Potentially relocating internationally, question on which FF program to join
 

Obviously I'm a new poster here, but I've done some lurking from time to time, though not enough to understand all of the acronyms you guys have come up with. I currently live in Seattle and do a fair bit of business travel domestically, enough to have achieved gold with Alaska Air. It looks like starting in January, I'll be relocating to the UK for at least 2 years, maybe longer. During the next 6 months I may make frequent trips back and forth, potentially once or twice a month between SEA and LHR. What I am trying to determine is what FF program it makes sense for me to pursue going forward.

BA and Delta both have direct flights, but Delta is my companies preferred carrier so it's likely I'll be flying with them. Now, both are partners with Alaska (at least BA was, have not checked in a while) so I can continue to accrue with Alaska and maintain status. Or I can join their programs and start all over, which I essentially would be doing anyway since Alaska does not have any sort of roll over.

So I see several choices:

1) Stick with Alaska and just add to my program while flying with Delta. Long term this would make the most sense as, baring unforeseen circumstances, I would be moving back to the Seattle area in 2-3 years. This has the added benefit of resulting in additional bonus miles due to my current Gold status.

2) Join Delta and start over with them. Likely I could get to at least gold, though it would take a while as with their new MQM's, it would take 8 - 9 round trips SEA to LHR. I could see my self taking that many trips this year, but after? Long term I'm not sure what this would do. Delta has been turning Seattle into a minor hub so their are a fair number of flights now, so there are opportunities to use the miles. Also, I assume it would be cheaper to book award travel SEA to LHR for my wife on Delta using Delta miles vs using Alaska miles (takes 90k Alaska) but I could be wrong.

3) Something I have not thought of?

I do have the Alaska CC that I use for most household expenses, but I would likely get rid of the card, or just not use it much for the time I am abroad.

Thanks for the help!

The other thing to consider is how do you fly. BA is great if you fly in J/F, or even W, on a regular basis as you can earn status quite quickly and the avios start to roll in. It is also a distance based reward scheme so if you think you will be spending more of your miles on trips to Europe versus back to North America it has a lot of like. If most of your redemptions will be back to North America then the fees associated with using those miles are lower than BA.

MtnDew Welcome to FT

Look and ask here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...help-here.html

What class of travel for the long haul's?
If you are required to fly on DL I would stay with AS. Here on FT other ffp's are usally considered better than DL
BA & DL are both Alaska partner's http://www.alaskaair.com/content/mil...-overview.aspx

If you can make platinum on delta do it because you could access the lounge and have miles without fuel surcharge that my friend is the best deal.

Another factor to consider may be whether you will be flying much from the UK to destinations on the European continent. If so BA, (or its oneworld partner, AA) or UA (which has LH, LX and OS as partners) may be worth considering.

While you'd accrue towards your AS status, it does not do you much benefit when flying BA or DL.

Earning MQMs is not changing. Only earning redeemable (RDM) miles will changed based on fare.

Also, if you change your address to your UK address, the MQD requirement does not apply to those with an address outside the USA.

You could consider a status challenge with DL (see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...ve-thread.html). If you're able to make PM (75k), you'd be able to access the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse and use the VS fast track security; these are nice benefits ex-LHR.

Good point. This is part of why I've maintained AA status in addition to DL. :)

This is a crucial question. If you're flying in business class you'll get lounge access and most of the other perks associated with elite status anyway, in which case it comes down to how you plan to use the miles you DO accrue. In my view Alaska's FF program is one of the best - one way awards, numerous partners, decent award mileage requirements. Living in the UK you can easily redeem AS miles for flights on BA, KLM, Air France, Emirates... not to mention AA (US), BA, DL, KL, AF for transatlantic trips. By comparison, Delta's program has very high redemption requirements, and very limited partnerships.

It's also worth noting that many people feel the Alaska - Delta hookup is not long for the world, as Delta is muscling in big time on Alaska's main turf - up and down the west coast, Seattle - Alaska, etc.

So if it was me, I'd stick with Alaska and only switch to Delta if and when AS and DL get a divorce (which may not happen at all) or if your travel is strictly in economy in low mileage-earning brackets/fare classes.

This post is very misleading: DL GMs have lounge access (DL and all SkyTeam partner lounges, but not contract lounges) when flying SkyTeam international itineraries (with a few exceptions). DL DMs get SC memberships. The only lounges where PM makes a difference are the VS operated ones if the OP is in coach.

If OP's employer uses DL and OP is being sent overseas, OP should ask whether the employer can arrange a status match with DL. At SEA, DL has been very generous with status challenges and extra MQM promos, so even without the employer arranged match, it would be easy for the OP to get and keep a reasonably high status level on DL for the duration of the London assignment. It's often best to have status on the carrier you actually fly as many elite FF benefits go only to the airline's own elites rather than partner elites who at best are at the bottom of the list for upgrades, etc.

Note that DL's rules regarding MQMs are NOT changing, although there may have been some adjustments in the charts for partner earnings.

Avoid what surcharge??

Ex-UK all originating pax or pax on >24 hour layovers pay the UK APD.

DL also assesses insane ex-Europe fees on award tickets.

:confused:

I might add that fuel surcharges have nothing to do with elite status. If they're assessed on a ticket, all must pay regardless of status.

Good point...the UK (or AF/KL/DL for that matter) does not discriminate on assessing fees, taxes, etc.

Even BA surcharges for award tickets (at least for BA metal) are similarly high.