NZ_Flyer

After some advice please. I have the opportunity to relocate to the US for work. The role involves regular domestic US travel and likely 1x EU return, 1x UAE return and 2x NZ return per year as international travel (international in J, domestic US in Y). Relocation would be a minimum of 2 years. The returns to NZ would be on Air NZ. Other than that I can choose carrier.

I’m currently Elite with NZ and Platinum with QF. My question is do I just keep things simple and stick with keeping NZ and QF memberships and fly UA and AA domestically? Or would I better off moving to a domestic US FF?

henrus

Biggest question is who are you likely to fly with within the US? I appreciate you get a choice but will it be specific routes where a single carrier comes out best option?

Holding status on a US based carrier means no lounge access (unless paying extra for a lounge program) but does come with other perks like free extra legroom seats or upgrades. Take UA gold for example, holding UA gold give the benefits of more included baggage, free upgrades, economy plus seating all of which are quite helpful if doing a lot of economy domestic travel.

NZ_Flyer

Ex-LAX to NYC/DC, Boston, Chicago, Massachusetts, Minneapolis are the regular destinations that come to mind straight away

Mwenenzi

What are your objectives from a ffp?
Upgrades are the major objectives of many frequent flyers in USA

USA ffp's are a lot more generous than NZ/QF ffp. By a big margin.
USA ffp's are calendar year(Jan to Dec). Not based on the date you join,
Mid-top level status will not get you access to lounges on USA domsetic & regional flights. Some people maintain mid-top level status with a non USA ffp so to get lounge access.(e.g. NZ QF)
UA, AA & DL are revenue based ffp's, with different earning rules on partner flights (like QF for AA ffp and NZ for UA ffp). Alaska AS is a Oneworld airline and close ff partner of AA. AS is a distance based ffp.

With a USA based ffp's will take time to get status. Can be a hard slog with revenue based ffp's

• For 1 year staying with NZ(UA) and QF(AA AS) ffp would be better
• For 2 years would depend on how much $$$ you will spend on airfares. Will you be able to chose the same airline/routes? Corporate travel policy?
• For 3 years a USA based would likely be better

Link--> Which Frequent Flyer Program to Join? Help Is Here!

sopwith7

If you want lounge access, keep crediting to NZ and flying UA, unless you have a ton of sectors scheduled in the first year. Star Alliance gold perks are quite good on UA domestic - premium checkin, lounge access, extra bag, standby priority. Note that Star Alliance gold doesn't get Economy Plus seating on UA, you'd need to be UA FF for that.

If you're keen to switch to a US ffp for better earn and the (somewhat unlikely) possibility of status upgrades, maybe purchase lounge access for the first year. The amount you might fly early on won't get you lounge access for a while if you switch to a US FFP.

In that case:

Given these routes, go with UA or AA.

UA - Nice terminal and club at LAX, hub in Chicago, obvs all star alliance when you need to come back
AA - Better terminal at LAX, much better options for NYC (both JFK and LGA), partner with Alaska who you would come to appreciate living on the west coast.

keitherson

I would never credit to NZ unless absolutely necessary. The AP$ system is just awful for any kind of premium redemption on J or F. Switch to another *A program ASAP. If you value domestic upgrades on UA, switch to UA. If you want domestic upgrades on AA, I recommend AS or AA -- AS because they're not revenue based like AA. For lounge access on both, you'll be able to use your NZ/QF memberships while they're valid -- and QF has soft landings (if they don't automatically extend) so you're good for that even as NZ Gold to access United lounges while flying United and crediting UA or somewhere else. Same with American crediting to Alaska/American and accessing via QF.

NZ_Flyer

Thanks very much for all you responses. Very helpful! It seems it would probably be best to credit with UA or AA then. Especially as likely to be 3 years in the USA (still all subject to visa and negotiations going smoothly). I'm leaning towards AA as I'd be taking at least 1x EK return to DXB ex-LAX in J every year which I could credit to that and I could use QF Plat to gain access to the better lounges (while I still had it). Would there be any benefit going with UA instead? AA seems to tick most of the boxes.

FYI apart from flights back to NZ (which have to be on NZ due to volume discounts) I could choose carrier and route etc. Only requirement is <6 hours is in Y and >6 hours is J and must fly Air NZ where available.

TPJ

EK is not AA partner. EY is... EY flies to AUH. Pre-COVID you could take a bus from AUH to DXB. But I believe now each emirate has its own rule, so travel is difficult...

garykung

I would suggest staying for now. There is no apparent advantage if you switch.

Mwenenzi

EY is an AA ff partner
EK is a QF & AS ff partner
If you change beware of expiry.
But 1 AA (or EK) flight every year will keep QF points alive (18 months no eligible earnings = expiry). Need 4 eligible QF/ JQ flights to keep QF status (check the detailed rules)
AS is good ffp. Has own flights for status

Really depends what you want from a ffp and/or status

Thai-Kiwi

Sounds almost like a Government employee posted off-shore …

NZ_Flyer

If only that were true....I wouldn't have to fight tooth and nail for a decent temp relocation package

TPJ

Sorry for heralding bad news (don't kill the messenger ), but not any longer:

https://onemileatatime.com/news/alas...g-partnership/

steveholt

If you're going to be living in the US, you should be able to get a US credit card that allows you lounge access, which is usually cheaper than buying lounge access in the first year.