Originally Posted by NickW
The two programmes about which I know anything (AAdvantage and BA Exec Club) are non-starters because the AA flights couldn't be credited to BA, and the AA programme only gives 1.5x EQP for first class with 50,000 needed to get to Platinum.
If your travelling AA to NYC, I don't understand why you would not enrol in AAdvantage! Only US to UK BA flights don't credit to AA, but otherwise all your BA travel will. I'm still very much of the opinion that whilst AA is a mediocre airline, it definitely has the best FF programme in OneWorld. It's best strength is that once you hit Plat you get 100% bonus on all OW carriers. A Plat challenge will get you your status quickly and your 4 RT flights in F on AA to JFK will get you pretty close to retaining at least Platinum as that should give you approximately 40,000 EQPs. Someone like yourself who seems quite adept at MRs should be able to easily cover the remaining 10K!
If you don't want to go down the BA route, maybe it is worth looking at QF which like the BA programme is very generous status earning wise for premium fares as well as allowing you to credit both AA and BA travel across the atlantic. It does however suffer from expensive redemption rates and it very mean on both mileage earning and status earning fares less than Y, however most fares credit something and that alone is attractive for some flyers.
Anecdotal evidence on this board seem to indicate that AY flyers whilst happy with their carrier don't particularly like their programme. CX is quite a difficult programme although seems particularly generous with cheap fare classes (
http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_.../terms#earning) so whilst it takes a lot to hit top tier with them, even V class CX flights get 100% miles. There is very little information on FT about IB's programme as well as LA so it would be difficult to recommend either of those programmes.
JL is joining OW shortly (around April 2007) and should you be travelling to Japan that maybe worth looking into. A trip to the JL board might be therefore in order.
Finally, should you just require OW lounge access, you may wish to consider joining QF's Qantas Club which will provide you with lounge access whenever you fly QF, BA and AA as well as bizarrely US.
http://www.qantas.com.au/info/flying/qantasClub/index