US Dividend Miles FFPs will occur).
It has been a "rule" for many years; it has not heretofore been enforced. When it does, it is likely to include codeshares. It will undoubtedly impact non-US members if so.
It already is enforced, and it's been confirmed that codeshare flights count towards those minimum segments.
Nonetheless, the days of universally recommending AAdvantage as the OW program of choice even for non-North-America-based flyers seem to be over for at least for all who seek OW status and don't fly to the US.