Does this apply on carriers other than AS? I usually am only flying the TPACs and the occasional China domestic flight and even rarer domestic US flight.

If you're qualifying on partner airlines (not AS metal), the tiers are the same as most other airlines (25k/50k).

The bonus miles for MVP/MVPG will post, though, so you'll get 50%/100% bonuses even on your TPAC flights.

For you, the main benefit of AS status would be the ability to accrue more miles on your NW/DL/AA transpacs. Additionally, you might actually be able to use these miles for reasonable redemptions.

BTW, I just flew DL in Y PDX-NRT-PVG and was pleasantly surprised. Even the 763 on the PDX-NRT leg was tolerable. My only beef with it was that my seat (reclining exit row aisle) couldn't have been any closer to the mid cabin lavs. I armed myself with a bunch of drink coupons, but it turned out that the FAs didn't want them. Also, the NW lounges in NRT have showers now, the lack of which was one of my pet peeves from the days that I used to spend a lot of time on NW.

So is AS status also recognized across all/most of its partners?

I don't think AS elite status translates into any kind of alliance-wide elite stauts.

I think out of Asia I'd probably want to find my easiest path to Star Gold if I could. I'm not 100% sure what that is...maybe UA if you are eligible to obtain one of the credit cards that includes EQM, thus nudging a Silver level of flying up to Gold.

BD might be an option....


In 2010, I'm going to be migrating back towards OW because my flight patterns are going to align with AA, so I'm going to have to re-learn the whole OW universe. I've been pretty Star-centric (and mostly happy with it, occasional Starnet filter aside) for the past few years.

Not most, unfortunately--very few. Actually, just one: DL.

International upgrades (except for perhaps the odd op-up, since you're [just barely] ahead of the non-status folk on the plane) are never going to happen on DL with AS status, but you should be able to select premium seats (exit rows, bulkheads, etc) and have some sort of priority in irrops situations.

Great airline and good program, but probably not a super fit for someone in your situation (where you could possibly get and have use for elite status on an airline you're actually flying).

Gold on many airlines is a sweet deal. *G provides lounge access on all flights except for domestic US, and NW/DL golds with non-US addresses get lounge access whenever they want it (even if not flying a partner airline; this data is 5 years old, so I'm not sure how the new DL is handling things).

The DL partnership is pretty tight. AA, not so much IME.

As I've mentioned up thread, the primary rationale for going with AS is the ability to earn more miles.

TMK, there aren't any programs out there that deliver more at the low tier level, but you should definitely research some of the Asia based options.

I have a naive suggestion. If I were in OP shoes, my focus would be to choose a carrier for my long haul TAPC trips based on schedule and cost. Schedule means routing w.r.t. # of stops, departure/arrival timing etc. I'd then decide which FFP I should credit the mileage earnings to.

My thinking is that (1) as a lower level elite, the benefits are limited anyway (except if you are tall and traveling in coach then E+ is a meaningful benefit from UA); (2) OP's goal is to accumulate miles over long term, however the best rewarding FFP today could devalue by the time OP has sufficient miles for a meaningful redemption. Now if OP could get to mid-tier (or willing to MR for it), then *A gold is a very sweet spot...

Deltame, good suggestion... unfortunately I am pretty much stuck at the low end of the low tier :/

I think I may just stick with DL on the ST front and UA on the *A side to keep things simple - I already have a number of miles on each which I can continue to earn and burn to redeem awards.

subjective decision
 

I really like my Miles & More status. If you look first level status card Frequent Traveller aka silver.
What I really like is that you have lounge access already if you fly with those Miles & More companies, like LH, OS, LX etc, here I do not mean parthers.
Of course this is excellent benefit when you are living Europe. Other excellent benefits are that miles do not expire and executive bonus which means that you get additional miles on certain airlines. And not to forget that card is valid for two years.
Main thing in my opinion is to compare and then to stick to one card per alliance.