bigbyte Welcome to FT

Air NZ is one of the worst ffp's out there. For a USA resident make little sense, even if flying Air NZ at times.

With Air NZ ffp you pay with airpoints dollars (the ff currency of Air NZ) Check how many airpoints dollars you get flying LAX-AKL. It may be few. And how many it would cost to get as a flight. It may be OK: just paying the retail fare rate with airpoints dollars.
https://www.airnewzealand.com.au/airpoints

Air NZ release few business awards to ff partners. Sometimes 4-6 weeks out some show. The chances of getting 3 Air NZ awards at a peak time is very small to close to zero.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-...ir-points-440/

UA & AA (BA avois partner) both fly LAX-AKL. But business award will be very hard to get. 3 on the same flight even harder. At a peak time harder
If you have the old UA award chart (pre dynamic) look at what business awards used to cost [one way business class award 40,000 UA ff miles?].
Real premium economy is another option (not economy plus)

Transferring ff miles may cost more than they are really worth.
You could book one way out from 1 account and back from another ff account.
Does not need to be the same ffp, airline and/or route. Splitting to 2+1 and/or different days may help

Earn to burn is what is important when awards are the objective
How many LAX-LHR flights on NZ crediting to Air NZ ffp to get 1 business class award LAX-AKL on Air NZ or UA (if available)?
How many LAX-LHR flights on NZ crediting to UA ffp to get 1 business class award LAX-AKL on Air NZ or UA (if available)?
A very general guide (LAX-AKL Bus one way)---->https://www.awardhacker.com/#f=LAX&t...=1&c=y&s=1&p=1

Hi all,

AA doesn't serve my primary (international) routes, so I feel like my AA Platinum status isn't optimal (upgrades, arrival lounge access, immigration fast track at LHR...). I am looking to transition into BA or VS gold instead. Most frequent route is SEA <> LHR, and only BA and VS operate direct flights.

- Am I correct in my assessment that I'd have a noticeably better experience with either BA or VS gold (vs using AA platinum on BA) as I rarely fly on AA metal?
- Am I correct that attaining and sustaining BA and VS status are about equally difficult?
- Am I correct that going for AA Exec Platinum would be much harder than the above, and not provide the same quality for my flight patterns? One thing I can do is go for Exec Plat and then status match to VS Gold.
- Between VS and BA statuses, is either an obviously better choice mainly for the SEA <> LHR route?
- If I were to "switch" to BA, is there a way to make use of my AA benefits while building up status with BA? Switch FF # at the desk, etc?

I'd also appreciate any general advice as to where to pool my points as I have lots of travel coming up. Answered the standard questions below. Thank you so much for helping me with my first world problem :).

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Lounge access, upgrades

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
~120K, ~30 flights

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy ?
Economy / Premium Economy

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Airline most flown? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
I can choose airlines, work + pleasure. Fly BA and TK most currently.

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often
AA, BA, TK. SEA <> LHR, LHR <> IST

(6) What is your home airport?
SEA

(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in an airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
AA Platinum (OW Sapphire), TK Elite (*G)

(8) Preferred Airlines
None that flies my frequent routes

United Changes
 

I live outside the USA and am a citizen of my residing country. As a result, to date, I have not had any PQD minimums to meet with United Airlines in order to qualify for their various levels of frequent flier status. I only needed to fulfill the mileage requirement. That will change next year. Are there any airlines in the USA, or elsewhere, who do not impose a PQD minimum in order to obtain status and reach levels in their frequent flier program? I am tired of United always taking things away year after year, I want to switch. I fly 100,000 miles a year or more every year.

I'm not aware that UA is imposing PQDs outside the USA. Has this changed? Welcome to FT.

Mod alerted to move this to UA.

Welcome to FT, above4!

Whether or not UA imposes a PQD requirement outside the US as of September 24, 2019, or has announced that it will impose one at any specific future date, a few things are true:

1. Airlines in general are paying more and more attention to revenue as a criterion for awarding elite status.

2. If UA hasn't done it yet, that doesn't mean it won't do it tomorrow, next week, or next month,

3. Even if the OP can find an airline that doesn't consider revenue in awarding status now, it will become increasingly difficult to find one in the future.

Unfortunately, this is the reality we must all accommodate. Cheap status in exchange for squeezing one's bum into an economy seat for untold hours on end is a thing of the past in many places and is disappearing from the rest. I wouldn't choose a frequent flyer program on the basis of being able to earn status without a minimum spending level, because that can change on short notice - and probably will. Instead, find an airline that suits your travel patterns and accept its FF program for what it is.

