Hello,

I'll get this out there: I'm quite a newbie and have been lurking for a while. I have some questions that may not be as simple to answer as I thought to, but let's go to formalities first:

1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
upgrades, priority services, baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, lounge access, etc.
>>> Reply: 1st: Get as many free flights as possible; distant 2nd: lounge access.


2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?
less than 25000 miles, 50000+ miles and 20-25 flights, etc.
>>> Reply: I estimate 25k-50k in 20-25 flights (maybe more)

3. What fare class do you usually buy?
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: mostly, yes -unless there's a stiff cost increase.

5. Which routes do you fly most often?
transatlantic, domestic USA, intra-Asia, etc.
>>> Reply: Canada - USA and Canada - Europe.

6. What is your home airport?
>>> Reply: Montreal (YUL)

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?
>>> Reply: MileagePlus - Current: 8,964; Lifetime: 43,064. AAdvantage - Current: 9,409. Lifetime: no clue. Note that my current job requires substantial travel (which is the reason why I'm looking into this now)

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
>>> Reply: No preference.



Now, my questions:
- Is it advisable to have an account with the "local" airline (in my case, Air Canada), or it makes no difference at all?
- Is the answer to the previous is yes, would it be advisable to "transfer" (if possible) my MileagePlus miles to Air Canada's system?
- Generally speaking, which one of the two alliances I should stick to?

Thanks in advance...