First post. I've been reading through the threads from the Getting Started wiki. Mostly focused on laying out a credit card plan. The most immediate goal is to get my family of 4 to Hawaii in the summer of 2015. My older child is a high school sophomore, so I might also have some college visit trips, depending on school choices.
1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
(e.g., upgrades, priority services, baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, lounge access)
Ability to generate rewards. I'm fine if the rates are high, as long as the earning potential is high, too. I'm not a very high volume flyer, but upgrades would be nice, too.
2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?
(e.g., <25000, 25000-50000, >50000 miles and <25, 25-50, >50 flights?)
Recently changed jobs, so not exactly sure about travel for work. I would guess in total around 30,000 miles. I would guess 6-8 trips, with 0 or 1 being to Asia or Australia.
3. What fare class do you usually buy?
Economy domestically. Business for international, if it's work-related.
4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
I can generally choose, although my boss greatly prefers United. So, probably half my trips will be easiest for me to use United. Almost all my travel has been for business, where the policy for me is Economy in US/Canada, and Business international.
5. Which routes do you fly most often
Mostly domestic.
6. What is your home airport?
San Francisco Bay Area. I'm close to OAK, but choose to drive to SFO if I can get a non-stop.
7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in a FFP, if any?
United Silver with 28k miles. I will have another 60k when my MileagePlus Explorer signup bonus gets credited. My wife just applied for the same card before the higher signup bonus expires. So, as a family, we'll have ~140k miles there.
Southwest with very few miles/points.
8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
No strong allegiance, although I've looked to United for the reasons mentioned above, plus they have good presence in SFO. But for personal travel, I've tended to book based on directness and price.