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)
Reply: priority services, more variety in awards

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?)
Reply: <25,000 (total of around 13,500 for 2014)

3. What fare class do you usually buy?
(e.g., first, business, premium economy, economy)
Reply: economy

4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: I travel exclusively for work, and I am able to choose the airline (typically basing the decision on lower fare).

5. Which routes do you fly most often
(e.g., U.S. domestic, transatlantic, intra-Asia)
Reply: exclusively U.S. domestic (all regions)

6. What is your home airport?
(e.g., SFO, LHR, HKG)
Reply: JAX

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in a FFP, if any?
(e.g., AA Executive Platinum, UA 1K, LAN Comodoro)
Reply: No status in any FFP. I have small balances with AA, SWA, and US. This was my first year traveling, so I was trying to determine which I liked the best.

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
Reply: None are preferred at this point. Without any priority status, the experience has been the same with all three I've tried.

Additional background: My default is to stick with the rapid rewards program as it offers non-travel awards (headphones, sunglasses, gift cards, etc). I have the opportunity to travel more next year, so I plan on doing what I can to talk my way into as much field work as possible. Ideally, I would like to travel just enough to reach a tier 1 status.