FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Need advice on which *A FF scheme to join?

Oct 11, 2016 | 6:04 am

#1820

MLN21

Join Date: Oct 2016

Location: MEL from YYZ

Programs: UA Gold; *A G; NEXUS

Posts: 12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mwenenzi

MLN21 Welcome to FT (& MEL)

How long will you be MEL for? Short term (months ~ 2 years) or for ever?
There are no domestic star alliance airlines in Australia.
Your conference trips may not be on star alliance airlines, if paid for by someone else.

That MEL to YYZ looks like on Air NZ. Low priced fares in Air NZ can(will?) earn nil freq flyer miles on any ffp including Air NZ. Air NZ ffp is very poor.

You will not get status on a few low cheapie are fares. Cheap long hauls earn little. You will not be flying enough. Status means more on the airline you have status with

There are others options to get from Aust to Canada. That may mean a separate Au domestic flight up to SYD
Airlines that fly USA/Canada to/from Australia (not from all airports to all airports)
- American Airlines AA (LAX - SYD) [OneWorld Alliance] (AS partner)
- Air Canada AC (YYR – SYD, BNE from Jun 2016) [Star Alliance]
- Air New Zealand NZ (LAX SFO IAH YVR via AKL) [Star Alliance]
- Air Tahiti Nui TN (LAX via Tahiti. Last segments on codeshares) (AA & DL partner)
- Delta DL (LAX – SYD) (VA & AS partner) [Skyteam Alliance]
- Fiji Airways FJ (LAX SFO HNL via Fiji) (QF, AA & AS partner)
- Hawaiian HA (HNL – SYD BNE via Hawaii) (AA & VA partner)
- Jetstar JQ JQ (HNL – SYD BNE)
- Qantas QF (LAX SFO JFK DFW HNL YVR*– SYD BNE MEL) [OneWorld Alliance] (AS partner) {* seasonal}
- United UA (LAX SFO – SYD MEL) [Star Alliance]
- Virgin Australia VA (LAX – SYD BNE) (DL partner) MEL LAX restarting 4 April 2017
And others via Asia & Middle East

I would stay with AC, unless living in Australia is for ever

Thanks for the welcome! Yes, I'm excited to move to MEL for work; never been to AUS before.

To your point, I will probably be there short term ~2 years, but who knows really lol.

Conference travel is paid by myself, so I get to choose which airline and the itenerary. It's just that biz class fares are probably not going to be reimbursed (or alcohol purchases for that matter, but I digress).

So if I take a "normal" AC to Vancouver and Air New Zealand the rest of the way, could I not put that on TK miles and smiles and get to *A gold quicker? Anyone have experience with TK and not actually flying with them? (Or should I ask this directly in the TK forum?)

Long story short, AC is a good option, but if I can get *A gold 10k miles sooner, I'd like that.

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