Hi All,

I read FlyerTalk often, but this is my first time posting. I am a China Airlines Paragon member based in Taiwan, who recently switched to CX Marco Polo. I was status matched to Silver in October and should be able to reach gold by Jan or Feb of 2019. However, it looks unlikely that I will ever be able to hit Diamond as my company only pays for Premium Economy. My reasons for originally switching to CX were for the ease of accruing miles via several channels, the existence of a first class and first class lounge, the perceived dimishing quality of CI due to cost cutting, and the better choices for routes and schedules with CX. As it is looking less and less likely to ever be able to fly premium classes with CX since they made upgrade awards so much more difficult, along with the low probability of hitting Diamond, I am wondering if I made a mistake switching. I find CX lounges to be overcrowded and operational upgrades to be non-existent. There are clearly a ton of MPC member with elite status, whereas with Dynasty Flyer I felt like more of a big fish in a small pond with Paragon. However, I do like the CX premium economy seat and wide variety of routes and schedules to the US (CI was not good for this at all as I need to make connections in the US).

Anyway, I was hoping if one of you good folks could give me some advice. Should I stick with CX or move back to CI, or perhaps try a new option, like OZ / BI / JL / Anything I may not be considering? Alliance doesn't matter all that much to me, but here is what is important:

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Upgrade on travel, priority services, lounge access

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
100-120K in Premium Economy / Economy 4-5 R/T to the US, 12-15 R/T within APAC

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy ?
Economy / Premium Economy

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Airline most flown? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
I can choose airlines, but am limited to economy on regional and premium economy on long haul. I need an airline that let's you upgrade with miles on almost all fare types

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often
APAC Regional, Transpacific

(6) What is your home airport?
Taipei Songshan / Taipei Taoyuan

(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in an airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
China Airlines Paragon (85 miles); CX MP Silver (150K miles)

(8) Preferred Airlines
I like many, but avoid US or Mainland China carriers

Please note I don't mind having to transit through any other city in Asia that is reasonably close, like HK, Seoul, or Tokyo.

Many thanks in advance for any guidance.