Best program for NYC-LAX
Mar 18, 2012 | 8:20 pm
#16
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 2
You may also want to look at the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card which earns 2x miles on Airlines and Dining. You can use the points to buy airfare directly (on any airline) or transfer them to the UA or BA (for AA flights) frequent flyer program.
Last edited by philemer; Mar 18, 2012 at 9:13 pm
Mar 19, 2012 | 3:26 am
#17
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
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Posts: 11,031
Thanks for the quick response!
Ideally, I was looking for a credit card and frequent flyer program combination. For example, the Delta Reserve gives 2x miles on delta purchases. If I understand it correctly, you get the miles for travel (roughly 5000) + 2 times the ticket price in miles (roughly 350x2 for the cheapest coach).
In terms of tickets, we will be buying on the cheaper end of the coach tickets (either deep discount or discount).
In terms of benefits, I think we're looking for either free flights (between LAX and NYC) or upgrades on paid tickets.
Ideally, I was looking for a credit card and frequent flyer program combination. For example, the Delta Reserve gives 2x miles on delta purchases. If I understand it correctly, you get the miles for travel (roughly 5000) + 2 times the ticket price in miles (roughly 350x2 for the cheapest coach).
In terms of tickets, we will be buying on the cheaper end of the coach tickets (either deep discount or discount).
In terms of benefits, I think we're looking for either free flights (between LAX and NYC) or upgrades on paid tickets.
Umm, I'm a DL elite who flies LAX-JFK often (not primarily), and upgrades are NON-EXISTANT for GMs (50K) and lower. If you're PM, you might get lucky. Even DMs (125K) sit in the back. I've missed upgrades during the most inconvenient days/times and by a lot. Also, Skypesos are USELESS.
I vote AA. Lots of good service on 767-200 wide bodies rather than 757s with DL and UA. Decent amount of service. Once you hit GLD (5 RTs), you'll be eligible to use upgrade stickers to get into J (saving your miles). I've seen empty seats in J on AA flights I tracked, and elite competition isn't as difficult as DL PLUS, AA's low tier elite status is still the most decent of the 4 legacies. AND, their miles are worth something. Partner this with 2 Citi cards and you'll be good to go.
Also, their award availability for LAX-JFK is amazing (in all 3 classes) so if these are personal trips and you're looking to defray costs with miles, that'll help a lot.
I vote AA. Lots of good service on 767-200 wide bodies rather than 757s with DL and UA. Decent amount of service. Once you hit GLD (5 RTs), you'll be eligible to use upgrade stickers to get into J (saving your miles). I've seen empty seats in J on AA flights I tracked, and elite competition isn't as difficult as DL PLUS, AA's low tier elite status is still the most decent of the 4 legacies. AND, their miles are worth something. Partner this with 2 Citi cards and you'll be good to go.
Also, their award availability for LAX-JFK is amazing (in all 3 classes) so if these are personal trips and you're looking to defray costs with miles, that'll help a lot.
Plus, as someone else posted, if your credit rating is ok you and your fiance could each get an AA credit card with 50K miles for some level of initial spending. In fact, many folks get two such cards each, one Visa and one American Express. That's a total of 100K miles for each of you. Together with the miles you'd accumulate through your flying, that could be enough to fly you both overseas business class for your honeymoon.
Mar 19, 2012 | 6:48 am
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 3
Thanks everyone! This is very helpful! I'll take a look at the recommendations but the AA credit card sounds like it might save us a lot of money and the AA challenge seems like it might get us to a status faster since it's such a short hurts of traveling.
To clarify a few things:
1. We will each be making about 6-7 trips personally. Thus, if there are any programs that let you combine that would be better. We can make all major purchases on a single credit card.
2. This year, outside of these trips, we will probably each fly 2-3 different places (e.g, Colorado, Florida, England).
To clarify a few things:
1. We will each be making about 6-7 trips personally. Thus, if there are any programs that let you combine that would be better. We can make all major purchases on a single credit card.
