thecurtisw

I'm looking for insight regarding any potential benefits and drawbacks of status in multiple alliances. I'm EXP and quite happy (especially happy with oneworld and its benefits); not looking to switch. I'm averaging 240/250k miles a year. I would only do it if I was able to have 1K or Diamond, in addition to EXP. Obviously, EQD has to be taken into account as the only way I could hit that on two separate airlines is if DL and UA offer EQD accrual on partners like AA does (i.e. flying J on CX would earn me a lot more EQD based on a percentage of distance-traveled than flying AA and earning based on actual spend).

So, is it worth it? If so, do I choose DL for SkyTeam or UA for Star Alliance?

discoverCSG

I can't speak to your last question (DL vs. UA as your second FFP) because I don't know your flying patterns.

The main benefit I can see from having two top-tier statuses is the ability to choose more favorable schedules/prices for each trip you need to take. How much benefit this is to you depends, in significant part, on who's paying.

dyung

FYI, UA does not offer PQD on partners unless it is ticketed by UA, and in that case, it is only based on what you paid, not a percentage of distance-traveled.

Dr. HFH

Elite status on OW carriers other than AA gets you into Admirals Clubs free. EXP status on AA gets you SWUs. That might be a reason to go for OWE on two carriers if you fly enough.

TPJ

Star Alliance still has options for relatively cheap Star Gold with TK or A3 - visit a respective forum for details. Star Gold is the highest alliance-wide tier and is an equivalent of OWS (no OWE equivalent, so no F-class lounge access unless in Int F). Non-UA Star Gold gives you access to all domestic UA Clubs.

jfinsocal

Get a status match to DL and use them on trips when you "absolutely need to be there overnight." Relatively easy EQD waiver via AMEX.

xliioper

DL does "Match Challenges", not straight matches. And the highest level you can challenge to on DL is Platinum.

Long Train Runnin

I matched to Copa *G last year. I didn't think I would use it as much as I did. Made EXP by June/July and then had some fun flying carriers like LH and TK. Threw in a couple flights on CM and UA and I will now requalify for both. Thinking *G will come in handy when I am down in NZ and parts of Africa in 2017. Branching out and still having lounge access has been enjoyable. I think I value another year of *G way more then more SWUs...

golfingboy

Personally - I always highly advise holding top tier status in two programs if one travels often enough to meet the qualification requirements. The absolute best benefit you can give yourself is the power of flexibility and having status with two airlines achieve exactly that.

With you being BNA based - I would consider AA/DL. Maybe stick with AA for the international trips in business class and put more domestic flights on DL then get the Delta AMEX Reserve card or the mid-tier Platinum card (offers solid benefits and puts all AA affiliated credit cards to shame) as you can earn extra MQMs/Skymiles after meeting specific spending threshold and get MQD waiver if you spend $25,000 on the card.

I think AA has better elite benefits for international trips, but DL has better elite benefits for domestic trips (you have the option of getting 8 regional upgrades a year - domestic version of SWUs - Diamonds get free Skyclub membership, rollover MQMs which affords even more flexibility for you, better SDFC program, you can give someone free DL Gold status, etc).

Also with how aggressively Delta is pricing domestic first class tickets, I am sure there will be some cases where F on Delta is only slightly more than a domestic coach ticket on AA.

PaulInTheSky

Just like most members said, it depends on your travel pattern and priorities. I can list a couple of routing that you would be looking to upgrade:

1. HNL -> Definitely UA, with widebodies from major cities and RPU-only to make it slightly easier for you to upgrade.
2. Transcon -> UA. The same reason as above. The latest development of DL indicates that you have to basically beg to put yourself into the upgrade standby list to get the upgrade, which I am not totally fond of.
3. If you value highly in SDC, then DL/UA are way better choices than AA. DL can easily have you to switch into other connections, while UA could do the identical things with increasing difficulty.

Going to international, Star Alliance is always better than Skyteam. In terms of getting PQDs or MQDs for qualifying your respective programs, almost all the partners provide such flexibility, so you can definitely achieve it by going partners. Since you mention MQDs and PQDs, I assume you just look at the UA, and DL, but there are AS, and other *A and ST programs you can choose from. You can also pick the second OneWorld Alliance partner to offset your club access fees, but their metrics of qualification, the ease of redemption, and redemption value are vastly different than the US3 FFPs. E.g., BA, CX, and QF's Tier Points systems, JL, MH, LAN's distance-based, so you need to understand the basis of each FFP to make the best decision for yourself.

