Originally Posted by
Samuelshol
Hey all,
Would very much appreciate your insights here:
I recently got status matched on Air Berlin's Topbonus to gold,
which now makes me a Oneworld sapphire member until the end of next year.
I am wondering which Oneworld FFP would be easiest to gain gold status this year with (assuming staying on Topbonus is not the best option, which I don't think it is), and as important - to maintain in years to come (i.e keep the gold status)?
I care more about the status in the alliance (Oneworld) than the status on a specific airline.
Being based in Australia, Qantas would've theoretically been at the top of my list, but they seem to have a rather dreadful miles requirements re awards and status.
Royal Jordanian And SriLanka Airlines seem to have lowest thresholds but also require flying X miles on them specificially, which is a major schlep for me.
(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Reply: Lowest threshold for sapphire/gold status, good upgrade system
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
70k~ miles
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Economy except for business award flights
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
I'm based in Sydney for the next year, but travel throughout the year at least once to the states, twice to Europe and several times to Asia
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
Sydney to Europe w/ Singapore&Turkish airlines/via Qatar
(6) What is your home airport?
SYD Kingford Smith
(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
Turkish Airlines Elite, Topbonus Gold
Reply:
(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Singapore, Qantas, Turkish et al
I think the airberlin program might be a good solution for you to keep, if you can make Etihad work for you on flights to Europe and/or the US. Etihad is a major stakeholder of Airberlin, and they two airlines now have reciprocal FF benefits - you get lounge access and priority airport services flying EY across the whole EY network, and EY-operated flights (and other airlines in the Etihad Partners Alliance) are status-qualifying.
Earning rates for discount economy are so-so, with most fare buckets earning 50%. Booked as AB codeshares, a large number of fare classes earn 100%, though, which is good, so get these if priced similarly.
With your travel pattern requalifying should be easy. Airberlin does not have a minimum own metal requirement.
SriLankan does indeed have low (re)qualification requirements, but seeing that they don't fly to the US and with their recent cancellation of all routes to Europe except LHR you will have trouble meeting their UL metal requirements.