From all the participating programs in
the Star Alliance, which one do you think
is the best to concentrate your mile earnings on?
Thanks

We are working on a comparison table so you can compare the benefits of each (at least for Lufthansa, United and Air Canada to start). You cannot just base it on the points you receive. There are other benefits to consider (e.g. free lounge access with Air Canada and Lufthansa--maybe others whereas you have to pay for United's Red Carpet Club membership). Also, your travel patterns probably dictate which airline to develop a close relationship with. If you travel exclusively in the US and claim your rewards for United travel, it doesn't make much sense to claim your points on Thai--one reason is that there are no blackout periods for reward travel on United planes if you become 1K with United but that wouldn't? necessarily apply to trying to get a reward on Thai if you are 1K with United. If your travel patterns are complex, then the decision becomes even harder. There are some posts on these threads that have started the comparisons but we are now trying to compile in a larger chart. If you are interested in the preliminary chart, e-mail me (it is now in Word 6.0 but can be converted to other formats).

it very much depends on your flight-patterns, and for which flight-classes you (or your company...) pays.

mileage-credits: base-credits vary already from 50% (Thai-eco) to 300% (Lufthansa first).

status-mileage-credits vary from 50% (Tahi-eco) to also 300% on Lufthansa.

Mileage-Limit for highest status-category vary in some programs depending on your resident-country (Lufthansa).

the preferred program may change for members depending on future day-to-day-decisions of the airlines (my case: UA gave up direct flights IAD-Switzerland on march-1st-98, but I am only about 300'000 miles away from achieving life-long-PremEx-membership when I pass 1Mio miles flown; if you read one of baobab's latest "rumours" UA may be thinking of flying Tel-Aviv-USA in 99).

concrete: If I (based in Zurich, Switzerland) would restart today, my choice would be LH's miles&more and with one "round-the-world-ticket", in international first class, costing Sfr 10'000 ($7'000) I would fly 38'000 effectiv-miles during jan-1st-99 and february-28th-99 and winning:

- a first-class trip in any desirable comfort
- 3 * 38'000 miles = 114'000 credited to my miles&more-account and at the same-time also 114'000 status-credit, which would make me for 12 months Senator (and anyway StarAlliance-Gold).
- plus 50'000 LH's Star-Alliance-promotion-credit (making it: 114'000 + 50'000 = 165'000 total mileage credit).
- plus free upgrade vouchers for miles flown and status reached.
- plus hours to talk/bluff here on FlyerTalk how it was or wasn't

Guys, let me be more specific.

I fly like 10 times a year
TelAviv-SouthAmerica.
My company will pay only economy, and
as you could suspect, I live in airports waiting for connections, so free lounge access is the most important.

I have AAdvantage Gold, and I've already
contacted UA, and they are willing to give
me 1K. I contacted also Lufthansa, but still
no reply from them.

I don't know. I'm inclined to Lufthansa.
What would you do?

Thanks

I would copy the "Yes"-answer from UA and write again to LH (copy UA as annex) asking again.

Thanks Idur,

Will do.

I'm sorry, but did you say UA was giving you 1K. I have never heard of them giving away 1K status. Thats something they make you earn. Are you sure, it wasn't Premier Executive or 'Executed Primer' (thats poetic license) I'd be interested to know. Thanks

United NEVER gives way (1k) to anyone. You must be mistaken about that.

Phil