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Hi, I'm new to this site, and so glad someone tipped me off to it! Anyway, I have several questions:

I mostly fly UA out of BWI. Currently I have about 18K miles because I just used 120K miles for 2 tkts to SE Asia. I'm a premier member,and hoping to make premier executive status this year. (I've about 35K qualifying miles this year, and travel just about every other week for work.) I also have a UA credit card, and frequently use it for idine for UA miles.

I almost never fly NWA. But, I have about 51K miles on them. I also have a NWA credit card, which I plan to cancel by August to avoid paying another fee.

So, here's my question: Since I travel often for work, I put my hotel and other bills on a credit card and get reinbursed. Needless to say, I have fairly large monthly bills. Should I concentrate on getting the NW miles (say, shooting for 60k so I can get 2 tkts to Caribbean, or one to Asia), or should I just be happy with the 50K, and continue concentrating on UA?

Also, when is SE Asia, I will be flying Vietnam Airlines w/in the country, and Bangkok Air for regional trips. Does these airlines partner with any US carriers?

Many thanks, Ellen

Welcome to FlyerTalk.
I'm not a NW guy, but it makes perfect sense to get yourself the miles to for an award level you'll be happy happy with. Seems like 60K is what you spoke of.

If I were in your shoes, I would fly UA to get the EQM needed for 1P, but I would try and charge my next $9,000 on the NW Credit card.

Good Luck.

I would also call BankOne, and upgrade to the Gold Card if you do not have one already. It earns 2 miles per dollar on UA charges and gets you 5000 mile signup bonus. Make sure to register your NW credit card with your idine profile and then you'll be working toward the 9000 needed and getting rewarded in your UA account.

Thus, my updated recommendation is to charge only UA purchases to the MP visa if you upgrade to Gold (3 minute phone call, effective immediately, slightly higher annual fee but worth it if) and all the rest to NW card. All flying should be done on UA/StarAlliance.

the gold card idea is a good one.....however, while I have to pay for my hotel and get reinbursed, my ticket purchases are direct billed. do you still think it worth getting the gold card for additional miles?

BTW, I'm saving every single vacation day for SE Asia trip in Nov....so, I don't think I'm going on any leisure trip until next year (unless it turns out that I only need a few more miles for premier ex status.)

thanks for your replies.

You need 70k for caribbean same as Hawai'i and Mexico for coach. You should go and sign up for Fly Free Faster 2004 @

http://www.nwa.com/offers/fff2004/

and (this starts on 6/1/04 ) you should be able to sign up for Earthlink internet on 6/1/04 for 4 months and get 10k miles as well as that should qualify as your "qualifier" you just need probably 5 idine's and baam another 10k is yours.

i do not have the same status but use both UAL and NWA most of the time--in fact, that is what I concentrate on right now for my trips and I think it is good to have TWO airlines like you do.

Yes, bring that NWA up to an award level you are happy with but one way to do it would be to get into the whole gift card thang (see other threads in here)... I mean, hey, you get 5k right then and there and you can even do more before Aug and not have to pay that fee...

welcome to FT either way!

Asiana and Thai are w/UA,Garuda and Malysia are w/NW; those would seem to me your best bet. I don't know what UA/NW allows ff credit from those partnr arlines, suggest checking the airline partners section of NW/UA web site to find out more

If you stay at hotels, you might want to sign up for Milage Maximizer at NW where you can get bonus miles if you ask the hotel for NW miles till May 15:
Visit 1: 0% bonus
Visit 2: 50% bonus
Visit 3: 100% bonus
Visit 4+: 200% bonus.

Tha Fly faster free is also good or if you know someone who is flying NWA for the first time before mid June, Refer a friend...

Hope this helps, Mary

thanks, everyone. I'm so totally in love with this site, I can hardly contain myself.
I'm fairly amazed at how steep my learning curve is in the ff business, and I'm delighted to chat with others who share the same obsession~