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: Lounge access, priority services, various fee waivers, baggage allowance, ease of maintaining status, an occasional upgrade would be nice.
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: Probably around the 25k miles mark but varies. Work travel is uncertain.
3. What fare class do you usually buy?
first, business, premium economy, economy
>>> Reply: Economy (domestic mostly), Premium Economy (TPAC/TATL), occasionally Business (if the numbers make sense)
4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
>>> Reply: Yes. Work and pleasure.
5. Which routes do you fly most often?
transatlantic, domestic USA, intra-Asia, etc.
>>> Reply: Domestic US, Europe, Asia
6. What is your home airport?
>>> Reply: DFW/DAL
7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?
>>> Reply: Yes. *G with Asiana (Diamond)
8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
>>> Reply: Delta, Air France, Singapore Airlines (Yes, I know they're *A)
Other things to consider here:- I can get into Delta lounges when I have a DL boarding pass with my Amex Platinum card (Amex's website says "marketed or operated by Delta" so I assume this includes codeshares).
- I'm basically seeking refuge from KE's atrocious (for status) program since Asiana is merging with Korean. Skypass requires 30k miles on KE metal which, given that I live in the States and am more likely to travel to Europe than Asia, there's no way I can meet.
- Look like I can match my Asiana Diamond status to Delta Gold with a challenge, I suppose the important factor is ease of maintaining it afterwards. Based on my travel patterns Silver should be fairly easily doable. I'm between doing the DL challenge and doing the AA pay to play challenge or starting from scratch somewhere else altogether. Planning a trip to Europe this winter which should be enough to meet the requirements for either challenge. I work from home so my leisure travel will be mostly off peak.
- Given that my home base is DFW/DAL, AA and WN are the dominant carriers here. DL would mean a connection if I'm not going to LAX, SEA, SLC, MSP, DTW, ATL or NYC. Fares tend to be all over the map, sometimes double what AA/WN charge, sometimes very competitive (NYC and LA seem to be very competitive).
- Looks like partner EQD earnings are more generous with Delta than they are with American, at least in PE/Biz. With AA, I can book JAL-operated flights in Y with AA and earn 1EQM per mile flown for most fares which is nice I suppose. What are the rules for Skyteam as far as codeshares? Operating or marketing (DL's website doesn't say)?
- My projected travel is 1-2 longhauls a year plus a few trips from TX to the West Coast plus work travel, and an opportunistic trip if I see e.g. $120 fares to NYC.
- I'll most likely be flying with my cat when I fly to the West Coast.
Last edited by stupidhead; Jul 15, 2021 at 8:28 pm