Hi! I'm quite new to this field and just started learning. I'm flying AUS-NYC regularly this year and will be moving to NYC next year. Thanks in advance for any advice!

1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
upgrades, priority services, baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, lounge access, etc.
>>> Reply: baggage allowance and redemption rate

2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?
less than 25000 miles, 50000+ miles and 20-25 flights, etc.
>>> Reply: ~50000 mile, 20 round trips

3. What fare class do you usually buy?
first, business, premium economy, economy
>>> Reply: economy

4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
>>> Reply: yes, I travel for leisure

5. Which routes do you fly most often?
transatlantic, domestic USA, intra-Asia, etc.
>>> Reply: domestic (specifically AUS-NYC), sometimes ASIA-NA

6. What is your home airport?
>>> Reply: AUS, will be moving to NYC next year

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?
>>> Reply: no status at the moment

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
>>> Reply: no preference

Unless you fly on Southwest, you will need to achieve at least low-tier elite status to get free checked baggage when flying in Economy Class on domestic flights. You might find it easiest to achieve status with AA, since miles earned for credit-card purchases, hotel stays, car rentals, AAdvantage Dining, AAdvantage e-shopping, etc., all count towards status. And AA often has very favorable redemption rates for domestic travel. But check the Wikipedia entries for LGA and JFK to see if AA offers nonstop service to your preferred destinations, unless you are OK making a connection. (Domestic awards involving a connection are sometimes less expensive that awards on nonstop flights.)

AA miles can also be redeemed for travel on CX and JL, when those carriers make award space available to partners.

Welcome to FlyerTalk!

Edited to add: Without status, one can also get a free checked bag on domestic flights on several U.S. airlines by signing up for an affiliated credit card. In some cases, just holding the credit card gets you a free checked bag; in other cases, you must charge your flight to the credit card to get the free checked bag.

Hi everyone - new to FlyerTalk! Appreciate any help you can give. I feel like I’ve made a number of missteps this year in not sticking to one airline or hotel program (did not think I’d even come close to traveling enough for status!) so would love to look toward next year with a solid plan!

Note that I would be open to a new cc for perks but I care a little less about accruing miles - I unfortunately opened a CSR in Jan 2020 thinking I’d be traveling a ton… downgraded to CSP to avoid annual fee, so that’s my primary travel spend card now.

Finally, I am looking to travel to Mexico middle of next year and hopefully SE Asia in early 2025. I’d love to work toward finding a way to get upgraded on those flights (presumably by award miles??)

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1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
>>> Reply: upgrades, priority boarding, better seat selection - I’m tired of middle seats!!

2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?
>>> Reply: Roughly 18,000 miles this year, but 15 round trip flights/30 segments. Hoping for same or more next year.

3. What fare class do you usually buy?
>>> Reply: economy refundable

4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
>>> Reply: 95% work, any airline in economy

5. Which routes do you fly most often?
>>> Reply: SFO-LAX but occasionally will fly into BUR

6. What is your home airport?
>>> Reply: SFO (can flex to OAK if truly needed)

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?
>>> Reply: I don’t think I’ll make United Silver this year unfortunately. I have 60,000 miles banked to redeem but I’m estimating I’ll only have 3100 PQP by EOY. I do have Marriott Silver Elite (11 nights) and am two nights away from Hyatt Discoverist (should have earned it on the last trip but I entrusted the booking to someone else… never again!)

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
>>> Reply: United, Alaska, and I do love JetSuiteX (OAK-BUR) but only when it’s convenient for where I’m working in LA.

Welcome to FlyerTalk!

I think that your best chance of achieving low-level status would be with AS, or -- if you can charge a lot to a credit card -- with AA. You would not likely qualify for status with AS based on mileage, but you might based on segments (30 required on AS or other oneworld carriers, including AA).

If you can charge a lot to an AA credit card (perhaps including your refundable airfares), you might be able to achieve status with AA. Status with either AS or AA gives you some nice benefits on both carriers.

Also, Hyatt and AA have a special relationship which could help you maintain status with AA. Details here:

https://onemileatatime.com/guides/am...t-partnership/

("American AAdvantage & World Of Hyatt Partnership: How It Works")

Good luck!

What to switch to?
 

Questionnaire: Copy and paste into your post
Provide the requested information.

1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
Free premium seats (comfort+, etc is main priority though first class is nice when I get it). After that, having free flight changes/same-day changes is incredibly important. Then, probably priority phone support and lounge access. Lastly, mileage redemptions.

