Appreciate some advice here. Potential to relocate to LAX for work from New Zealand for 2-3 years with regular domestic travel around the US (1x return every 2 weeks to NYC/DC/BOS/ORD - mainly East Coast) and international travel as below. I currently hold top tier with both QF and NZ and would be open to either keeping these or switching to a US based FFP. What are people's thoughts?
(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
(upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, extra baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, free - discounted lounge access, etc.)
Reply: Upgrades, award redemptions/upgrade awards and lounge access
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
(<25000, 25000-50000, >50000 miles - <25, 25-50, >50 flights?)
Reply: 48 domestic US sectors per year in Y, 1x return to Europe in J, 1x return to UAE in J, 2x return to NZ in J (this has to be on Air NZ). This is work only and excludes personal travel which I'm not sure of yet
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy ?
(First, Business, Premium economy, Economy, cheapest)
Reply: Economy for domestic US for work, Business for work international. Mix of Business and Premium economy for pleasure
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Airline most flown? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: Can choose airline for work and pleasure. Class of service is economy domestic and business international
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often
(US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply: As above mainly US Domestic with 1x EU, 1x UAE, 1x NZ + extra personal travel which is unknown at this stage
(6) What is your home airport?
(SFO, SCL, London LHR, HKG, Singapore SIN etc.)
Reply: LAX
(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in an airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
(AA Executive Platinum, UA 1K, LAN Comodoro, etc)
Reply: QF Platinum, NZ Elite
(8) Preferred Airlines
Reply: No preference for US airline