Oops, I didn't realize AS and AA were partnered. Good idea! That would probably work better for me than SFO anyway since I often have to go to things in Palo Alto. For now I think will stick with AA miles and take advantage of AS when possible. However I am still open to switching in the long term to make getting to the east coast a bit more convenient, so any thoughts on that would be much appreciated.

Thanks, I'll ask in that thread too. I'm aware that airline and FFP can be different, but there don't seem to be many of those agreements in the Hawaii-mainland market. Alaska has 2-way agreements with AA and DL already discussed. Hawaiian lets you use their miles with AA, but HA's FFP is weak. I'm not as concerned about international travel since I don't do that as often and it seems like whatever I pick will have good international options, whether with their own flights or through a partner/alliance.

With UA having a hub at SFO for easier connections, and the most flights to Hawaii of any U.S. carrier, it's hard to overlook them in terms of convenience, but then you'd also be competing with the masses of elites you'd see at hubs, so upgrades could be a challenge, and then you have the side issue of not accruing miles based on distance, but rather on the amount you spend on your ticket (which can range from 5-11 miles per dollar based on your elite level). I'm at the 50K level there and accrue 8 miles per dollar spent (less taxes). I won't fly UA due to changes in their lifetime program, but that's not to say it might be perfectly fine for someone else. Break out a spreadsheet and look at the fares you've bought in the last 12 months and compare AA vs UA in terms of miles you'd bring in.

If you do intend to fly 100K a year, UA systemwides are very different than AA systemwides (you'll buy higher fares to use them and no refund of fare difference if you don't clear).

I'd follow the UA forum for a while before deciding on any changes.

Hi Everyone,

After consulting the AA forum for some information on their status match program I'm hoping a few kind FT'ers can provide some advice on what to do with a loyalty program going forward. A quick background, I was based on CLE and was a lifelong CO and then UA flyer, currently have Plat status, and a few hundred thousand lifetime miles. I moved to TPA a few months ago and have found it increasingly tough to adjust my schedule around UA's limited offerings. I am one who when taking a weekend trip prefers to fly out on a Thurs evening instead of Fri morning so many of my flights are late in the day and having different options is important. UA (for connections onward) only has 2 flights that fit that bill, the 7pm to IAD if I'm going anywhere north, or the 7pm to IAH if I'm going anywhere central US or West. This doesn't always work as they can be significantly more expensive (but sometimes the cheapest, it just totally depends on the day).

Getting home from the west coast is also a nightmare on UA because they have no redeyes (or service for that matter) from LAX or SFO to TPA. When I'm in Vegas or LAX/SAN/SFO I prefer to spend the full day there and take a redeye back and go to work (yes I'm slightly crazy, that's what my venti from Starbucks is for LOL). When I was in CLE, this was easy as they had redeyes from both SFO/LAX or I could connect thru ORD and land in CLE by ~8-8:30am and go to work.

I don't mind flying out of MCO as they have the Club (and more then double the UA flights of TPA) but it's a 1.5 hour drive for me so I don't like doing that if I'm going on a quick weekend trip as it just wastes time, but if I want a direct redeye to Florida on UA, going to MCO is my only option, and even then they don't land until 7am and I won't be at work until about 9.

Sorry for the long explanation, but I wanted to give you all a background of what's important to me. AA/US have a redeye from both LAX and PHX and DL has a redeye from LAX that I know of. Not sure if those run all year and if there's others I'm unaware of.

1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
>>> Reply: Upgrades, access to extra legroom seats (I'm 6'2")

2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?
>>> Reply: last year ~75,000 miles and 100 segments. this year roughly same number of miles but less segments

3. What fare class do you usually buy?
>>> Reply: economy, occasionally F if going out west.

4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
>>> Reply: ability to travel on any airline of my choice. Travel is majority pleasure but also occasional work.

5. Which routes do you fly most often?
>>> Reply: domestic USA

6. What is your home airport?
>>> Reply: TPA; willing to fly out of MCO on occasion (or even SRQ)

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?
>>> Reply: current UA Plat with a few hundred thousand miles, AA member with 0 miles, DL member with a few thousand miles from a trip earlier this year, WN member with a few thousand points

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
>>> Reply: UA as of now. Willing to see if another carrier fits the bill seeing that TPA is not a hub for anyone but WN is by far the largest carrier.