2. This year, outside of these trips, we will probably each fly 2-3 different places (e.g, Colorado, Florida, England).
Mar 19, 2012 | 7:46 am
#20
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BOS, BWI, DCA, IAD
Programs: American, Delta, JetBlue, United
Posts: 2,404
It does not cost anything to join a frequent flyer program, and you assume no obligations by doing so. I suggest that both of you join the programs offered by American, Delta and United at this time. It will, however, be to your advantage to concentrate your travel on a single airline to the extent that this is possible.
The credit card is a different matter. If you wish to concentrate on AA, there is a credit card offer available with 30,000 or 40,000 bonus miles if certain conditions are fulfilled (see the separate thread for details and up-to-date information). I obtained such a crad last fall (no annual fee for the first year). I received 30,000 miles when I charged a total of $750 to the card, and will receive an additional 10,000 if I charge $5000 within the first six months. Purchase of AA tickets earn 2 miles per $, and I have a $100 credit if I buy a ticket on AA within a year of when the card was issued. You may not receive the same offer, but there should be something of this sort available to you.
The credit card is a different matter. If you wish to concentrate on AA, there is a credit card offer available with 30,000 or 40,000 bonus miles if certain conditions are fulfilled (see the separate thread for details and up-to-date information). I obtained such a crad last fall (no annual fee for the first year). I received 30,000 miles when I charged a total of $750 to the card, and will receive an additional 10,000 if I charge $5000 within the first six months. Purchase of AA tickets earn 2 miles per $, and I have a $100 credit if I buy a ticket on AA within a year of when the card was issued. You may not receive the same offer, but there should be something of this sort available to you.
Mar 19, 2012 | 10:28 am
#21
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 677
From someone who has flown the same exact route as the OP for many many years, I would say that you should focus on multiple frequent flyer programs, namely AA and UA (if you can bear flying into EWR). Why? So that you have options in terms of pricing and flight availability.
For AA, like someone had suggested, those 767s have plenty of "couple" seats (2+3+2 seating is great) and service is not bad. Getting both Citibank AA credit cards (50K miles each, or has the offer been devalued a bit?) is what you really need to do to maximize your miles.
For UA, get their credit card for 50K miles (really can get 60K but that's not worth it) and the Chase Sapphire Preferred (50K points transferred to UA as 50K miles). That's 100K miles with very little work (easier than AA)
For AA, like someone had suggested, those 767s have plenty of "couple" seats (2+3+2 seating is great) and service is not bad. Getting both Citibank AA credit cards (50K miles each, or has the offer been devalued a bit?) is what you really need to do to maximize your miles.
For UA, get their credit card for 50K miles (really can get 60K but that's not worth it) and the Chase Sapphire Preferred (50K points transferred to UA as 50K miles). That's 100K miles with very little work (easier than AA)
Mar 19, 2012 | 11:24 am
#22
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Join Date: Dec 2003
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British Airways' frequent-flyer program offers "Household" accounts, that allow pooling of miles earned by more than one member. BA miles are very good for nonstop award travel on AA within the Americas, and BA does not charge a close-in award booking fee that most U.S. programs charge their non-elite members. But BA is a poor program to use for redemptions between the U.S. and Europe because of the high fuel surcharges that BA assesses on TATL travel on any carrier. (The one exception is redemptions on EI between the U.S. and Ireland.)
All of that said, there's little need to pool your miles if you are going to be flying AA or UA primarily. Each of those programs offers one-way awards.
Originally Posted by Cavill
Thanks everyone! This is very helpful! I'll take a look at the recommendations but the AA credit card sounds like it might save us a lot of money and the AA challenge seems like it might get us to a status faster since it's such a short hurts of traveling.
To clarify a few things:
1. We will each be making about 6-7 trips personally. Thus, if there are any programs that let you combine that would be better. We can make all major purchases on a single credit card.
2. This year, outside of these trips, we will probably each fly 2-3 different places (e.g, Colorado, Florida, England).
To clarify a few things:
1. We will each be making about 6-7 trips personally. Thus, if there are any programs that let you combine that would be better. We can make all major purchases on a single credit card.
2. This year, outside of these trips, we will probably each fly 2-3 different places (e.g, Colorado, Florida, England).
All of that said, there's little need to pool your miles if you are going to be flying AA or UA primarily. Each of those programs offers one-way awards.