2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?
50-60k miles across 12 or so round trips

3. What fare class do you usually buy?
main cabin

4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Yes, and I travel primarily for work

5. Which routes do you fly most often?
Domestic USA

6. What is your home airport?
LGA ideally or JFK

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?
I've been Delta Platinum for about 10 years, but would not qualify for 2025 with the new program changes due to the aggregate cost of my flights and CC spend annually being closer to Silver in the new program than Platinum even though I fly a good amount. I'm willing to use a combination of credit card and butt-in-seat qualification.

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
Not sure, most of my flying has been on Delta so that's always been my preference but I likely need to switch to a different program so that I continue to qualify for status.

Based on this, I'd say that you're looking at AA (although JetBlue might work for you).

Status on AA will not get you lounge access on domestic travel. You would need at least mid-level status (oneworld Sapphire) on one of AA's foreign, oneworld partners (like IB) for that. JetBlue does not operate lounges at all.

Have a look at the LGA and JFK Wikipedia entries to see the list of current nonstop destinations offered from each airport by AA and B6.

And welcome to FlyerTalk!

Thanks! I know this is kind of crazy but would it be worth considering Alaska status, since it's part of Oneworld with AA but generally easier to status match against?

Maybe. But going forward, you might need to fly at least a few segments on AS-marketed, AS-operated flights to maintain AS status. If you will have trips to the West Coast, that should not be a problem. If not, . . . .

Details here:

https://www.creditkarma.com/credit-c...20by%20Alaska.

("Alaska Airlines MVP status: What each tier offers")

With AA, credit-card spend, hotel stays, car rentals, AAdvantage Dining, etc., would all count towards earning status. But if a lot of your travel will require connecting flights (on AA or AS), you might find it easier to maintain status on AS via segments.

What would you estimate your annual spend on airfare to be?

Probably $7-15k depending on the year

Based on your flying patterns and annual airfare spend, I'd say that it would be easier for you to reach mid-tier status with AS than with AA. I'm guessing that at least some of your trips are to the Western U.S., so you should have the opportunity to get in a few flights with AS, if needed. I know that you need some AS flights if qualifying for status by segments; I'm not sure if the same is true if qualifying for status by mileage. I imagine that someone on the FlyerTalk AS forum could answer that question readily. Note, also, that only some AA Economy Class fares earn 100% of flown mileage in the AS MVP program:

https://www.alaskaair.com/content/mi...tners-american

Hi everyone! I am brand new to the forum and everyone seems super helpful. I currently live in California (been here for 9 years) but just took a position at workplace that would move me back to Bangkok, Thailand permanently. I was born and raised there and the company I'm working for needs an in-country person.

Background: After my move in October, I'm expected to travel for my job a lot regionally (within the entire Southeast Asia) with 3-4 trips to the U.S. and/or South Africa each year. I promised myself a few years ago that I would never fly coach across the Pacific again even if I had to pay the difference out of pocket for a work trip. I have a bulging disc but not bad enough to warrant accommodation. However, when I joined my current company about 6 months ago and started traveling internationally for them, I found out I had to be compliant with Fly America Act, and can only book with their contracted travel agent. Some of the routes they picked for my last few trips to Asia that were in compliance with Fly America (flights operated by JAL or ANA that had to be booked through American/United codeshares) wouldn't allow me to pay out of pocket for upgrades to business after an economy or premium economy ticket was issued. I have not really had any significant frequent flyer status. I was Silver with United for a few years and Sapphire with oneworld this year. With that said, I kind of consider myself starting fresh and would like some suggestions about FFP and airlines alliance that I should join.

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Upgrades on travel (including ability to pay for upgrades) and lounge access. Note that all travels need to be booked through my company's agency.
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
I'm intending to fly business for all these flights when available. I know it's
BKK to Within Southeast Asia (expected): 15000-18000 miles. Most of these would be BKK to Jakarta or Hanoi. 12-16 flights. These are probably going to be exempt from Fly America Act. I'd like to not do low cost as I've never had a good experience with them in Asia.
BKK to the U.S., South Africa, Melbourne: 60000-70000 miles. These would be at least one trip a year to DC, one trip to Cape Town, and a couple trips to Los Angeles. Maybe 1 trip to Melbourne.
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy ?
Agency can only book economy or premium economy. I always attempt to try to pay for upgrades to business but have been met with "that's not possible" by the agency. I don't have enough experience to know if that's true.
Reply:
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Airline most flown? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Agency does the booking. I can provide some input. They have to be in compliance with Fly America, and can only book economy or premium economy. I always try to ask them to book premium economy and I'll pay for upgrade to business but was told by the agency that it wasn't possible in a few of the cases. For flights to and from U.S. if I can choose I love to fly any Japanese airlines. I've lived in Houston and LA so it's mostly been United and ANA, although I really do not enjoy United flights. Most of the travel is for work, but the Los Angeles trips are personal.
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often
I'll be flying mostly from Bangkok to destinations within Southeast Asia, with 4-5 trips to the US, South Africa, and maybe Australia.
(6) What is your home airport?
It will be BKK (Suvarnabhumi)
(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in an airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
Nothing significant. Just a few years of United MileagePlus Silver. I have maybe 35,000 miles with them. I also have a Chase Sapphire Reserve with about 110,000 points.
(8) Preferred Airlines
I love ANA and JAL. For U.S. carriers, United is the most tolerable for me.

