new user new FF looking for program tips in BDL area
 

Hi all this is my first post so go easy on me:rolleyes:

I started a new job last January and started really traveling about 6 months ago.

I travel about 50% US 25% Europe and 25% Asia. Travel is approximately two or three weeks a month with most trips lasting a week or more at one location.

I am looking for what airline I should focus on in 2008. I can only book economy tickets but have a fair amount of leeway in picking my airline. I do all my own booking and use my own mileage cards rather than use the TA that our company works with.

I live in Brattleboro Vermont and usually fly out of BDL but also MHT and BOS.

I have about 17k MQM on Delta and approx 50k miles in the bank.

I made Premier on Untied last month with a trip to Singapore and then a few trips between SIN and HKG (got to fly upstairs three times :D ) That trip was my first mileage earning with United. My next trip to California I booked with them and loved E+.

I have had good luck flying AA from BOS to MAN 3 seats to myself every time but not enough miles for status in 2008.

I have no more flights planned this year except an excursion with my wife on Jetblue (last time out of program for us I think). So United will be the only place I have status at the start of next year.

My goal is to upgrade as many flights as possible I am less concerned with mileage awards as I don't mind paying for tickets for personal travel, plus you don't earn points on award tickets;).

Given my travel patterns does it make sense to try and achieve 1k status on United or should I be shooting for another airline? Also I will not always be able to fly one Airline which one should I pick as my backup, if not AA is Delta a smarter choice than CO or NW?

I have confirmed upgrades for my trip in the middle of January flying United from MHT to SBA and have had about 75% success getting my upgrades so far but have really burned through my miles to do so including 15k for and upgrade from BDL to ORD but E+ the rest of the way to OAK.

Thanks for the help and advice; I love this site.

Hi and welcome to FT!

I'd go for UA 1K. In addition to the 6 nice SWUs each year you have a good chance to get E+ seating which makes Y more bearable. If you can book higher Y classes SQ might be an option on some trips as well, as their Y product is pretty good and you can earn UA MP miles towards status as well. Definitely avoid LH in Y because it is no fun to sit in the back of a LH plane.

If you're flying domestically then get NW's program and then you can fly on AS, DL, CO and NW and keep all of your miles in the same program. Also, when flying domestically, you get upgraded automatically on CO and NW. No messing around with buying certs, using certs or sitting in the back staring at open seats up front. They will just upgrade you whenever they can based on status.

The lounges for CO, NW and AS are MUCH better than UA or AA. Both of the latter charge you a 'nominal fee' for drinks. By this they mean full bar price.

For international travel, the UA or AA programs offer better upgrade opportunities. Both give SWU's for for those who fly a LOT. If international flights and 100k miles a year is what you plan to be doing then AA or UA is your ticket.

Thank you both for the Feedback,

Most likely I will go for 100k in United and 25k in NW or DL this year, hope I make it!

General you think I should go for NW miles instead of the DL miles then? I like the idea about AS, as I have a sister who lives in ANC and United just cut back service there so I would be flying sky team next time I go there anyway. The thing I have never liked about NW is they seem overly aggressive in enforcing the seatbelt fastened rule, I have been awakened before because the FA could not tell if I had mine on (I did). I think this has happened on several trips and I flew on DL last time to ANC because of it.