Ok, so we all know for some AC doesn't make sense anymore, specially if you're below SE (and even that is questionable)... so here's my flight pattern, I am now E50... which FF program do you guys recommend me to switch to?

- Typical miles: 60K miles *A, 10-20K miles others
- Routes:
YVR-PHL: 4-5 times a year, typically via YYZ, Y
YVR-FRA: 2-3 times a year, Y class, occasional paid J
YVR-SIN: 1-2 times a year, Y class, occasional paid J
YVR-SFO: 2-3 times a year, Y class
YVR-SOUTH: 2-3 times, vacation, cheapest fares

Other travel could be for short vacations here or there, I don't travel within Canada for work, unless connecting to goto US or Europe. I've been on LH program in the past, and they were great in upgrading me on FRA routes, I'd say 50% of the time without even me asking, AND I could use my miles for upgrades (MM used for SIN-FRA flight last year). Biggest gripe is to get some upgrades on long-hauls as I am a 6'2 guy and Y class seats aren't made for me, specially on any route that's ROUGED!

Options:
(1) Stay on AC
(2) Move to LH
(3) United
(4) Switch alliance to OneWorld (AA or BA) as I have a ton of BA points via Avion card...

What do you guys things makes the most sense?

You're honestly not going to get much better as a 50k/yr flyer. None of the carriers, AFAIK, offer international upgrade instruments. UA will let you use miles + copay from any of their fares, but now it's harder to get miles, and they're tightening up on upgrade space.

I'd probably go to OW, since PHL is a US hub (and I've found OW to price better than *A out of PHL), SFO could be reached via AA/US, FRA can be reached with a single connect via LHR or a double connect via TXL, SIN can be reached...I dunno, via HKG? The south, especially the SE (heh), tends to be best-served by OW, iirc.

I'd personally suggest doing a US Airways challenge for some status of your choice ($200 for 90 days of Silver, $400 for 90 days of something higher, $600 for 90 days of a step above "something higher") and then fly 30k within 90 days to get US CP (equivalent to SE). That'll then convert to AA EXP, giving you 10 AA SWUs, in Q2 2015, and you'll fall down to AA Gold (30k miles flown in a year) Feb 2016.

Having said that, I'm pretty sure there was another consolidated thread on status matches that this thread would fit well in.

Thanks. I will look into it.

Look here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...help-here.html Your question has been asked before

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...help-here.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star-...post-here.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/skyte...i-sign-up.html

AA also has the plat challenge

you can trade for SWU on united and upgrade flights. Also you can upgrade fare in advance. No crap like co-pays and 7-4 day e-upgrades like AC.
Really anything is better than AC these days.
You cant make a wrong choice.

I d go with a US challenge for sure given those patterns, or ask AA for an outright match.

Sorry, you mean challenge for US Air (which is now part of AA) too? I believe I can't challenge for UA due to Alliance, but AA must be an option!

Yes do the Chairman Pref challenge, its only $200, and you need to fly 30k in 3 months to get top tier. If you fly less, you get lower tiers.

I'm thinking of that too, but I'm hoping to hold out until July 1 so that I get CP/EXP for the next two years. Perhaps they'll get rid of the challenge; perhaps not. Worst case, I can status match to AS

This doesn't sound like a bad deal to me.

Maybe I will have to revisit my post on flying us airways for the last time.

I'm starting to get confused:

1) Massive devaluation of my SE100K benefits coming.

2) They slightly decreased the massive devaluation, but I crossed 100k 2 weeks too early to keep my 25 Eups for next year.

3) PY available on domestic flights as simply a preferred seat, for now... ^

This US challenge looks easy and I have a ton of upcoming travel I could give them to get the 30K.

The AA ffp & US ffp will become 1 ffp in 2015. A little hopeful to expect that in July 2015 the US challenge will still be around
http://www.aa.com/arriving/ponLoyPro-03.htmlhttp://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...acts-only.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...-opinions.html