frogster

Maybe this belongs in the general OW thread but I'm imagining a lot of the current OW members are wondering the same thing. I've got a few Asia flights coming up (which wuld have pushed me to Plat) and am thinking about the program to join and where to credit those flights...

Is there any OW program currently doing status matches or challenges?
Which OW FFP credit cards are available to german residents (besides Amex)?

irishguy28

I would advise you to stick with topbonus for as long as airberlin is running and a member of oneworld - all the more so, given that you are on the verge of attaining a higher status!

(For my part, I am collecing miles with Alitalia - which is a few months further down the same road as AB now finds itself on - and my flights of this week and next will bring me back to Skyteam Elite Plus status. I decided to stick with AZ's Millemiglia programme, largely because the same flights already booked would NOT have earned me that status had I switched, mid-year, to any other Skyteam programme. If, and when, Alitalia goes belly up, I will expect to benefit from a status match to another Skyteam programme).

If, and when, airberlin stops flying or stops being a member of oneworld, you are likely to be offered status matches from a range of airlines in various alliances, including oneworld.

(For those that already have the maximum attainable status, it may be better to start looking around for a new oneworld home, particularly as you stand to lose all your accumulated miles. If miles are your focus, start moving your earning to another programme...but if status is close at hand - i.e attainable in the next 3 months, beyond which nobody knows for sure if AB and TB will still be around - stick with topbonus. If you are not able to do the research, the best advice would be to choose the FFP of the oneworld airline you imagine you would most frequently fly with).

MSPeconomist

What you do NOT want to do is request status matches from every possible airline as many of these offers are once in a lifetime. Only pursue status matches that you'll actually use.

irishguy28

This was not the case for Topbonus! I think I have had 3 to date

MSPeconomist

I know there are exceptions: that's why I said "many."

WilcoRoger

If/when AB goes really belly up, then other OW airlines might start fishing for their elites with status matches (and possibly some *A and ST as well), not before that. Such was the case with the MA bankruptcy

MSPeconomist

However, if OP is going to purchase tickets and fly between now and the time AB really does go belly up, OP presumably needs a plan regarding what tickets to buy and where to credit.

frogster

Slight Change in plans: the AB trip itself had to be cancelled meaning I won't be able to reach Plat with those trips (would probabl be early next year that I reach that threshold).

Problem still remains - where to credit AY and BA flights to Japan in J - those will probably make up most of my OW flights OW over the next year...

irishguy28

As I said above, if you're not able to do the research based on what your likely travel patterns will be - and the question often depends on what your travel looks like - then go with the programme of whichever oneworld airline you expect to use most often.

GUWonder

Is AB still offering status matches? Oneworld status with AirBerlin could still be valuable after AB disappears from Oneworld. How? Because some oneworld airlines may try to keep AB elites in the Oneworld fold and offer a status match to AB elites.

Mwenenzi

Airlines in alliances tend not to poach from other alliance FFP's.
But when AB does a wheels up belly landing who knows what will happen.

What are your objectives with a ffp?
Look here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...help-here.html

weetanuki

I'm in a similar position. I'm already TP Platinum, and was planning one more long-haul AB trip to Europe somewhere to re-qualify for Platinum, but I don't think it's worth it. Maybe I can get a status match if they go out before the year's end, and keep OW E for another year. If they somehow manage to stay alive til next year, I'll still have OW S.

Since I live in Japan, I'm thinking about switching to JAL and getting OW S or OW E and keeping it permanently (more or less) through the JGC credit card. Unless there is another OW carrier that is easier to earn status with?

irishguy28

Yes; at least the status match page is still online.

https://topbonus.airberlin.com/web/tb/statusmatch

kbrauneis

top bonus has suspended mileage accurals and redemptions till further notice.

elephantiger

I requested a status match last Friday 18 August and just got an email that I am now TB Gold!