Does anyone have suggestions for the best card to initially sign up for. I will be flying to India this febuary and then london in july for economics research and want to get my fair share of miles. I was currently considering the Discover Flight Card or the ML + card. Basically my priorities are flight upgrades and airport lounge access. While I wont be earning any free tickets getting an upgrade or two would be nice. If you have suggestions or advice let me know.

It would be helpful if you mention the airline(s) you will fly to India and London.

Upgrades on international flights typically require redeeming miles issued by the airline operating the flight. This means you need a card which earns points that can be converted to miles in the appropriate airline flrequent flyer program, not "generic" miles that can be redeemed only for an award ticket. The upgrade rules vary more between carriers than do the rules for award tickets, but one class international roundtrip upgrades typically require 25,000 to 60,000 miles and may also require purchase of a specific fare class or a "co-payment".

For the airlines I plan on flying Virgin and Delta. Ironically when I looked at the Delta Amex card it didnt offer admission into its crown room. From what I understand however all amex cards are perfect for overseas because they have no currency conversion charge.

<<all amex cards are perfect for overseas because they have no currency conversion charge>>

American Express cards issued in the USA charge 2% foreign currency fee. You will find several existing message threads on this topic, including this one with 900+ messages...

http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=401958

The Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card (issued by American Express) earns points which can be converted to Delta Skymiles and Virgin Flying Club Miles, as well as to many other airline programs. The annual fee is waived for the first year, and is only $30 thereafter. It is not necessary to stay at Starwood hotels (e.g, Westin, Sheraton) to participate in the program. Generally 1000 Starpoints will convert to 1000 airline miles, but if you accumulate and transfer in blocks of 20000 points you would receive 25000 miles, a 25% bonus.

Other possibilities...

American Express Membership Rewards points can be converted both to Delta SkyMiles and to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Miles. Membership Rewards points are earned with American Express charge cards (Preferred Rewards Green, Preferred Rewards Gold, and Platinum). Charge cards require full payment of the entire balance each billing cycle. Note that some American Express credit cards (Blue, Knot, Nest) participate in a program called Membership Rewards Options, but these points can no longer be converted to airline miles.

Diners Club Mastercard, issued by Citibank, earns points which can be converted both to Delta Skymiles and to Virgin Flying Club Miles and to a couple dozen other airlines. The annual fee ($95) is higher than the Starwood card, but because it is a Mastercard it is more widely accepted. Note that Diners Club is still a charge card which requires payment in full each cycle. Diners does have a network of lounges, but only two of these are in the USA at Newark and Miami.

Lounge access...

The American Express Platinum Card includes lounge access when flying Continental, Delta or Northwest Airlines only at the club operated by the same airline operating the flight. Note that lounge access is a feature only of the $395 annual fee Platinum charge card, not any other platinum colored card such as the Platinum Delta Skymiles credit card.

dennis

Delta upgrade awards are described here:

http://www.delta.com/skymiles/use_mi...ards/index.jsp

Note that the mileage amounts listed are one-way. Note also that upgrades are offered only from "full" and "select" fares.

Virgin Atlantic upgrade awards are described here:

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/us...ndupgrades.jsp

Note that the mileage amounts listed are roundtrip. Qualifying booking codes are buried here:

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/us...ndingmiles.jsp

You can forget the Discover card, it is not accepted overseas.

Unless you are planning on spending $50,000.00 rather soon the ML+ will not be too helpful to you either.

For flight upgrades you will need status or money. Status on DL and Virgin come with flight time.

For airport lounge access you could simply purchase a membership at $400.00 or do the one pass fee at $23.00 per visit. The AX Plat will allow you DL/CO/NW clubs when you are flying on the respective airlines ticket. You could also purchase Priority Pass for $99.00 per year or one of the higher levels and get lounge access in most airports regardless of the airline ticket you are on. There are other cards that will get you access but you will need to make a large investment in a brokerage account or pay a hefty fee after qualifying.

You have stated that you will not be getting any free tickets, that is 25k and in order to get any upgrades you will have had to fly at least 25k. So I am afraid that upgrades are out of the question for you.

So now what might work for you that is available now:
AX Plat at $395.00 per year
AX DL SM Gold at $75.00 per year
DC at $95.00 per year (it is a MC and there is a credit version)
Carte Blanche also has Priority Pass at $350.00 per year

<<DC at $95.00 per year (it is a MC and there is a credit version)>>

It's still unclear on dinersclubus.com whether Citi is actually accepting applications for the credit card version. The "Apply for a personal card" link lists only the charge cards.

<<Carte Blanche also has Priority Pass at $350.00 per year>>

To my knowledge Carte Blanche uses the same lounge network as Diners Club, not Priority Pass. Do you know otherwise?

You can request the conversion of your card to charge. Some are accepted some are not.

I was told by a citi exec that they sub the lounge access to PP just like they sub the travel and everything else almost.

Priority Pass may well handle the billing, but the lounge network is not the same...

http://www.dinersclub.com/en/DCIHome/airport.jhtml

Your correct the network is modified a bit.

IIRC, only AMEX business plentium card offer acess to crown room.

First it is an AX Platinum Business card and both the personal and business cards offer crown room access.