ShadowTigerPK

Thanks for the tip! I can totally hit Platinum with trips to FRA, JFK and SFO coming up in Sep-Oct-Nov!

pennywaltz

I just received the Chase CSP. And lately, all my flights (BOS-PHL and BOS-DCA), United doesn't seem to have nonstop flights anymore. So I'm reconsidering keeping my all my miles over at United. Also, I am starting a distance learning graduate program in August where I have to travel to the school 3 times (Aug, Jan, June) a year (BOS-ORD). I currently have 27k in United miles, which is enough for a one way flight.

I also like United, since they have a MileagePlus X app, which I can just buy a 0.50 Amazon GC to keep my miles from expiring. I don't think other FF programs have that.

1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
I'm looking for good award redemption for the school trips (BOS-ORD)

2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?
3 flights a year for school (BOS-ORD)
2-3 flights a year for work (BOS--> DCA/PHL)

3. What fare class do you usually buy?
economy

4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Can choose airlines, economy class only

5. Which routes do you fly most often?
Majority Domestic
BOS-ORD
BOS-PHL
BOS-DCA

6. What is your home airport?
BOS/PVD

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?

No status, but currently have 27K miles with United. Since US airways merged with AA, there is no nonstop flights for BOS-PHL anymore or BOS-DCA.
I have 4k with AA that is expiring soon.


8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
No preferred.

Dieuwer

I suggest AA.

coldwell

Hi everyone!

A question here I'm hoping you can help me with.

I have recently moved to Zurich from Canada. I have been a BA member for quite a few years with a Canadian credit card (transfering points with cdn CC).

I currently have points with BA (no status) but just enough to get another 2 trips but just within Europe. (My wife and I just used most of our points on a trip around the World through BA and partners).

In Canada I had been saving points on my CC and transfering to BA when they do 50% bonus.

Now, is my only option with a Swiss address to sign up for Miles and More credit card?

We're looking to save points to get to Australia from Europe (business).
we typically only fly a couple times a year within Europe so we would need to rack up points on a credit card (we assume).

Just wondering if there are other options or credit cards we could look at to save the points....Miles and More doesn't look like a that great of a system (1 or 1.25 points per 2CHF).

thanks in advance!

Mwenenzi

coldwell Welcome to FT

Is living in Eu for ever or a short time (few years)?
Eu does not the have credit card sign up bonus common in North America. Or the credit card earning from spend.
Frequent spending (for ff miles) is not the same as frequent flying (and earning ff miles)

Look here
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...help-here.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...help-here.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star-...post-here.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/skyte...i-sign-up.html

pogonation

You would probably be better of taking out either the AMEX gold card. 30k sign up bonus and then 1MR for every 1CHF spent. MR to BA ratio is 3:2.
Compare this to the Miles&More card which is 1.25 miles per 2CHF.

Remember in EU we get some pretty good deals in J. For example we have had quite a number of EU-Australia deals this year between £1400-£1800 rt in J so actually spending miles isn't always the best deal.

thewinfactor

Hi,

As the title states, I am a new traveler in the corporate game with no FF/loyalty status.

1. I will be traveling from Los Angeles (LAX) to Asia...Mainly Taiwan, China, and Korea.

2. I would like to book the most comfortable economy+/premium+ seat with the occasional business class

3. Frequency of travel is 1x - 2x month and taking domestic flights within those countries

4. My goal is to maximize FF points so that I am able to travel primarily international and domestic with my spouse/family/solo for free


5. I am able to book flights + Hotels with the companies corporate Amex card at my own discretion.

I am having a difficult time navigating the various airlines and partnerships. Please let me have your thoughts on what you think would be the best option!

Mwenenzi

thewinfactor Welcome to FT

Look and ask here (where this thread may get moved) http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...help-here.html

The airline you fly most or an airline of the country you live is the best ffp for many people. Generally however you are better earning on your primary airline due to greater recognition, better service when disruptions, ability to upgrade flights and possible operation upgrades.

With revenue based USA ffp's economy/coach fares now do not earn much. But overall USA ffp's are as good or better than many/most non USA based ffp's.

As for your objective of award flights they are not free. Some airlines/routes/ffp's can have low to extremely high cash carrier imposes surcharges. Close to all have real taxes.

Maximising points/miles may not best. 20,000 ff miles in one ffp may get you a greater distance than 25,000 ff miles in another. FF miles/points are not equal to earn or burn

GRALISTAIR

Good advice IMHO. I also am a member of all 3 (and Southwest too) but it is good advice not to have miles spread across all 3 unless you carefully monitor and don't let them expire. I also have a Credit Card for all 3 and although I concentrate spend, I do use all 3 even if only for the odd tank of Gasoline so that way miles do not expire. My 2 cents

stmichels

All,

I recently received a job promotion that is going to force me to be on a plane a bit more than usual. I've been doing some research but wanted to get everyone's opinion on which program to join.


1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?