Thank you so much! Any suggestion is welcome. Please let me know if you'd like more information in order to provide recommendations.

UK Manchester based, currently Delta SkyMiles member. With Delta decreasing the earning in 2024, shall I switch to AF or VS's FFP?

I am currently taking advantage of the MQMs earnings for non-US residents. It is earning me Silver Medallion with as little as 2 UK-Asia return flights (100% MQMs on deep discount economy)

However, with the upcoming devaluation, it is effectively becoming 20% so needs 5 times the flying.
Therefore, I am thinking whether to stay or switch my SkyTeam FFP.

Current situation:
Should earn Silver for 2024 with Delta.

Travel pattern:
2-3 Europe-Asia trips per year with SkyTeam. Unfortunately none of those are ports where VS serves.
Do not prefer FSC for intra-European or UK-EU travel.

I am thinking whether I should move to Virgin or Flying Blue. I find the following advantages and disadvantages for each programs

Flying Blue
Advantages:
- Higher XP earn rate, can top up XP earning by carbon offset. Maybe 3 trips with them will earn me Silver
- I fly with them quite often
- Partner with Etihad is attractive. Quite often I found Etihad offering good deal for my trips

Disadvantages:
- Expiring miles
- I can apply for Amex MR card to exchange Flying Blue miles but I already have an Amex Avios card
- XP earnings are a bit unclear/constantly changing

Virgin
Advantages:
- Non-expiring miles
- I can apply for a VS credit card to accelerate miles earning. It is Mastercard and fee-free in Europe, so it can be the complement when my Amex card isn't accepted / for spendings in Europe

Disadvantages:
- Earn rate is worse than Flying Blue, especially when transferring via AMS and CDG
- Less likely to fly with them. Unlikely to fly across the Atlantic anyway.

Stay with Delta
Advantages:
- I will have about 30k miles unredeemed.
- Non expiring miles

Disadvantages:
- Status is basically out of reach
- MQD earning rate is poor
- I am not travelling with them anyway

I have an upcoming trip in 2024 with Saudia, which can earn 50% for Virgin, 25% for Flying Blue and 5% MQDs for SkyMiles
I believe I can enjoy SkyTeam Elite benefits from Delta Silver while earning miles to another FFP?

Hi guys, I live in NYC (brooklyn) and am looking for a good FFP to travel the world taking 4 to 6 1-2 week transcon trips a year. don't care about domestic as i've travelled the country as a touring musician and i'm sitting on 400k skypesos i'll seemingly never use. most of my points are in amex(mostly for J) and chase (mostly for Hyatt) . i spend a fair amount on business cc's so expecting to hit through spend rather than flying. i'm going for globalist which will be the first status i've ever had. i've read AA pairs with Hyatt but doesn't transfer from my cc's. any advice appreciated!

1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
upgrades, good redemption value

2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?
40k, 10-12 flights

3. What fare class do you usually buy?
business maybe premium economy if under 8 hours, never tried first but hopefully next year!

4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
just pleasure now

5. Which routes do you fly most often?
avoiding repeats for a while

6. What is your home airport?
NYC so JFK, LGA maaaaybe EWR

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?
I don't

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
None

Trans-continental trips are domestic -- unless you're planning to travel to Western Canada. Are you talking about inter-continental trips, to Europe, Asia, etc ?

How much cash do you expect to spend on airfare during a year? That's become a big factor in achieving status these days.

If you're based in NYC and prefer not to fly out of EWR, then you're really looking at AA or DL -- or one of their alliance partners -- if you will be primarily flying internationally.

The nice thing about AA is that you can earn LP with non-flying spend. The hotel stays are particularly lucrative if you are not also chasing hotel status.

DL is going to require a lot of spend. They are going to roll back some of their changes but I'm guessing that it's still going to be pretty brutal.

Even if willing to fly out of EWR, UA has pretty high spend requirements. If not spending OPM I would suggest AA and augment with hotel stays and other partners. If you are ok with being a hotel free agent, you can just book all your hotel stays through AA's hotel booking engine, get status that way, and use the miles to fly everywhere. It saves a lot of money.

When spending OPM, I found UA to be good. They were my go-to when flying to the EU for work from SFO (you could do the same from EWR, I assume) and they were good to Asia as well.