I wouldn't mind being downgraded to mid-tier status on 2 airlines versus just Plat on UA, but just really unsure what to do at the moment. The reason I'm finally considering making a move is I am taking a quick weekend trip to San Diego in 2 weeks and booked a UA flight on a Fri afternoon but had no good option to get me home on Sunday. It was either leave at 1pm (which cuts out 1/3 of my time in SD) and get home at 12:30am or take a redeye at 10:30pm Sunday but connect and not get home until 10:30am. After realizing other carriers have redeyes to TPA, I am finally considering making some changes with my loyalty.
Just doing a rough check, UA has about 18-20 flights a day on a Sunday in July, whereas DL has 31 flights on the same Sunday, and AA leading the big 3 at 36 flights.

Stupid question, but is there a way to exchange miles? I have around 20000 Delta Skymiles that I'd love to convert into United MileagePlus (because I generally travel on UA/AC).

Expat Repat and Possible Change
 

Hi All, I've got a tricky one and could use some advice on the best way forward

I have exclusively been flying Qatar Airways for the last 3 years as I have been based in Doha. I will be leaving my position in September and moving back to Australia taking a slow trip home.

Currently a gold member with Qatar (Saphire oneworld) and need 85 points to obtain platinum

My flight home, traveling with Wife and 2 kids is all via oneworld carriers
DOH-DXB Qatar (Q) 5 points
DXB-HKG Cathay (V) 18 points
HKG-BKK Cathay (V) 10 points
BKK-SYD Qantas (Q) Q code not listed as eligible???

Once I am back in Australia, I will most likely be flying Qantas or Cathay, but not as much as I was flying whilst in Qatar

And now the questions,
As I won't earn enough to hit platinum, do I stick with Qatar as my frequent flyer?
Do I switch to Qantas/Cathay (Qantas charge AUD90 to join) and gain the tier credits?
Is there a way to transfer to a corresponding tier with other oneworld carriers?

(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: Upgrades, Free lounge access, keeping current status level
(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: Unknown with new carrier. Currently on 30-40 short haul flights per year, appx 30,000 Qmiles
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy ?
(First, Business, Premium economy, Economy, cheapest)
Reply: Economy. Business over 9 hours
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Airline most flown? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: Can choose within reason
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often
(US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply: Unknown, Assumption will be Australian domestic and Asia, One world carriers preferred
(6) What is your home airport?
(SFO, SCL, London LHR, HKG, Singapore SIN etc.)
Reply: Unknown, most likely SYD or OOL
(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: Qatar-Gold 85K points, Emirates-Silver 25K points, Turkish-Classic
(8) Preferred Airlines
Reply: Oneworld carriers


Thanks,

Commuting Houston to San Jose - which airline/FFP?
 

I plan to commute from Houston to San Jose for the next year. I will travel every two weeks, so somewhere around 26 trips. I want to reduce the total cost of travel over the year. I can travel from either IAH or HOU. IAH is about 30 minutes closer to my house.

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: better award access, good award redemption rates

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: 26 flights, 6000 miles each (150,000+ miles)

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: I can choose my airline. Traveling for work.

5. Which routes do you fly most often?
transatlantic, domestic USA, intra-Asia, etc.
>>> Reply: domestic USA - IAH or HOU to SJC

6. What is your home airport?
>>> Reply: IAH preferred, HOU possible.

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?
>>> Reply: United Mileage Plus; 4 of 30 segments, 6500 of 25K miles to get to silver; 40,684 banked.

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
>>> Reply: United in the past, willing to change.

Hard to overlook the two daily UA nonstops IAH-SJC, but then you have the side question as to whether the departure times are ideal (0925 or 2110) and will work into your schedule. With AA you'd have to connect, though they have 10 flights a day IAH-DFW and 10 flights a day HOU-DFW, and there would also be some US options (5 flights a day IAH-PHX and PHX-SJC, and also some via LAX). Once you're at DFW, AA only has 5 flights a day to SJC, though 10 flights a day to SFO. UA, in comparison, runs 10 flights a day IAH-SFO, so if you can do SFO from IAH that may be the best flight option of all of them if you value your time.

In terms of frequent flyer benefits, you'd earn 11 miles per dollar spent at UA, less taxes, once you hit 1K. At AA, you'd earn 100% flight miles plus 100% bonus miles. Hard to say where you come out better without calculating what you spend on tickets. Upgrades might tilt towards AA as you're not in competition with a UGS-type tier above you.

Is SWA even an option at all? It would be inconvenient for me to drive to HOU, but it seems like SWA has better award availability.

Guess it depends "where" you want to redeem awards. I redeemed two this last week for Australia travel in business, where the coach fares are running over $1,800 (I would never purchase a business fare, so don't even look to see what they price at). No upgrades or nonstops to SJC in play at Southwest from HOU, either. If you only want to earn domestic travel, yes, they would be an option to look at.