You might also consider getting one of the fancier credit cards. Many airline-affiliated cards grant second-tier status for an annual fee that is high compared to ordinary credit cards but is a lot lower than the usual spending requirement for that level. The availability of such a card might affect your choice of airline if more than one is otherwise suitable.

OP states "This will change next year." I have not read this anywhere on FT, and there is nothing on the UA website to suggest that. So I think we want a confirmation first.

Many airline frequent flyer programs are not revenue based. But based on flights. USA airline ffp's are leading the change to revenue based status/ff mile earning. All ffp's are reducing benefits, making awards more expensive, status harder to achieve, etc. UA ffp is not alone in doing that. But UA ff miles now never expiring is a positive change.

By "That will change next year." does that mean you are moving to USA?

Are you wanting to change ffp's? What is your flying pattern? Routes/class or travel etc? What do you want from a ffp?

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.

General FFP:- Which Frequent Flyer Program to Join? Help Is Here!

The grass in not always greener on the other side

In truth, I had not considered the obvious possibility that the OP was moving to the US. But I find it odd that you can fly 100,000 miles without meeting 1K PQD, unless you fly the dirt cheapest fares all the time.

Yes. 100,000 miles is a lot. Unless includes all airlines and not just Star Alliance. As often the case, we need more information to give a more considered response.
OP profile shows as IT Italty

I have done it. Company has a Y cabin only policy. I have done countless numbers of cross-country (BOS/EWR-LAX-SFO) trips. It's better now with free Premium Plus (PP). RPUs have never worked.

Given there is no related UA announcement, I assume you mean moving back to the U.S.

My question then is why you need to move your address back to the U.S. (Note - I am not asking why you need to move back to the U.S.).

The only major airlines in the world that does not have a truly revenue-based program is WN, as you can still qualify based on flights flown. The rest either imposes a EQD system or tier points based on fare classes.


Based on today's announcement of PlusPoints, it does not sound it is the case at all.

(A funny note - DL has not eliminated the same waiver. Don't see why UA would do that.)

Why is this odd? My PQD only reaches the level for Premier Silver. Yet, I am a 1K.

Welcome to Flyertalk [MENTION=10061549]above4[/MENTION].

Please follow the redirect as we relocate your query.

~beckoa, co-moderator Information Desk

Alaska is still distance based and would work with top tier at 75K if you fly just Alaska, or 90K if you mix Alaska and partners. Alaska-only really only works well if you're based on the west coast with SEA and SFO being their biggest hubs for transcons and Hawaii flights. Partners can accrue from zero to 100% EQM in economy based on distance flown, with higher accrual rates in other classes, but you'd need to look at their partner list to see if they work for you at the fare you buy.

Not a lot of elite benefits with partners, though. Probably the biggest is lounge access with Qantas and some limited access with BA.

I'd start with researching what your typical travel patterns and fare buckets would earn with different programs. After all, if you switched to a program with worse RDM and/or EQM (or similar) earning you could be no better off potentially. This is a good starting point but of course look at current program info as well: https://www.wheretocredit.com/

I now am a little better in understand where to find my own moved posts so I should be okay going forward with posting. I started a second post in the old location and it was closed but this is what I wrote....





United Changes 2
Before I could answer some questions that were posted, my post was moved and I do not know how to locate it.

On to one of the questions. Yes, nobody has seen these United changes that will take place in 2020 yet. They are not yet posted anywhere. I have inside information.

Starting in 2020, United frequent fliers who live outside the USA will also have to meet PQD minimums in order to obtain frequent flier status. This is a change.

Since I cannot find my post, I ask again. I am a non USA resident and citizen who flies in or through the USA often enough and sometimes on USA based carriers. Given this yet to be announced change (you all will remember me when they do announce this), which, if any, USA based or non USA based airlines offer frequent flier status solely based on flight miles (the old fashion way) and not based on a combination of both miles flown AND base fares paid? Thank you in advance for your information.

I am tired of Uniteds taking things away mentality. Since i live outside the USA, when I fly Star Alliance Partner Airlines, I already often get screwed on the partner airlines mileage. Even if i book the flight directly on the United web-site. Now they want to screw me further by not giving me full credit AND making me pay more? Not on my watch!