Originally Posted by
cmd320
As others have stated, the only status they're going to get is something low-mid tier. Kind of a waste of time if you ask me, especially for people booking W or J.
With such travel patterns, I would personally use B6 Mint for SFO-JFK and EK for JFK-MXP. All miles could be credited to B6 or to EK and both J products are about as good as you're going to get. Other than this, Delta would be my second choice. In general, UA isn't great however still better than the disAAster.
I gather that the OP's parents are contemplating flying in a premium cabin only for their two annual trips to Milan; for their several domestic trips, they would be flying Coach.
Even low-level oneworld status would give them a free checked bag per passenger in Coach; access to Business Class check-in lines; and free Main Cabin Extra seats (34" seat pitch, free alcohol) at T-24 (if any are still available). Mid-tier oneworld status (oneworld Sapphire) would enable them to select Main Cabin Extra seats for free when purchasing the ticket; and, if the status were earned through a program other than AAdvantage, would give them access to Admirals Club lounges even when flying domestically.
OP: I know you said that lounge access isn't an important perk because of credit cards that offer lounge access, but if they should end up flying AA in and out of JFK, be aware that the only
Priority Pass lounge in AA's JFK terminal is a Bobby Van's steakhouse ($28 credit per person). If they wanted access to the JFK Admirals Club lounges when flying domestically in Coach, they would either need to: buy an Admirals Club membership; get the high-end Citi/AA card that includes Admirals Club membership; or achieve oneworld Sapphire or higher status through a oneworld FFP
other than AAdvantage. That's why I suggested upthread considering crediting their trans-Atlantic oneworld Business Class flights to Iberia Plus, rather than to AAdvantage.