FF Miles vs cost vs quality: trip to London
Jan 31, 2003, 1:16 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 67
FF Miles vs cost vs quality: trip to London
I am taking my family (5) to London in March while I teach at Oxford. Fares are cheap, but when multiplying x 5 the savings grow.
Virgin Atlantic 2252.40
British Airways 2347.00
Continental 2456.35
Northwest 2601.00
American 2947.00
Delta 3155.35
Factoring in the mileage loss for Delta (0.5) and American (0.5), Virgin Atlantic gets no elite qualifying points on anybody, British Airways only counts for America West ...
Which would you fly? That is, I have 3 kids with me (who are remarkably well-behaved, by the way). Which airline is "nicest" in coach?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am trying to get FF miles while at the same time saving $$$ and making my family feel OK.
MODERATOR: I meant to post this under the other thread. I apologize since this isn't a BUZZ thread. Please feel free to remove it.
[This message has been edited by rudystarnberg (edited 01-31-2003).]
Virgin Atlantic 2252.40
British Airways 2347.00
Continental 2456.35
Northwest 2601.00
American 2947.00
Delta 3155.35
Factoring in the mileage loss for Delta (0.5) and American (0.5), Virgin Atlantic gets no elite qualifying points on anybody, British Airways only counts for America West ...
Which would you fly? That is, I have 3 kids with me (who are remarkably well-behaved, by the way). Which airline is "nicest" in coach?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am trying to get FF miles while at the same time saving $$$ and making my family feel OK.
MODERATOR: I meant to post this under the other thread. I apologize since this isn't a BUZZ thread. Please feel free to remove it.
[This message has been edited by rudystarnberg (edited 01-31-2003).]
Jan 31, 2003, 1:20 pm
#2
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: EWR, USA, AA 1MM Gold, United Premier Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 1,476
I am partial to American for MRTC, but I don't understand where you are coming up with a factor of (0.5) for American? You only get 0.5 QPTS, not 0.5 miles. You still get full mileage accrual with American (unless, of course, you are on some major discounted/consolidator fare).
Jan 31, 2003, 1:20 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
How old are the children?
In general, VS would probably be the most child-friendly of these airlines. Service on BA and VS is likely to be considerably better than on the others.
So the question really appears to be how much you will allow your FF scheme memberships to hold you to ransom!
In general, VS would probably be the most child-friendly of these airlines. Service on BA and VS is likely to be considerably better than on the others.
So the question really appears to be how much you will allow your FF scheme memberships to hold you to ransom!
Jan 31, 2003, 1:28 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 67
Kids are 13, 10, 8. And I am trying hard not to let the FF hold me ransom - but old habits die hard! I am even thinking of Delta, which shows you how FF miles can pervert one's thinking.
Eagle92, for the challenge, I get 0.5 points or 1.0 miles. But the challenge is based on the points (at least that was what the customer service rep told me on the phone today).
[This message has been edited by rudystarnberg (edited 01-31-2003).]
Eagle92, for the challenge, I get 0.5 points or 1.0 miles. But the challenge is based on the points (at least that was what the customer service rep told me on the phone today).
[This message has been edited by rudystarnberg (edited 01-31-2003).]
Jan 31, 2003, 2:58 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
13, 10 and 8 would probably be about the right sort of age to appreciate VS' efforts. Although I personally prefer BA, I have heard comparative accounts over the years from a very good friend whose kids are now 11 and 14, and they have always found VS to be more "fun".
Jan 31, 2003, 3:31 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 1999
Programs: FB Silver going for Gold
Posts: 21,794
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by rudystarnberg:
for the challenge, I get 0.5 points or 1.0 miles. But the challenge is based on the points</font>
for the challenge, I get 0.5 points or 1.0 miles. But the challenge is based on the points</font>
Maybe BA for the wife and kids (pool the miles) and AA for yourself?
Jan 31, 2003, 3:35 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: GLA
Posts: 613
I understand VS to be more Fun too...but BA do have a good range of movies and I think that the kids things on VS are more for the younger kids (feel free to correct me if I am wrong here).
BA is IMHO a good product for the price and I wold combine four BA EC cards into one Household account to be able to spend miles from the collective pot (costs GBP25 in the UK, not sure about the NA scheme).
