Originally Posted by
AMRivlin
Thanks, I appreciate you filling me in, when it was indeed an easy website view . I am typically a UA *A flyer, which does similar reductions on fares, but as Jumbo D mentions, get a BA# for LAX-LHR, which I will be taking occasionally and seeing that my company flys Bis for Long Haul, I don't want to give up those miles.
You could also consider flying AA on the LAX-LHR route, it usually makes more sense to consolidate your mileage-earning in one program for elite status purposes. The AA product isn't as good as BA, but it will be getting better over the next year with the installation of new business class seats (lie-flat but not horizontal). And if you're buying (refundable) Business it usually isn't that difficult to upgrade to First with miles.
I guess I will start reading up on my 1W memberships, but in the meantime who has the best program for elites and redemption in the 1W. NA-Europe and NA-Central America are my primary destinations.
Well the only airlines that do NA-Europe are AA, BA and IB (I guess Malev and Finnair too...), and the only airline that does NA-Central America is AA. So you'll be able to maximize your elite benefits through the AA program -- primarily through upgrades on the Central America flights. Elite benefits in general are more limited on international flights. Of course if you make top tier, Executive Platinum, then you'll get 8 systemwide upgrades. Best use is for Y->J upgrades on long-hauls, since you avoid the $250 o/w copay that a mileage upgrade requires, but using them for J->F upgrades isn't that bad either.