El Saico Welcome to FT
Originally Posted by
El Saico
As I'm expected to travel much more post-'rona, it's time to settle on a program.
1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
upgrades, priority services, baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, lounge access, etc.
>>> Reply: Redemption rates and lounge access; no hopes for decent upgrading, but hey
2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?
less than 25000 miles, 50000+ miles and 20-25 flights, etc.
>>> Reply: Less than 25000 miles; estimated 5-7 trips as an absolute floor, but I plan somewhere on the lower tens
3. What fare class do you usually buy?
first, business, premium economy, economy
>>> Reply: Economy
4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
>>> Reply: Yes and both
5. Which routes do you fly most often?
transatlantic, domestic USA, intra-Asia, etc.
>>> Reply: Schengen area for pleasure trips; MUC for work (at least 1x/year); VCP/GRU and/or POA yearly for visiting family and friends
6. What is your home airport?
>>> Reply: LIS
7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?
>>> Reply: No status, only some ~3k parked on Flying Blue
8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
>>> Reply: None in particular
You will only lounge access with mid-top level status or fly business class. With a few intra EU (cheap?) flights and 1 long haul you little to nil chance of status.
A very general guide need 25,000+ flight miles and say 25-30 flights. But does vary a lot depending on the ffp.
http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=LIS-VCP...G&MS=wls&DU=mi
You will better selecting all flights based on price & schedule. The savings will be more than ffp benefits. Then treat any ff miles/points as a bonus that may or may be able to be used before they expire. Some ffp's have no expiry
Link-->
Miles/Points that Do and Don't Expire
With Flying Blue you may get ff miles with Skyteam airlines.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkyTeam
If you fly an airline in another alliance may be worth joining another ffp.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oneworld
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Alliance
Some cheap flights can earn nil ff miles with any/some ffp
A guide-->
https://www.wheretocredit.com/