Originally Posted by
guv1976
If you expect to fly 50-100K miles a year for the next several years -- primarily in Business -- but you are looking for a Star Alliance program just because your next few flights are booked with Star Alliance carriers, I think you are cheating yourself. Since your prospective flying will be EU-Asia/U.S. primarily, you would have a lot of options with oneworld from AMS, with either nonstops (PHL, DFW on AA; HKG on CX) or single-connection routings (on AA, AY, BA, CX, IB, QR). You can even earn redeemable miles -- but not status points -- in AAdvantage when flying EY.
As to which FFP to credit oneworld flights to, I would look at AA (but be aware of the changes coming to AA's elite-qualification program in 2022), Iberia Plus, and BA Executive Club. Of the three, only BA requires that you fly some BA- or IB-coded flights to attain status; neither AAdvantage nor IB Plus has such a requirement. AAdvantage is notable for not collecting carrier surcharges on award tickets, unless you are flying on BA or IB.
Thank you but it's not like I'm pledging my allegiance to anyone LOL. I already have these tickets booked and they are on the airlines they are on (I am not loyal to any airline since unlike in the past, most "loyalty" programs today are close to worthless), I'm just looking for a program to credit these specific flights to. I have over 500k lifetime miles on AA, and I used to be very happy with their program (got tons of upgrades in the last 10+ years) but while better than most, like every other FFP, AA is also circling the drain. I will keep flying the airline that gives me the best deal and have points in multiple programs, one in each alliance. It has become expensive to be loyal to any airline unless your life is about routine i.e. you take the same flights over and over, or someone else is paying for your tickets.
Originally Posted by
MSPeconomist
For someone based at AMS, KLM(FB) /SkyTeam would seem to be the obvious choice.
Not if you look at my original question, which is where to credit those tickets that are already booked and they are on United. United biz on this route was $3k, KLM $7k.... there is nothing obvious about paying more than double for a ticket which gets you about the same level of service (United Polaris on 787 is pretty good, KLM may be marginally better, but not 4k better). Loyalty programs have become pretty much a joke, I don't see any that's worth my loyalty, so I search for the best deal and use the miles I get the best way I can.