One great advantage of having multiple elite status is that you can have the backbone to leave AA if you are not satisfied with their service. It also gives you a better chance to shop for best combination of ticket cost and schedule. The latest development of US airlines basically incentivizes us to go for partners, which I will be more than happier to do so when the schedule and prices are right.

The grass is not always greener at the other side. You need to know your priorities, and determine what FFP satisfies your goal.

Good luck choosing the best FFP for you.

Shareholder

For several years I flew enough to hold both AC SuperElite and UA 1K, then migrated to 1K and ExecPlat. I found having top tier elite in the two alliances gave me the most flexibility for my travels, and doing a lot of intra-Canada flying with AC, STAR was critical to have membership in, either through AC's program (which started to go downhill sooner than UA's) or UA's. As my flying has reduced his past year due to changes in projects, my STAR status has gone down to STARGold/UAGold while maintaining ExecPlat. Next year I'll have ExecPlat again as well as STARGold, but at the moment unsure where projects and personal travel will take me. Important to have an elite tier that has lounge and other priority and upgrading benefits in both alliances. (DL and SkyTeam doesn't make sense based on my travel patterns.)

Splitting between alliances does reduce one's overall RDMs in any single program, but does offer variety and the ability to fly some of the more exotic airlines. But again, it really depends upon one's travel patterns and ultimate reason for having elite tier status.

thecurtisw

It would be a good benefit, as I'm the one paying. I'm all over the states in cities large and small; AA has gotten me to almost everywhere I've needed to be, including tiny regional airports with just AA service. Though I have come across a couple that I've had to drive extra because the regional airport is only UA or DL.

That eliminates UA for sure; I'd never hit spend requirements on UA on dollars alone. Thanks!

That's a valid point and something I've considered, but I have the CITI Executive Card which gives the benefit of providing club access to my family and a couple friends, too. So for me, it's worth paying for membership through that card.

I was Star Gold back pre-merger; the F-class lounge access has become very valuable to me, so that would give me reason to book oneworld over Star Alliance, negating the point of having that additional status. Thanks for the input!

So on DL, I could challenge to Platinum; from there, do I just have to fly the difference between Platinum and Diamond in that year? Or do I have Platinum, but have to start from the ground-up to get to Diamond?

Ohh, right right--Star Gold gets J-class lounge access, yeah? Trying to remember from when I pre-merger. This year, I've been intent on earning all the SWUs I can, but I've also started buying more discount J than I have in the past to make sure I don't get stuck in economy (and prices have been great) so I think you're right: I don't think I would miss the bonus SWUs.

thecurtisw

That's some great insight; much appreciated! By the rumblings I've heard, I'd be generally giving up domestic complimentary upgrades by choosing DL (I average a good 90-95% upgrade rate on AA), though if paid F is decent, that may not even matter.

While I don't think I would be able to spend enough on a single card to hit that $25k, that could be an incentive to move spend to that card from others so I don't have to worry about EQD on DL.

I have free SkyClub access via the Amex Platinum when flying DL, but I do prefer Admirals Club membership to access, so that's likely still a nice benefit.

OHH YES! Rollover. I forgot about that. That's really great. Gifting status would also be really beneficial.

Thanks again for all the info; lots to consider there.

thecurtisw

AA's adjustments devaluations to SDFC has definitely been a negative for me; it just cost me $492 last week, having to buy a whole new ticket at walk-up prices because I needed to go from a nonstop BNA-MIA to BNA-CLT-MIA to get into MIA earlier.

Yeah. I don't think the grass is necessarily greener anyway, but I'm wondering if it'll at least be the same green or not toooo brown, haha, to be a backup option. I'm generally very happy with AA & oneworld. And overall, I'm confident that it's my best primary choice with what I value and how I travel. Status with an international carrier could be worth looking into. As you said, having to know all the ins and outs of another FFP and all the airline, alliance, and routing rules to help me maximize my travel (and not be taken advantage of because of a misinformed agent) would be a hurdle.

Yeah, that is a concern. Especially not that RDM earning has drastically reduced (man, have I taken a hit on international AA metal lately. Ugh).

Baggage benefits are very important to me, as I travel with lots of heavy gear. Being able to travel with 3 bags at 70lbs, plus have additional baggage benefits through AA's Entertainment Services program is a big deal. That'll be another thing to check: whether DL or UA have an Entertainment division for musicians/etc.

Zorak

From the ground up.

Delta page: https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...challenge.html

FT thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...l#post27518278