Watching this forum since quite a while, I’m always fascinated in the way that frequent fliers communicate and help each others. Though I’m only a rookie in this business, I’ll do some travelling as well. Beeing a member in three major ff programs (miles&more 27.000; skymiles 5.000 and mileage plus with 1.000 miles) I wonder how to use the forthcoming miles. In October I will fly to Miami by Air France (DUS – CDG – MIA ret.) and in March 2000 I booked a flight to Christchurch (New Zealand) by Singapore Airlines (FRA – SIN – CHC ret.). In total these flights will bring approx. 35.000 miles (I hope so, because they are not full fare). I would be very glad to get some advice, how to use these miles the best way (i.e. fastest way to get a free trans-atlantic ticket). Am I right with one of my present programs or should I use any other one? Thanks for some help.

Details would help. You are aware of SIA's policy restricting miles with economy fares?

The way your FFP's stand right now, you'd stay with LH because of your 27K Miles on that programm. But be aware LH does require much more miles for an award than UA does. With UA miles you'll get a free trip to the US with 50K miles - on LH you'll need 90K.

Nice trips you are planning, but you had chosen the wrong airlines for any of your programms. If you fares aren't very cheap you should always be allowed to cancel.
Plan your trip to MIA either with UA or LH both will give you miles on M&M for your status. Both do have quite reasonable rates to the US. For your trip to NZ your best bet would be air New Zealand - also brings you status miles on LH or UA.
You flying out of DUS I assume, that you are living in that area, so if you want to, I could help (living in DUS). Send email

Well, sounds like DL is your best choice, AF and SQ are both partners in DL's program ...

I'd pretty much abandon your UA account and stick with LH since they're both in Star, but unfortunately I don't think either AF or SQ are partners with LH (though SQ is a partner with UA).

Regardless, put your miles in DL and you'll have enough for a free ticket when you're done (though if your traveling in coach on SQ you'll only earn 70% of actual mileage I think, and make sure your fair is even eligible for mileage!).

I agree with Beckles. Given your choices Delta seems the way to go.

United is a partner of SQ, earning 70% in economy, all I can tell you is my M class this weekend got UA mileage, but some classes are probably excluded. 1000 miles isn't much to worry about abondoning, adn well now they wont expire, in the future you may have a use for them.

LH with the higher mileage requirements wipes out the miles you have with them, so changing to delta doesnt matter, you will get more for the 32K (or less with the 70% rule) with delta than LH. If you end up short on the miles, you can top up the delta miles using a partner, say for example MCI, get a MCI phone card for 5,000bonus miles plus miles for your calls...

I wouldnt change the SQ flight, I love SQ, and the 70% economy rule doesnt bother me, losing 30% versus flying some of the other carriers isnt much to give up for the better flights, service, etc. Now Air France... that you could change... but note that Air France miles do count towards Delta elite status, but you would have to match those AF miles with some more long trips to make use of that since you dont already have status with them...
I think continental is also with AF, but not SQ. YOu might consider not going for the free ticket but instead changing the miles into Hilton points and using them for free/discounted hotel stay which might make them more valuable then the ticket if you can find a cheap ticket for that US trip you want, and that way you get teh miles on that one too...
good luck.

most of the above is very reasonable and correct advice.

SQ is (since aug-1-99) also miles&more partner of LH.

I would not/never use 50'000 (US) or 90'000 (LH) miles for a free transatlantic-ticket from Europe to the USA (in winter/spring, and after sep, you get eco return tickets to USA for DM 500 to 1'000 = $ 300 to 600 (may be you are then not at the very place you want to go in the US, but adding another 499 DM ($ 300) gives you supplemenetary 3 inner US-flight-segments to fly in North-America in the 60 days to follow your transatlantic flight (8 segements would cost 1'200 DM).

And with LH m&m you need only 25'000 miles for an one-way-transatlantic-segment-upgrade to business good on any eco-fare (with UA only 20'000 miles but not on any fare)- and on all flights (transatlantic and visit-US-pass) you win miles again.