Which Program to Focus On/Join
Oct 19, 2010 | 1:08 am
#16
Join Date: May 2008
Location: ARN
Posts: 3,613
Oct 19, 2010 | 2:13 am
#18
Moderator, El Al and Marriott Bonvoy, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ PPS, Mar LTT, Hyatt LTG, AA LTG, LY, HH, IC, BA, DL, UA SLV
Posts: 12,155
Oct 19, 2010 | 11:39 am
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: UA, LY
Posts: 13,179
You shouldn't be surprised, because that is exactly what will be happening. It's a stated goal on both CO's and UA's websites. The plan is that within 2 years, they will be one large airline with one mileage program. In the meantime, they continue to operate as two independent FF programs. However, while Mileage Plus has more members, OnePass is considered (by many) to be the better program. Either way, it's being debated on both forums which will survive and/or how the new program will look. I personally am hoping to see OP with some "enhancements."
Oct 20, 2010 | 1:34 am
#20
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London uk
Programs: *A Gold, BA Silver, Avis President, Hertz President circle
Posts: 2,812
Oct 20, 2010 | 3:08 am
#22
Moderator, El Al and Marriott Bonvoy, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ PPS, Mar LTT, Hyatt LTG, AA LTG, LY, HH, IC, BA, DL, UA SLV
Posts: 12,155
Asiana requires 20K miles to qualify and you get it for 3 years. To requalify you need 25K within 3 years. This is the wrong forum for us to be debating this, but I would still go with Asiana's program.
Oct 20, 2010 | 3:56 am
#23
Join Date: May 2008
Location: ARN
Posts: 3,613
After 1 October 2008, you also need 40K within 24 months to requalify.
Aegean, on the other hand, only requires 16K within a year for Star Alliance Gold.
Oct 24, 2010 | 8:37 am
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: TLV
Programs: UA Platinum, Avis Chairman, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, GA Pilot
Posts: 3,225
Called CO in Israel. My problem is that I have 35K MQM on Delta this year, so if I status match, I am status matching to Silver which effectively sets me back to 25K miles. They also want me to send them a copy of my Delta card that says "Silver" on it. The problem is, I have no physical card. Ugh.
Oct 24, 2010 | 12:16 pm
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: UA, LY
Posts: 13,179
Called CO in Israel. My problem is that I have 35K MQM on Delta this year, so if I status match, I am status matching to Silver which effectively sets me back to 25K miles. They also want me to send them a copy of my Delta card that says "Silver" on it. The problem is, I have no physical card. Ugh.
Oct 24, 2010 | 3:41 pm
#27
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 347
Called CO in Israel. My problem is that I have 35K MQM on Delta this year, so if I status match, I am status matching to Silver which effectively sets me back to 25K miles. They also want me to send them a copy of my Delta card that says "Silver" on it. The problem is, I have no physical card. Ugh.
Nov 3, 2010 | 4:43 pm
#28
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: IL
Programs: A3 Gold, UA Silver, DL Silver, Hertz PC, Avis Pref+
Posts: 1,141
From the mileage earning POV, CO all the way (my POV, flying coach, cheapest my employers can find). Simple example:
With Matmid you get as low as 100 points (discount economy) for a TLV-NYC-TLV. Matmid Gold gives you 25% more points. Bonus ticket ? 1400 points plus $300. So you may be looking at 12 flights (as a TG !) - plus $300.
Continental - once Gold double miles on CO (and UA and US), meaning ~ 22,000 miles for ANY CO/UA/US TLV-NYC-TLV. Bonus ticket at 75,000 miles plus $100 or so - i.e. 3 1/2 flights + $100. This gets better if you fly West coast - more miles per trip, still 75,000 miles for a bonus ticket.
Thanks El Al for a really competitive program
With Matmid you get as low as 100 points (discount economy) for a TLV-NYC-TLV. Matmid Gold gives you 25% more points. Bonus ticket ? 1400 points plus $300. So you may be looking at 12 flights (as a TG !) - plus $300.
Continental - once Gold double miles on CO (and UA and US), meaning ~ 22,000 miles for ANY CO/UA/US TLV-NYC-TLV. Bonus ticket at 75,000 miles plus $100 or so - i.e. 3 1/2 flights + $100. This gets better if you fly West coast - more miles per trip, still 75,000 miles for a bonus ticket.
