Hello,

I pretty much retired my AA membership with an award last year. Now I'm looking to book a trip on IB with a discounted fare: open-jaw OPO-(MAD)-BIO, return BIO-LIS. Maybe I should just forget about getting any miles for this, but I'm interested enough in miles/points to consider it and how I should do it.

AA: When their site says "Earn a minimum of 300 AAdvantageŽ miles each time you purchase and fly on a published eligible fare ticket on Iberia," is that per segment, per direction, or for the whole ticket? My home airport is MCI (Kansas City) and I pretty much don't have occasion to fly AA unless they happen to have the best and most convenient fare to FCO, a regular trip of mine. Otherwise I'd just as soon keep that program retired, and maybe another OW program would work just as well if I do fly AA.

IB: I won't begin to understand their point program. I figure the points for this trip won't do me any good. Sometimes I research trips to Europe starting at ORD and IB has the best fare; a few years ago they had a bad reputation for transatlantic service; any better now? Join them for convenience in booking this trip, and would they work if I fly AA in the future?

BA: Forget it, if I'm not buying a full or premium fare from them?

Asia Miles: I've been to HK once, and have some dream of returning in my lifetime. Do I understand from their site that only full-fare coach on IB gets miles?

Anything else to consider?