Priority 1 is status. I hate long lines / waiting and I'd like to work myself into free upgrades into seats with extra leg room. I am quite tall and usually pay for the extra space today.

Priority 2 is to rack up miles that I can use on family trips.


2. What is your home airport? How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?

Home Airport - San Diego.

Flights per year

SAN - BOS: 3 or 5 times per year
SAN - NYC: 2 or 3 times per year
SAN - SJC: 2 or 3 times per year
SAN - SFO: 1 or 2 times per year
SAN - AMS 1 time per year
SAN - SEA 1 time per year

1 additional trip to either Europe (Frankfurt or Paris) or to Japan per year.


3. What fare class do you usually buy?
economy or economy plus




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

Can choose any airline. We have to buy economy but can purchase seats with additional leg room like Delta Comfort Plus or Jet Blue Extended Room.



5. Which routes do you fly most often?
SAN to Boston / NYC
SAN to SJC

6. What is your home airport?

SAN

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?

No. My miles are scattered all over the place.


8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
Not American or Us Airways

9. Other
I prefer direct flights when I can get them. I have an Amex Platinum Card with the Priority Pass. I'd like to leverage lounge access if possible but its not required.

coldwell

Yes here til 2018 probably. Trying to figure out how to maximize my points without flying a lot (if possible) In canada I used a CC....found Swiss has M&M card with bonus sign up right now of 20,000...wondering if there are other options or if my swiss address limits me to swiss cc and the M&M program...happy to fly from FRA or MUC for example but thats the same program as I uunderstand with Lufthansa

coldwell

Thanks for the info pogonation. I was always under the impression if I'm spending the money anyway I might as well earn points and avoid spending however much on the ticket (especially for international business). Though with BA when I was in YVR the LON taxes sucked a lot of fun out of it. haha

Was hoping there was another option other than M&M if I liked in Swiss...I'll look at the Amex Gold

snakesonaplane

Newbie here traveling for work looking for suggestions getting started!

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Upgrades and points redemption flexibility

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
<30 flights per year. <25k miles.

(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?
Cheapest per work requirement

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often
Domestic USA

(6) What is your home airport?
LGA or JFK

(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in an airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
No

(8) Preferred Airlines
Looking for suggestions!

224768

Hello everybody. Newbie here. Spent last 3 days straight on research about all the FFP and I’m still not sure what to choose.

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: Pretty much everything. I’m just starting and I don’t have any special requests yet. Though baggage allowance, upgrades and lounge access (for me +1 guest) would be awesome.

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: Less than 25,000 miles.

3. What fare class do you usually buy?
first, business, premium economy, economy
>>> Reply: Long-haul flights — business, short-haul flights — economy/premium economy.

4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
>>> Reply: I live in Estonia, we don’t have our own airline here.

5. Which routes do you fly most often?
transatlantic, domestic USA, intra-Asia, etc.
>>> Reply: Lately I travel to Asia. Thinking to go to America soon. Flying to UK and Germany couple of times a year.

6. What is your home airport?
>>> Reply: Tallinn Airport

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?
>>> Reply: About 1,500 miles in M&M.

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
>>> Reply: —


As you can see from my answers, I’m not that regular flyer. But couple of days ago I realized that I spend enough money to get me a FB Gold level. Are there any better options for me? Is there anything better than FB in SkyTeam Alliance?
Would it be a good start to gain FB Gold level to understand how all this works, what I need from FFP and so on? I get that it would be very difficult for me to gain for example M&M Senator level or BAEC Silver level at this moment.

iamjohnbamber

This is great - would appreciate any advice anyone can provide:


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: Status, Priority services, 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: less than 25,000

3. What fare class do you usually buy?
first, business, premium economy, economy
>>> Reply: First when possible for comfort

4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
>>> Reply: My home airport is serviced by United, Delta, Southwest, and American mostly.

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

6. What is your home airport?
>>> Reply: AUS (Austin, TX)

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 around 60k with United, 20k JetBlue, 3,500 Delta

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
>>> Reply: United because they have the United MileagePlus X app which help earn miles, but Delta for inflight experience and customer service.

I'm in a quandary...

Based on the info above, it would seem like United is the way I should go... but I've flown on Delta and had significantly better experiences with customer service and was more comfortable on the planes.

I have a number of credit cards and reward partnerships, but am wondering if I should stick with United because they're the only ones that go direct from AUS-EWR - I have family/friends back in NJ and fly Austin-Newark a number of times per year. Delta flies connecting through ATL, which isn't bad, and JetBlue flies into JFK which is a nightmare.

I'm quite torn as to what to do...

As for credit cards, I have the Amex Delta card, Chase United Club, and Barclay JetBlue, Chase Sapphire Preferred, and Amex Everyday. I can earn miles from either card.

United just seems like a..."meh"...airline. Every trip on it was uneventful. It seems utilitarian, whereas I feel like Delta, though slightly more expensive, is just a good bit better.

What do you all think?