With a budget of 5k per transpac, I wouldn't be concerned about miles or status in the slightest.

I'd look at each Cebu trip individually and pick the most optimal flights based on market conditions (e.g. different carriers run specials at different times).

Hello Guvenor

Yes, I noticed that NRT to CEB is a 737-800,I believe this just started this week? I'm not sure what Business J class is exactly, maybe like domestic Z? So that is my plan to bank as many FFP to either United or Delta, just trying to work this out.

I think my biggest concern is the UA $4.6k Polaris (lowest I could find) vs DL $9.2k De;ta One price differential. As noted in my original post, It's important to me to rest the ol' back so to speak, and I could be wrong but DL may not offer the Delta One upgrades for a reasonable upcharge from what I am reading now, while UA is guaranteed at booking for more than half the price.

Would you mind elaborating on the importance of the NRT to CEB flight? Thanks so much for responding!

I appreciate your response, thank you! So a couple of things to consider, the UA Polaris non-stop from SFO to MNL is actually north of $7k which isn't within my budget. I'm just finding the sub $5k Polaris tickets on a handful of routes and dates, so this is pushing my comfort levels for price point(s). In addition, there really aren't too many other sub $5k business class products out there. Even PR is at $5k from LAX to MNL and $5.2k from JFK, and most other airlines seem to be in the $7k to $9k range at least. To clarify, the $5k budget is for RT or $2.5k each way. Finally, there will come a time when I actually retire and my budget will be cut and it would be nice to either have a lot of miles in a useful program, or those plus points that I know almost nothing about other than at P1K it could lead to 4 RT flights being upgraded transpacific if I'm reading the UA website correctly.

Anyhoo, I have a month to decide and I'll continue to review these boards. It is nice to be able to obtain the upfront seating at booking, but I'm looking longer term as well. I appreciate the response and enjoy your weekend!

It's just that, if having lie-flat seats is important to you on long segments, you won't find them on a United 737.

Are you able to plan multiple trips to/from the Philippines in advance? If so, and if you can find a cheap one-way to the Philippines, you might find that a CEB/DVO-CLE roundtrip will cost less than a CLE-CEB/DVO roundtrip. 😉 And by the way, QR serves both CEB and DVO.

(In 2022, a friend got CEB-DOH-JFK one way in Business for ~ $2,100 through QR. By crediting that two-segment one-way to Iberia, he got oneworld Ruby status, which is good for free checked baggage and Main Cabin Extra (extra-leg-room) seats when traveling on AA in Economy. This demonstrates the importance of carefully considering where to credit your flights.)

There are many ways to get from the US to Cebu that don't entail a MNL transit...or 5 hour flights on 737s.

KGB , I just priced a CLE-SLC roundtrip in Economy for random dates in January (14-22). For the Delta nonstop in each direction (or for connections), you would pay 50,000 Delta SkyMiles plus $11.20. For a connecting-flight itinerary on AA, this is what you would pay:



Much longer travel time in each direction, of course. But the cost savings -- especially if you want to use miles -- can be substantial if you go with AA. Both Barclays and Citi offer generous sign-up bonuses on their AA cards.

Also, although Amex MR points do not transfer to AA, they do transfer to some of AA's oneworld partners, so you might still be able to use your MR points for award travel on AA (subject to AA's making the needed award seats available for partner redemption). For award redemptions involving connecting flights on AA, Cathay Pacific might be your best transfer option.
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I don't want to go down the hidden city rabbit hole (including all of the inevitable warnings), but it's pretty much common knowledge that you can beat the monopoly pricing by searching for competitive routes (e.g. CLE-LAX) that include options on the desired segment. AA isn't much different from DL in this regard.

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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: Bring family and friends into lounges, seat selection and baggage allowance, lounge access

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: about 50000 miles a year

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

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 pleasure only

5. Which routes do you fly most often?
transatlantic, domestic USA, intra-Asia, etc.
>>> Reply: LHR - HKG, LHR - PVG

6. What is your home airport?
>>> Reply: LHR

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?
>>> Reply: I have ba gold, cx silver and etihad gold,
I usually bank all miles into ba and I have amex ba card, but I don't fly ba a lot. I usually fly qr/cx to pvg/hkg three times a year that bring me a ba silver and sometimes to ba gold. But as it now takes longer to fly to hkg and pvg, I recently changed to etihad as the price is about 800 pounds cheaper and I can take a rest in auh etihad lounge.