Thanks El Al for a really competitive program
Ok - here's a question for all you gurus. I am American and live in Israel. I haven't traveled much in the last year although with one more flight to the US in coach this year, I'll get Gold status on Delta. (Once upon a time I was platinum). ElAl once status matched me to platinum and then knocked me down right away when I didn't fly enough.
Mileage balances on various airlines:
Delta - currently saved about 120k miles
ELAL - About 1500 points
Continental - Around 10k points, I think
I also have about 100k miles saved up on Amex and a bunch of Starwood points as well, which I understand won't transfer to Continental anymore post-merger but still transfer to ElAl and Delta.
I own my own business and am going to be traveling to the US and Europe a lot more than I used to - probably once every 6 weeks or so. Most of the time my clients will pay, about 25% of the time I will pay. Most of my clients only pay for coach tickets although I am likely to go to SF in business class in two weeks. Trips are typically to NY, SF, Germany, sometimes London.
The question is as follows:
What strategy should I adopt with regard to mileage programs?
I have been thinking that I should take one more flight on Delta to get Gold, then status match to a Star Alliance carrier and fly mostly Lufthansa/Continental(United). United to NYC, and Lufthansa to SF and Europe. If BMI still flew to London that would seal the deal for me. Skyteam seems not to be an option since the seating options on Israel to Europe flights stink compared to LH not to mention uncomfortable domestic flights in the US, although I find Delta from NY to TA to be fine.
Alternatively, I could try to status match to ElAl and then only fly them, but it is problematic to SF and I find their tickets to often be much more money than other airlines. I have heard that I am more likely to get upgraded on ElAl just for having status, whereas Delta and Lufthansa only upgrade you if they need the space in the back. I also dislike the fact that every time I want to book a mileage ticket on ElAl I have to pay a crazy fuel surcharge. I am also not a "business" client of any airline, although I suppose it makes sense for me to do that - does anyone know if I can get better rates that way?
Since I have addresses in the US and Israel, I can register in either place if that helps with the programs.
I welcome the group's opinions on what to do!
Mileage balances on various airlines:
Delta - currently saved about 120k miles
ELAL - About 1500 points
Continental - Around 10k points, I think
I also have about 100k miles saved up on Amex and a bunch of Starwood points as well, which I understand won't transfer to Continental anymore post-merger but still transfer to ElAl and Delta.
I own my own business and am going to be traveling to the US and Europe a lot more than I used to - probably once every 6 weeks or so. Most of the time my clients will pay, about 25% of the time I will pay. Most of my clients only pay for coach tickets although I am likely to go to SF in business class in two weeks. Trips are typically to NY, SF, Germany, sometimes London.
The question is as follows:
What strategy should I adopt with regard to mileage programs?
I have been thinking that I should take one more flight on Delta to get Gold, then status match to a Star Alliance carrier and fly mostly Lufthansa/Continental(United). United to NYC, and Lufthansa to SF and Europe. If BMI still flew to London that would seal the deal for me. Skyteam seems not to be an option since the seating options on Israel to Europe flights stink compared to LH not to mention uncomfortable domestic flights in the US, although I find Delta from NY to TA to be fine.
Alternatively, I could try to status match to ElAl and then only fly them, but it is problematic to SF and I find their tickets to often be much more money than other airlines. I have heard that I am more likely to get upgraded on ElAl just for having status, whereas Delta and Lufthansa only upgrade you if they need the space in the back. I also dislike the fact that every time I want to book a mileage ticket on ElAl I have to pay a crazy fuel surcharge. I am also not a "business" client of any airline, although I suppose it makes sense for me to do that - does anyone know if I can get better rates that way?
Since I have addresses in the US and Israel, I can register in either place if that helps with the programs.
I welcome the group's opinions on what to do!
Nov 12, 2010 | 2:34 pm
#29
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: CX Gold, United Gold, BA Gold, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 65
Someone on this thread advised the OP to status match on LH from LY.
Is that possible?? I understood that LH does not status match. Am i wrong? I am a longtime LY PL but would love to leave it for LH. Please advise.
Is that possible?? I understood that LH does not status match. Am i wrong? I am a longtime LY PL but would love to leave it for LH. Please advise.
Nov 13, 2010 | 4:46 am
#30
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: IL
Programs: A3 Gold, UA Silver, DL Silver, Hertz PC, Avis Pref+
Posts: 1,141
why would you want to move to LH ?
admittedly, I enjoyed Senator status but this was a decade ago - and since then from what I have heard M&M is not so impressive ?
admittedly, I enjoyed Senator status but this was a decade ago - and since then from what I have heard M&M is not so impressive ?