You beat me to it, I was going to say under 25K flyer should probably focus on booking cheapest and most convenient carrier/flights. AS does have 20K MVP qualification but that has to be all AS metal. That may be kind of tough.

Debt free and no credit card could indicate OP has no credit history so it may be tough to get a jump onto a prime lenders card right away. I took the no debt method after i screwed my credit when i was 18. Its slow going getting back on track. Anyways many of those points cards have horriffic interest rates and no way would I carry a balance. Pay in full is the way to go (unless 0 interest promo).

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't that change to where all partner are valid?

This.^^^

"Having a credit card" and "Being in debt" are two very different things.

(If you simply don't trust yourself with a credit card, and know you'll end up in debt with one...well, that makes you more self-aware than a lot of people. However, if you don't have a credit card solely to proclaim yourself debt-free; that's foolish.)

<--Corporate card, hotel credit card and 2x airline credit cards. Debt free (minus mortgage). Delta Diamond, AA Platinum. IHG Ambassador Platinum.

That aside...
What is it that you want to earn?
Free flights?
Okay.
Are you looking to fly a family of five to Disney Land once a year?
Take a special someone to Thailand/Dubai/Cape Town in first class every year or two?
Launch by yourself in coach on whimsical trips to Hanoi/Changsha/Windhoek whenever the urge strikes?

It all depends on what you're looking for in return for your loyalty.

IE...I'm in the "first class with SO to Thailand" camp. So Delta is my go-to loyalty program. Their rewards system is infuriating, but it's easy to rack up a lot of miles and (with effort), I've managed to take my significant-other on posh flights to far-flung destinations every 12-14 months. (Which makes my travel for work a win/win for my domestic life).
See how this works?
Spend a little time with yourself and figure out what's important to you and yours.

Another thing OP, hope you are aware that UA and DL have moved to a revenue based burn system, so your earnings could significantly decrease. AA is still doing the traditional thing, but don't know for how long.

It might be easier than you think for the OP to qualify for good bonus cards. For many years, I used one or two credit cards, spending little on them and carrying no balance. Fortunately, one of those cards was an Amex Platinum so I at least earned some Membership Rewards points--and because I didn't even notice those, I didn't blow them on something stupid, like Sony headphones for 100K points that might have instead got me a TATL biz class seat.

Some people are just dead set against credit use--many of them older than you think. In the OP's case, he's indicated that he worked as a consultant for a firm for 10 years and has been out on his own for another 10. Flown 750,000 miles in his lifetime, with 250,000 in the last ten years. Those facts suggest the OP is probably 45 years old at least and could easily be 60--and the child of parents out of the Depression era who would have beat on the lesson that credit was bad. Age, experience, and income history will more than make up for a lack of an extensive credit history.

If this is the case with the OP, he should realize the advice here is good. When I stumbled on FT, I was just like the OP--dead set against CC apps and skeptical that you could do things like apply for a Citi AA card--and then apply for another one 65 days later. Well, you can't quite do that for the time being although lots of people cashed in with the Citi AA Exec card this past spring, and I'm sure that at some point, there'll be another offer that is similar even if not with Citi or AA.

OP, you don't need to carry a balance on your credit cards. And the quickest way to accumulate miles/points for airline/hotel programs is credit card bonuses. When I got here four years ago, I had a little over 40K in AA--almost all of that earned through more than four years of paid leisure flying as my work does not generally require me to fly more than once per year.

I now have 475,000 in AA, 375K with BA, 200K in US, 225K in UA, 100K with Southwest, and shortly will have 55K with DL. Other than BA, I haven't flown a paid flight with AA, US, UA, or DL since joining here. With additional balances with the Amex Membership Rewards program, the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, and SPG, I have additional points that can be transferred to airline programs.

I don't note these balances to brag--lots of folks here burn more than I do and still have larger balances by far. But, it's an indication that the game is really not in the air any more. As others have noted, 25K of flying per year won't get you much (although with the right tickets, it can get you an elite level with BA which can translate into Oneworld status which then gets you benefits with AA and US). To fly up front, you'll probably need to either buy tickets for premium seats or earn enough award miles so that you can redeem them for premium seats.

The most efficient way to earn those miles is to go after CC bonuses. Pay off the balances each month. Learn enough about status levels in various programs so that if you see a plausible way to earn status you can go for it, but otherwise, accumulate miles. And instead of avoiding credit card spending, find a way to run every bit of your spending through a card. I suspect between personal spending (and I'm including bills and other payments that you might make as well as spending for dinners out, gasoline, clothes, and other daily spending) and your business-related spending, you can probably earn in excess of 100K in some miles or points program even after you've earned all the signup bonuses you want to apply for. That's only one overseas RT business class flight per year--but it's one you're leaving on the table currently.

You'll have to read and research here, but just decide that you have a new hobby--traveling in a bigger and better seat and making airline travel a much better experience than it is currently. Good luck!

All of the international partners which were previously RDM only now earn EQM. However the the AS metal only remains 20K MVP / 40K MVPG / 75K MVPG75Ks. AS plus partners requires more miles like it always has 25K MVP / 50K MVPG / 90K MVPG 75K.