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
>>> Reply: ba/qr/cx/ey ; I am not sure if I should keep my ba status and continue fly qr and cx, as they offer better food and lounge quality and as ba gold I can use the first class facilities or fully put all my flights to etihad as it is cheaper and I can reach plat.

BA, QR & CX are all Oneworld partners. So little logic to getting both BA & CX status, when top OW Emerald status would get some of you item 1 objectives. The airline you fly and the airline you credit to does not need to be the same.
Flying business class status does little for you.
Avios is used by BA QR IB AY and cab be moved between the ffp's.
BA Gold = OW Emerald (top level) CX silver = OW Ruby (3rd level). However for low cost CX flights can credit poorly to other ffp's.

EY is a partner of several airlines. Including OW airline AA. But not in a big alliance https://www.wheretocredit.com/etihad

Thank you. My CX silver were from Marriott status match. I normally just put all the tier points to BA when I fly CX. My choices would be between BA silver/gold and EY platinum.
My number of flight each would will bring me BA silver, and if I would like to get BA gold I need some extra travel to achieve the 4 BA operated flights. If I do all my flights each year by EY, I will get a platinum. EY flights are normally much cheaper than CX and QR. The only reason I would like to keep my BA gold is the LHR BA the wing and I can bring guest to the first class lounge and and access the cx The Pier first class lounge (food is really nice).
But EY can save me about 4000 to 5000 pounds a year and the quality of EY lounge is better than BA lounge.
I am not sure if I should keep BA silver or gold and forget about the EY status, or keep EY platinum and forget about BA status, or EY Gold with BA silver? I normally book biz directly so EY gold and BA silver might not be that helpful. Only upvote is to bring my friend with me to the lounge.

About 4000 to 5000 pounds a year will buy a lot of visits to a good airline restaurant (not an airline F lounge)
Or buy a lounge pass, Priority Pass or equal.
Money talks.

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
(upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, extra baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, free - discounted lounge access, etc.)
Reply: Free lounge, priority boarding, free upgrades.

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
(<25000, 25000-50000, >50000 miles - <25, 25-50, >50 flights?)
Reply: Usually around the 5000 miles per year with 4 sectors. with the exception of this year which I have flown around 25,000 miles with around 10 sectors.

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy ?
(First, Business, Premium economy, Economy, cheapest)
Reply: Economy

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Airline most flown? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: A bit complicated, but for North America it would be Copa and United. Europe KLM and AF. Asia would be mixture of *A and Skyteam. South America Copa or Avianca

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often
(US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply: PTY to the USA or PTY to Europe

(6) What is your home airport?
(SFO, SCL, London LHR, HKG, Singapore SIN etc.)
Reply: PTY (Panama Tocumen)

(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 Executive Platinum, UA 1K, LAN Comodoro, etc)
Reply: Copa regular member with 25,000 miles.

(8) Preferred Airlines
Reply: United, Copa, ANA, and KLM.

Given that you only fly Economy Class, and do not fly very many miles, I very much doubt that you'll be able to achieve elite status in any frequent-flyer program based on your travel patterns.

Yeah, I will definitely never reach a FF status with only flying. My main options to get any kind of status is mainly through partnered credit cards which gives me Copa Silver status, Air Europa Suma Gold status or American Airlines status depending on how much I spend.

As I have family now for sure located long term in mid California, (also some In Germany) I have been, and now know I will continue to have to, fly 2 -3 times a year from London to San Francisco. I am wondering which airline to choose. Through circumstances beyond my control I have blue status with BA, points accruing with VA via my Tesco clubcard, and some flights upcoming with UA, again beyond my control.

My family in the USA have status with UA but that seems to be irrelevant when I want to fly. Other members of my immediate family have status with Lufthansa but again that seems irrelevant. As parents and now grandparents of frequent flyers is there a particular airline/programme that I and my spouse should consider?

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

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: I guess priority services, as we age everything becomes harder.

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: 3 - 5 times a year short haul within Europe. 2 -4 times a year long haul UK to USA

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

4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
>>> Reply: It will be my choice, largely, from now on. To be with family.

5. Which routes do you fly most often?
transatlantic, domestic USA, intra-Asia, etc.
>>> Reply: UK to Germany or to the USA

6. What is your home airport?
>>> Reply: London, Heathrow, or Stansted

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?
>>> Reply: Only blue with BA

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