Originally Posted by
TeamCarryOn
Thanks for the information, and I believe that you are both correct about the opportunity to earn points/kms with other vendors. My main concern is accrual with flights and airline partners. For example, AA flights booked into O don't earn kms under LAN Pass, but do earn points under Fidelidade. Or I notice that points earned via IB flights using Fidelidade expire in 6 months as opposed to the general year for points expiry... the rules for each program seem to have important differences and some notable pitfalls, but considering that I'll be flying more on LATAM, I'm forced to study up. Maybe I'll give up and switch to GOL Smiles.
If you are going to be based in Brazil or might come here a lot, Fidelidade would be the answer. As a matter of fact, LAN holds Tam nowadays but Tam is a much larger operation (although less lucrative, but this is another story...). Both carriers still use even different systems, so there is much to come before any real integration.
Anyway, Fidelidade will give you the chance to an unlimited inventory of domestic flights within Brazil for a reasonable amount of points if you reach Sapphire status (actually called Platinum in both Pass and Fidelidade). In case you don't reach Platinum you'll still have access to unlimited inventory, although for not reasonable amount of points sometimes.
Fidelidade would also allow you to accumulate and spend points in some Star Alliance companies as not all the ties that Tam used to have with they were cut yet today.
Last, all points in Fidelidade will be valid for two years. That's quite universal and I've never seen an exception. What do you mean by IB point valid for six months?