Is Star-Alliance better than OneWorld better for redeeming miles ?
Oct 10, 2014, 11:59 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 13
Is Star-Alliance better than OneWorld better for redeeming miles ?
Hello FT,
I am ORD united MP member. I have around 45,000 miles.
I was looking at redeeming miles for a trip to Asia (HKG)?
UAL MP is requiring 42,500 for it While American or Delta is asking for 55 and up.
I am new to redeeming miles, and any help/advise is welcome?
Thank you
I am ORD united MP member. I have around 45,000 miles.
I was looking at redeeming miles for a trip to Asia (HKG)?
UAL MP is requiring 42,500 for it While American or Delta is asking for 55 and up.
I am new to redeeming miles, and any help/advise is welcome?
Thank you
Oct 10, 2014, 12:15 pm
#2
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
What advice are you seeking? AA charges 55K for a one-way "SAAver" award from North America to AA's Asia 2 zone in Business Class; the cost for Economy Class is 35K miles. Redemptions on AA partners CX and JL require a call to AA; they cannot be booked at aa.com.
What advice are you seeking? AA charges 55K for a one-way "SAAver" award from North America to AA's Asia 2 zone in Business Class; the cost for Economy Class is 35K miles. Redemptions on AA partners CX and JL require a call to AA; they cannot be booked at aa.com.
Oct 10, 2014, 12:25 pm
#3
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When it comes to redeeming miles for an award trip the alliance does not matter. All airlines FFP's are different and have different rules & mileage earn/burn and award copay fee's. Some routes are better served by one airline and its alliance & non alliance freq flyer partner airlines
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...help-here.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...help-here.html
Oct 10, 2014, 12:26 pm
#4
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Besides if OP's only FFP is MileagePlus, I am not sure how OneWorld's redeeming scheme would help:
However, if OP's thinking about which alliance to build up miles, that would be another story.
However, if OP's thinking about which alliance to build up miles, that would be another story.
Oct 11, 2014, 6:50 am
#5
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Be aware the one FFP may have a better rate for awards, however another FFP may have better availability for awards.
The "saver" award chart doesn't do you a single book of good if you can't find "saver" availability.
Meanwhile, which FFP/alliance tends to be better (at the combination of redemption rate and availability) varies with destination. If you want to fly to Norway beyond Oslo, *A is your best bet (because of partner SAS), while if you want fly to Finland beyond Helsinki, oneworld is your best bet (because of partner FinnAir).
To someplace that tons of airlines fly to, like HKG, it's more complicated to pick who's best.
The "saver" award chart doesn't do you a single book of good if you can't find "saver" availability.
Meanwhile, which FFP/alliance tends to be better (at the combination of redemption rate and availability) varies with destination. If you want to fly to Norway beyond Oslo, *A is your best bet (because of partner SAS), while if you want fly to Finland beyond Helsinki, oneworld is your best bet (because of partner FinnAir).
To someplace that tons of airlines fly to, like HKG, it's more complicated to pick who's best.
Oct 11, 2014, 8:02 am
#6
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It does depend if were talking economy, business or first and to where
Using Hong Kong as an example. One way trip at the saver level
Coach
AA 35K
AA+OneWorld 35K
UA 40K
UA + Star 40K
Business
AA 55K
AA+OneWorld 55K
UA 70K
UA + Star 80K
First
AA 67.5K
AA+OneWorld 67.5K
UA 80K
UA + Star 130K
UA may look better at the economy level but one you get into the Business and First level you will really see the difference. UA also penalizes you for using star alliance partners (the airlines you want for premium experience) while AA is the same regardless of who operates the flight. Look at First, using star alliance is nearly double
Try going Australia to Asia, UA is only 40K for F while AA is 45K.
Using Hong Kong as an example. One way trip at the saver level
Coach
AA 35K
AA+OneWorld 35K
UA 40K
UA + Star 40K
Business
AA 55K
AA+OneWorld 55K
UA 70K
UA + Star 80K
First
AA 67.5K
AA+OneWorld 67.5K
UA 80K
UA + Star 130K
UA may look better at the economy level but one you get into the Business and First level you will really see the difference. UA also penalizes you for using star alliance partners (the airlines you want for premium experience) while AA is the same regardless of who operates the flight. Look at First, using star alliance is nearly double
Try going Australia to Asia, UA is only 40K for F while AA is 45K.
Last edited by CDKing; Oct 11, 2014 at 10:35 am
Oct 11, 2014, 8:44 am
#7
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In other words a lower redemption cost on AA or DL isn't much help if you can't find the award in the first place.
For the time being I think UA MP is net best but deteriorating -- redemption costs have spiked higher, especially for partners, and availability is declining.
Oct 12, 2014, 7:37 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO
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Posts: 5,071
Not only have redemption costs increased drastically for some partner awards the earning power is going to be diminished too when they start the revenue based earning in March 2015. It's as if they rolled over us once with a freight train and then decided to run us over again for good measure on the way back.