Emirates? International Travel Airline with good freq flyer program?
 

Hi Everyone!
I will be traveling back and forth from Los Angeles to South Africa about 3-4 times in the next year. I would like to know which airline has the best point system and value in terms of upgrades.

I normally travel emirates but find that they have become extremely busy (hard to find seats when needed) and the point system is very low. I do however LOVE their business class and think its good value.

Seeing as I will be needing to fly from JNB to LAX many times in the upcoming year which airline do you suggest that will hopefully get me into their lounges, upgrades, etc (obviously not immediately but after 2 trips I'm sure I should become a valuable customer)…

Flight duration in total is never less than 23 hours… so I definitely need a good airline with comfortable seats


I would love some advice!! Would really appreciate it :)

Hello,

Looking for an FFP. I live in NYC and will be starting university in London in the fall, so I want to book my flights soon and stick with one airline for my four years. My details are as follows:

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Of first importance is extra baggage allowance. Following that would be upgrades to flexible scheduling tickets or waiving the fees for switching around the scheduling of my flight. The last would be lounge access.
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
I'll be flying around 25000 miles a year: three round trips between NYC and London along with a trip or two with my family.
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy ?
Economy/cheapest
(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 my airline, not my class. I travel for school.
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often
Transatlantic with Delta/VA/BA, US Domestic with Delta
(6) What is your home airport?
LGA
(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in an airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
I do not except for a small number of miles with Delta.
(8) Preferred Airlines
Delta, VA, or BA

Thank you in advance for the guidance. I greatly appreciate it!

Yes, I buy first class tickets, I never travel enough for status.
My reason? Well my reason might not apply anymore, but here's why I initially posted this thread (it's long, sorry)

I am disabled, I have a friend who is disabled and is a minor celebrity (comedienne). Anyway she brought up on Twitter how much trouble she had getting assistance despite planning ahead and verifying that assistance would be available. She can walk (as can I) but with her disability she requests wheelchair assistance if it's a really long walk and sometimes asks for help with her bags. Pretty standard assistance request, but she posted how no one came to help her. I replied with "Oh, I know, I had the same thing happen to me with United, no one ever came to help either though I requested help". 2 hours later my phone rings.
"Mrs. W, we want you to remove your tweet"
I question how they got my number and they proceeded to tell me my tweet was slander and, wasn't protected under free speech... That I lied, that I harmed the airline etc etc etc. It was a long conversation. My reply each time was a variation of "No, thank you I'm leaving the tweet up, it's not slander if you are being truthful".
The whole thing left a very bad taste in my mouth, in the months since that tweet and series of calls I've thought about it and I'm pretty sure United had nothing to do with it. Their initial barrage was asking me to remove my tweet, the second barrage was telling me they'd pay me to remove it. The more I thought about it, in order to pay me they'd need my info, and maybe they'd use it. But it still bugs me, the first day of this they never asked for any of my info, it was just using every verbal tactic they could think of to get me to take down my tweet...so if I had they gained nothing monetarily.
So that's why I was looking for a new airline. Petty? Yes. Required? No, but at the time I wanted nothing to do with United again if they were going to pay someone to harass me.
I probably will fly United, but was looking for alternatives in case I just can't bring myself to do it.
Edit to add:
BTW, the number they used was a VOIP number, there was no way for me to track it down

I have the full transcript of the first days conversation...it wasn't pretty

Best Airline from DFW to Asia
 

I recently moved from SFO to DFW as my home airport. I am thinking I should switch from United to another airline because I am never going to get a nonstop from DFW on United. I fly to Asia (China, Korea, Japan) once a month.

I am thinking of switching to American and ask then for a status match. Only a Gold on United right now due to personal changes last year. However before I went through the hassle of a challenge I thought I would ask to see which airlines others use from DFW to Asia. I am assuming AA would be the "right" airlines for me but maybe I am wrong.

Anyone have any suggestions?

I did that route for two years, kinda.

It really comes down to Alaska or Southwest if you want any flexibility.

Also if you can get down to SJC instead, the route I flew, I would think Alaskan would be the best choice if FC is a huge issue.

I have always been focused on the number of flights because of late or rescheduled meetings, traffic, etc. So i would suffer the humility of Southwest for the flexibility.

I did start to change my mind a bit when the top status ( I averaged about 500K points per year) tickets started getting bumped by everyone and you would always be A15+ unless you buy their Biz class ticket.