Moving to NYC, need to know what program to join, currently am AF Lifetime Platinum
Dec 18, 2010 | 11:33 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: United, SPG
Posts: 294
Moving to NYC, need to know what program to join, currently am AF Lifetime Platinum
Hello,
I currently live in Paris and have been Air France Platinum for the last 10 years, so they have given me lifetime Platinum this year. All of my flying is for business travel. I am being relocated to New York City this summer and since I am lifetime platinum on AF, thought it was time to try a new program. FIguring I will get a status match. My flight schedules are 90% international and pretty random. In the last 2 weeks I have flown roundtrip from paris to sydney, paris to kuala lumpur, paris to buenos aires. So any one have any suggestions for which US based program I should try? I was thinking United but I dunno how their international upgrades work. Thanks for your help.
I currently live in Paris and have been Air France Platinum for the last 10 years, so they have given me lifetime Platinum this year. All of my flying is for business travel. I am being relocated to New York City this summer and since I am lifetime platinum on AF, thought it was time to try a new program. FIguring I will get a status match. My flight schedules are 90% international and pretty random. In the last 2 weeks I have flown roundtrip from paris to sydney, paris to kuala lumpur, paris to buenos aires. So any one have any suggestions for which US based program I should try? I was thinking United but I dunno how their international upgrades work. Thanks for your help.
Dec 18, 2010 | 1:51 pm
#2
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: Delta DM, SPG Plat, Hyatt Diamond, MTA Rust, Hertz Five Star something or other
Posts: 2,858
For the major US airlines, the only one that will match you to platinum is probably Continental. They have a pretty strong program and give strong system wide upgrades.
United will allow you to do a challenge to get to status, so you are better off switching to Continental, which will merge into United's program next year.
AA also makes you do a challenge.
US Airways does not match status (and you probably don't want to fly them since they have no international presence in NYC).
I summed up status matching on my blog here.
United will allow you to do a challenge to get to status, so you are better off switching to Continental, which will merge into United's program next year.
AA also makes you do a challenge.
US Airways does not match status (and you probably don't want to fly them since they have no international presence in NYC).
I summed up status matching on my blog here.
Dec 20, 2010 | 10:45 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 1,463
Also judging from your travels, all carriers MATCH big names, so check with your company if they have something worked out with big alliances.
I can confirm that my company has contracts with AA,DL,CO,UA,AS,SW to match up to the highest level, so definitely check.
Dec 20, 2010 | 10:53 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: LAX
Programs: AA ExPlat, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 1,132
Doesn't AF have an even stronger tie up with DL than the usual SkyTeam alliance? On all the DL counters it says Delta AirFrance-KLM, which would make me think you probably retain the majority of the benefits you currently enjoy.
Dec 20, 2010 | 11:37 am
#6
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 1,463
but with that travel you'd get status in no time so nothing to worry about really