This should give you a respectable set of miles for a free ticket or two somewhere (you can spend on BA or AA for example).
I agree with alhcfp that I understand that you cannot accrue miles on BA metal with AA plastic and vice versa due to the Open Skies agreement.
Just make sure you maximise your miles potential by paying for the fares with the airline credit card. Not being an American I am not really able to advise but I understand that there are a lot of good offers around just now.
If you were to be really accurate about the whole thing, you would work out the miles awarded and then work out the cost per mile. Then rebase these for comparison purposes and do it that way. Just beware - the incremental cost of paying for a high fare is very often not worth the incremental miles award !
Good luck...
BA is IMHO a good product for the price and I wold combine four BA EC cards into one Household account to be able to spend miles from the collective pot (costs GBP25 in the UK, not sure about the NA scheme).
This should give you a respectable set of miles for a free ticket or two somewhere (you can spend on BA or AA for example).
I agree with alhcfp that I understand that you cannot accrue miles on BA metal with AA plastic and vice versa due to the Open Skies agreement.
Just make sure you maximise your miles potential by paying for the fares with the airline credit card. Not being an American I am not really able to advise but I understand that there are a lot of good offers around just now.
If you were to be really accurate about the whole thing, you would work out the miles awarded and then work out the cost per mile. Then rebase these for comparison purposes and do it that way. Just beware - the incremental cost of paying for a high fare is very often not worth the incremental miles award !
Good luck...
Jan 31, 2003, 3:44 pm
#10
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Chicago,IL.
Posts: 3,022
I would recommend AA for two reasons a) MRTC and B) if you book early enough you may be able to book the entire center row of a 777, i.e. 5 seats together. One parent on each aisle seat and the 3 kids in the center ?
To compare BA's 777 is configured 3-4-3, i.e. you could not sit together as a family.
You are correct regarding the 0.5 q points for the fares, only full fare eco gives you 1 full q-point.
To compare BA's 777 is configured 3-4-3, i.e. you could not sit together as a family.
You are correct regarding the 0.5 q points for the fares, only full fare eco gives you 1 full q-point.
Jan 31, 2003, 4:19 pm
#11
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NJ
Posts: 3,335
I would also recommend BA. As noted, you can combine the mileage of various family accounts to redeem, and can redeem BA for American flights. Two trips to Europe on BA, with a few additional BA credit card miles, and we had two FF seats on AA to the Caribbean (during high season no less). Thus, I think BA is your best bet.
Djlawman
Djlawman
Jan 31, 2003, 4:36 pm
#13
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Siesta Key
Programs: AA EXP-1.6MM, Hilton Diamond, ManU & Chicago Bears #1 Fan
Posts: 9,697
I would pick AA, especially if you are doing a challange. If you happen to fly through DFW on the way to London, this one trip will give all 5 a Gold status. It is true that you will only get .5 QP applied for the challange, BUT you will get the full miles into your account, as a matter of fact on the return trip you will get the Gold bonus points on the last leg of your trip, as you would Gold by then. From that point on you get 1.25 miles for future trips as Gold. One more trip like that and all 5 will have a free ticket within US, Canada or Mexico.
Have a great trip!
Have a great trip!
Jan 31, 2003, 4:46 pm
#14
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: EWR, USA, AA 1MM Gold, United Premier Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 1,476
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Bond Boy:
Precisely why I would chose BA!
</font>
Precisely why I would chose BA!
</font>
Jan 31, 2003, 10:54 pm
#15
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Oak Park, IL
Programs: AA 2 MM LIfetime Platinum, SPG Platinum, Hilton Silver, BA
Posts: 3,585
If you are wanting to do a challenge then AA is the best choice and coach in a 777 is a nice aircraft. If the ticket price at aa.com is an adult ticket rather than a web special, you could put it code S716HG and get 10% off the base price, which might bring the price down to be comparable with BA. If you do decide to go with BA I would collect BA miles to use. I have flown to London twice on AA, but I am flying in March taking my 17 year old daughter using BA miles in Club class. Booking it online cost 75K a ticket with $100 for taxes. It will be my first flight on BA. On the other hand with some of the cheap flights, it is tempting to pay for a ticket on AA. I think I have seen it cheaper than the cost you seem to have, but of course you are departing from a different city.
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Ms.DtG