Which loyalty program for US to London on BA?
Jul 14, 19, 2:51 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: United Mileage Plus, American
Posts: 15
Which loyalty program for US to London on BA?
We are a family of four who will be flying to London this summer. We have fare class O tickets (if that's even relevant). We just signed up for the Executive Club loyalty program. We also are members of the American loyalty program, though not wedded to it. We can only specify one loyalty program on our tickets for the purpose of earning miles. Should we specify the BA loyalty program number or the American Advantage ones? Also, the flights are not codeshared with other airlines such as American, if that is relevant. Thanks in advance.
Jul 14, 19, 2:57 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Mexico
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,391
If you're in O bucket, that's the lowest possible and will yield very few avios and very few tier points. I'd personally stick with whichever program you already have if you're not intending to do any serious flying on BA.
Jul 14, 19, 3:02 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Mexico
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,391
To give some perspective, let's imagine you're flying from somewhere like Chicago to London Heathrow, that would earn 988 avios each way and 20 tier points each way, meaning 1976 return and 40 for the TPs.
Even if you pooled your avios togehter as a family account, you'd still have less than 8000, which is a paltry amount that would be enough for a one way flight for one person somewhere in Europe or in the USA under a certain distance. You'd need 300 TPs to get to bronze, so you're 260 short on that front (these cannot be pooled together).
So IMHO, if you already have some miles with AA, I'd be tempted to stick ther.
Hope you enjoy London!!
Even if you pooled your avios togehter as a family account, you'd still have less than 8000, which is a paltry amount that would be enough for a one way flight for one person somewhere in Europe or in the USA under a certain distance. You'd need 300 TPs to get to bronze, so you're 260 short on that front (these cannot be pooled together).
So IMHO, if you already have some miles with AA, I'd be tempted to stick ther.
Hope you enjoy London!!
Jul 14, 19, 3:03 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Accor Live Limitless Gold, Hilton Honours Gold, Avis Preferred Plus
Posts: 1,806
As @TTmex said, it is probably best to use your American Airlines Advantage numbers. In addition, note that as there are four of you, each would be able to credit their own flight to their own BA account (if they were to make them) but children can only have an account if they are a member of a household account (but that is getting into far too much detail!)
Jul 14, 19, 3:31 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 20,497
We are a family of four who will be flying to London this summer. We have fare class O tickets (if that's even relevant). We just signed up for the Executive Club loyalty program. We also are members of the American loyalty program, though not wedded to it. We can only specify one loyalty program on our tickets for the purpose of earning miles. Should we specify the BA loyalty program number or the American Advantage ones? Also, the flights are not codeshared with other airlines such as American, if that is relevant. Thanks in advance.
The airline you fly most or an airline of the country you live is the best ffp for many people. Generally you are better earning on your primary airline due to greater recognition, better service when disruptions, better seating (with some ffp’s) ability to upgrade flights, possible operational upgrades and simpler to earn non flying ff miles/points. Status benefits are often better on the home airline.
Having multiple ffp’s with low balances is never a good idea. You may never get enough ff miles/points to be of use before they expire. Adding frequent miles in a ff program that you can use, are worth more than ff miles in an orphan ffp that you will never use, even if the earning rate is nominally better. FFP’s are for the medium term (not long term now days).
The grass in not always greener on the other side
Oneworld:- Deciding on a Oneworld Frequent Flyer Program? Help is here
Be mindful of expiry Miles/Points that Do and Don't Expire. Click to open the wiki.
