Which FF plan to use, DM or MP?
 

Hi,

I'm fairly new here and I've been reading some of the posts here about which mileage plan best suits which travelers. So, in keeping with that tradition, I'm hoping someone can help me choose which program to signup with.

I currently go to school in PHL (UPenn) but I live in SFO so I've narrowed my choices down to US's Dividend Miles and UA's Mileage Plus. I unfortunately dont do too much flying, traditionally 5-6 transcons/year and a couple of short regional trips. However I'm sort of embarking on a little flying flurry in the next month or so (May 4 - May 18) and I'll be flying the following segments on *A metal. So I figure that I'll qualify for the lowest tier of some program and maybe the middle or upper tiers if my summer consulting job requires travel.

Upcoming Flights
PHL-ORD-SFO-LAX
LAX-PIT-ART-PIT-ORD-SFO
OAK-DEN-ORD-PHL
PHL-FRA-FCO
MAD-LHR
LHR-SFO

All in all, I think it adds up to around 24849EQM and for a poor college student the allure of upgrades and the like are a pretty big deal. So, any suggestions on which program I should join and the pro's and cons of either one.

Thanks a lot.

Keep in mind solvency of USAirways and United when making your choice. And you have the option of other Star Alliance programs often enough (but will lose out on upgrade opportunities).

Also 25,000 qualifying miles is the minimum for elite status on either United or USAir.

I personally like DM. I have found that their Gold Card gets you into a lot of airport lounges. I see that you are spending a fair amount of time in Europe. Carriers like RyanAir and EasyJet have incredibly low fares so earning DM may not be the right choice if you are on a tight budget. Avoid Alitalia if you can. They are having a lot of union trouble and seem to be cancelling flights on a regular basis.

Kibison