Leaving Aadvantage, where to go?
 

Dear all,
I have decided to show AA the loyalty it’s had towards me since the USAir takeover.
As a four-to-six time per year traveler to the Middle East/India, from Chicago, I ask all of you, “Onto which OneWorld FF group should I alight?”
British?
RJ?
Qatar?
Cathay?
My theory is, I’ll achieve status pronto, and then upgrades. But I cannot make sense of Avios, Q-miles, Marco Polo, etc. is there an established answer to this question?
I wd like my days as a hamster on American’s wheel to end.
Much obliged to any respondents.

How will your status on any carrier provide you upgrades on the routes you travel?

Your only real option for upgrades is accruing with the program of the carrier you intend to fly. And the upgrades won't be status-based, you'll have to redeem miles (after you earn them of course!). I don't think anyone other than AA even gives systemwide upgrade certs. And I'm not sure what carriers, if any, allow waitlisting for upgrades, which means status doesn't even help in prioritization, it would be first-come-first-served.

You may also find it harder to earn status on some of these programs, particularly if you're not buying first/business class fares (maybe premium economy).

There is no single thread that explains the difference between all of the OW FF programs, so that is research you will need to do on your own, using the various FT forums, the webpages of the programs themselves, or maybe some other method
The one thing I can say is OW Sapphire or above on any OW carrier other than AA will get you Lounge Access for trips solely in North American.

Which one of these do/will you fly the most?

The OP has also posted the same thread in the oneworld forum:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onew...l#post31641762

As cross-posting is not permitted on FlyerTalk, and they are looking for a oneworld program outside of AA, that forum seems a more appropriate place to continue the discussion. I'll close this thread.

Thanks.


aztimm