Wow thank you everyone. Here's some additional thoughts to your responses:

Age: Yes, I am in my 40s, debt free. Rare, I know. Not a trust fund kid - self made. Live within my means, happily married, and sleep very good at night.

No debt: My parents are retired and have a lot in debt, including 250K on their house. They live outside their means as do my siblings, friends, and coworkers. I don't want to live like that. I own investment properties free and clear, and the rent paid goes straight into my retirement account. I will retire with dignity.

Credit worthiness: Trust me, I can get credit. Last report pulled was 820-850 FICO range. I get offers for credit cards weekly. No interest...I suppose this 'fool' is proclaiming myself debt-free. It is for religious reasons.

With regards to alaska airlines: My card is silver. It may be old. I think it is status of 'blue' or something - not MVP. I was previously. It will be hard to maintain 25K miles with them per year, as trips from BOI to SEA are 90 minutes at the most. I would probably have to take one trip a week all year to reach 25k on that route. Furthermore, those planes have 3-4 seats wide max and are all turbo props. No seat is comfortable, but the flights are short.

What I have considered is rather than paying for the cheapest tickets, paying a few extra bucks for the 'business class' tickets. Some give you twice the miles/points, and it is under my customers' threshold for a flight. On some carriers, that may mean better seating closer to the front.

Perhaps I shouldn't try so hard to gain status on airlines, but rather focus on the hotels, then. The difference in booking a flight for 3 days or for 2 weeks is the same price usually for me...it's the 200 per night in a hotel that adds up so quickly.

Of the airlines I most travel, perhaps it would be best to stay with Alaska, Southwest, and United. If there are surveys I can fill out to keep those alive, I can put my kids to work.

Still open to suggestions that are not credit-card related, please. I really appreciate your responses so far!

That is impressive. I am getting there but still love my credit cards as evident by my signature.

1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
(e.g., upgrades, priority services, baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, lounge access)
Reply: Comp upgrade; good award redemption rates (within Asia and long distance)

2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?
(e.g., <25000, 25000-50000, >50000 miles and <25, 25-50, >50 flights?)
Reply: >140,000 miles and >50 flights

3. What fare class do you usually buy?
(e.g., first, business, premium economy, economy)
Reply: Business (Oneworld RTW business tickets) or economy (intra-Asia; most likely not full fare)

4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: Yes within Oneworld - work

5. Which routes do you fly most often
(e.g., U.S. domestic, transatlantic, intra-Asia)
Reply: HKG --> JFK --> LHR --> HKG (RTW) AND intra-Asia routes

6. What is your home airport?
(e.g., SFO, LHR, HKG)
Reply: HKG

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in a FFP, if any?
(e.g., AA Executive Platinum, UA 1K, LAN Comodoro)
Reply: UA 1K banked zero miles (I burned them already)

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
Reply: Cathay Pacific (although I heard its FFP is not as good as before), British Airways, and AA.

Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you!^

Hey everybody!
I am currently a LH SEN, yet I have moved to Berlin and have started to fly more frequently with OW.
I will probably keep my long haul and main travelling with LH, yet would like to get the best out of the OW millage.
1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
Reply: upgrades, priority services, good award redemption rates, lounge access

2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?
Reply: <25000 miles and <25

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

4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: I can choose airline, yet the class should be the most affordable. Travel for work

5. Which routes do you fly most often
Reply: Argentina domestic and intra-European

6. What is your home airport?
Reply: TXL or SXF

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in a FFP, if any?
Reply: LH SEN � LAN basic

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
Reply: no preference. Today I use LAN when in Argentina and AirBerlin when in Berlin

Thanks to this thread, I just got *G on Aegean (A3) with one round trip SFO - Europe in Z.

Do I have to fly with my A3 number to get *G benefits on other *A carriers?

Anyone know how long it takes for the card to arrive in the mail to the US? Or do they even mail one? I qualified for Silver 6 weeks ago and still haven't seen that card.

BeMendoza Welcome to FT

Have a look in these
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...help-here.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/lan-lanpass-689/

Not a lot of posts on the benefits of LAN. Generally considered at the lower end of OW FFP's. AA & BA considered at the higher end. And CX if you fly in premium cabins on CX

For upgrades the general rule is you can only upgrade a flight marketed (flight number) and operated (metal) by the airline of your freq flyer programme (no codeshares) with your airlines upgrade instrument (e.g. SWU). All subject to the t&c's of your FFP and your paid ticket. Low cost tickets are often not eligible for upgrades.

Ok, if you're dead set anti-credit, at least switch to a rewards-based debit card, rare as they may be. The only mileage debit card that is still available to new customers is UFB, which earns 1 AA mile per $2 spent. Or you could go with the Paypal Business Debit for the cash route - 1% cashback on all non-PIN transactions.

Better to ask in the Star forum http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star-alliance-413/
You could ask in this thread, but sadly it get few response's http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star-...post-here.html

Or A3 http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/aegea...les-bonus-694/
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/aegea...t-earn-ua.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/aegea...-got-a3-g.html

And I have some Smiles and More credits and some Miles and Smiles credits. I am told you cannot transfer any of these credits across. I have more Miles and Smiles credits but my previous journey was with Lufthansa, which has Miles and More. What should I do? And does it take all afternoon and a mathematical frame of mind to figure this out?