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How to start - Seattle based
Hi guys. Another newbie here. First post.
My new job includes some travelling, at least once every month. Mainly in US (from Seattle to East coast) and in rare occasions to India (like once in 2 years). My first trip is coming up to Florida after 10 days. I have been reading up about how airmiles/point system work,etc. My question is, what should be my first step here? buy a ticket and sign up for mileage plan with that airlines? I have been also told there is similar point system for hotels too. Please point me to the right direction. I tried digging through wiki and forum threads too. Thank you for this giant knowledge base here and for time that you guys spend to help newbies like me. ... |
You may as well sign up for all three major FF plans (AA, DL, UA), since there is no charge. But then you should decide a) which airline (or its partners) offers the best service on the routes you will be flying and b) what goals you have for use of your miles. In any case, it will be to your advantage to concentrate your flights on one airline (and its partners) as much as possible. If your goal is to redeem miles for future award travel, you should be aware that many travelers find it much more difficult to find award tickets at low rates on DL than on AA or UA.
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Since you're Seattle-based also consider Alaska Airlines which has a good network and a bunch of partners including Delta. You can also credit Emirates flights to Alaska to earn points, and use your Alaska points on Emirates which has a great long-haul network.
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Hotel strategies
Welcome to flyer talk. I agree with the previous post that you should look into Alaska Airlines since you are Seattle based. Also, depending on what type of personal travel you are looking to do, JetBlue is a consideration (if you plan on traveling domestically)
I am changing loyalties this year from JetBlue to united because we want to use our points and miles for more international travel. However, JetBlue was great for us domestically As far as hotel strategies, again it is personal preference. I am hyatt diamond and Marriott platinum. I personally prefer Hyatt and it is much easier to hit top tier status (25 stays annually) vs marriott at 75 nights. However marriott has far more properties. I used to have Hilton status, but I did not find their program as rewarding for my needs (but again, personal preference) I will say Marriotts promotions are easy to get quicker free nights right now, so investigate that aspect of the program when making your decision Also, check out Kimpton hotels loyalty program. I am now a huge Kimpton fan. However, it depends on where you are traveling to as they are in very few cities ( but well worth a try if you happen to frequent the cities they are in) Good luck! |
One more thing, when studying the various hotel programs, pay attention to the requirements. Hyatt Diamond can be attained with 25 stays (regardless of how many nights each stay is) Marriott gold can be attained with 50 nights ( and Platinum with 75 nights) so if you have long stays, this is a consideration. If you are really ambitious, you can change hotels during your trips In order to meet stay requirements faster.
Also, look into SPG, Hilton, IHG etc. I can only speak for the chains I am loyal to and I wouldn't want to steer you away from other chains that might meet your needs better |
Welcome to the forum
As above, as a WA resident consider Alaska:- http://www.alaskaair.com/content/mil...ePlan-partners Have a look at the links in post, where similar questions have asked:- http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/21923398-post9.html Best Frequent Flyer Program for you? The answer to this question depends very much on your personal travel profile and objectives. e.g. - what is your definition of best? - do you value miles/points (or equivalent) for redemption over gaining status ? - what do you want to use the miles/points for (award, upgrade, hotels, what ever)? - what sort of flight award is of interest (destination, class of travel)? - are you interested in topping up by paying cash for miles? - do you fly enough to gain any meaningful status ? - who and where do you normally fly - are you primarily a leisure or business traveller? - where do you live? - do you have other ways of earning points in the various programs, e.g. credit cards, shopping, etc - etc, etc, etc From a post on 2 Feb 2013
Originally Posted by Gardyloo
(Post 20172007)
< snip>
To get your feet wet, start by reading the sticky threads in this and other forums. What you need to do is look at your flying (and credit card, if applicable) patterns and preferences, then pick a program that works best for you. While miles/points aren't interchangeable, you can usually use one airline's miles/points for redemptions on that airline's partners - either in the same alliance or in some cases unaligned partners - or for non-flying activities. Each airline has different "earning and burning" characteristics - how miles/points are earned and used, and you'll need to investigate these carefully, as the differences can be significant and expensive (or beneficial) to you depending on your choices. One important thing to note is that miles/points earning and redemption are only a part of the whole FF business. A big factor in choosing your plan preferences is whether you'd fly enough with your chosen airline(s) in order to reach elite frequent flyer status. With elite status comes various perks - access to lounges, expedited passage through airports, seat selections, upgrades, baggage allowances, etc. - that can be as important if not more important to frequent travelers. So those factors also need to be understood as you make your choices. It involves homework and research, but the rewards can be very significant, well worth the effort. (Or so many of us think. Of course we can be both delusional and exhibit OCD symptoms in this regard. Welcome to the madhouse.) |
Before doing anything, read your new company's travel pollicy and procedures very carefully. Your firm's travel office might have a limited number of comped elite status with their contract carrier to give to employees new to business travel, so you may want to discretely ask.
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