Best program out of NYC for a (relatively) infrequent flyer
Oct 16, 2008 | 2:57 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 3
Best program out of NYC for a (relatively) infrequent flyer
Hello, I've been lurking on here for a while and appreciate all of the helpful advice everyone gives. I was wondering if you could help me find the perfect flier program for my profile, especially as I expect to be doing more flying in the coming years than in the past.
I expect to be making the following flights on a yearly basis:
NYC-TYS or BNA, 4x/year
NYC-BOS, 3x/year
NYC-SFO or PDX, 2x/year
NYC-MHT, 1x year
NYC-MNL, 1x year (possibly with a stopover in another Asian destination like HKG, SIN, NAA)
NYC-CDG or FCO or LHR, 1x/year
possibly another North American destination, 1x/year (ORL, YYZ, WAS)
The NYC-BOS may not happen as often because sometimes I take Amtrak instead. I prefer JFK and LGA as departure destinations, although I'm willing to fly out of EWR if it's much cheaper.
My main goal is converting miles to free flights. If the best program ends up getting me status/upgrades/lounge access, that's great, but I'm not willing to spend more than, say, an extra $25/ticket to get it. I expect all the tickets I buy to be economy class, discounted fares.
Can you help? Pros/cons of the various programs for these trips? Does it make any difference if some years I end up doing less than 25000 miles?
Thanks!
I expect to be making the following flights on a yearly basis:
NYC-TYS or BNA, 4x/year
NYC-BOS, 3x/year
NYC-SFO or PDX, 2x/year
NYC-MHT, 1x year
NYC-MNL, 1x year (possibly with a stopover in another Asian destination like HKG, SIN, NAA)
NYC-CDG or FCO or LHR, 1x/year
possibly another North American destination, 1x/year (ORL, YYZ, WAS)
The NYC-BOS may not happen as often because sometimes I take Amtrak instead. I prefer JFK and LGA as departure destinations, although I'm willing to fly out of EWR if it's much cheaper.
My main goal is converting miles to free flights. If the best program ends up getting me status/upgrades/lounge access, that's great, but I'm not willing to spend more than, say, an extra $25/ticket to get it. I expect all the tickets I buy to be economy class, discounted fares.
Can you help? Pros/cons of the various programs for these trips? Does it make any difference if some years I end up doing less than 25000 miles?
Thanks!
Oct 16, 2008 | 6:05 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: United Milage Plus, Phillipine Mabuhay Miles, Contiental OnePass American Advantage, NWA Worldperks
Posts: 13
Hello, I've been lurking on here for a while and appreciate all of the helpful advice everyone gives. I was wondering if you could help me find the perfect flier program for my profile, especially as I expect to be doing more flying in the coming years than in the past.
I expect to be making the following flights on a yearly basis:
NYC-TYS or BNA, 4x/year
NYC-BOS, 3x/year
NYC-SFO or PDX, 2x/year
NYC-MHT, 1x year
NYC-MNL, 1x year (possibly with a stopover in another Asian destination like HKG, SIN, NAA)
NYC-CDG or FCO or LHR, 1x/year
possibly another North American destination, 1x/year (ORL, YYZ, WAS)
The NYC-BOS may not happen as often because sometimes I take Amtrak instead. I prefer JFK and LGA as departure destinations, although I'm willing to fly out of EWR if it's much cheaper.
My main goal is converting miles to free flights. If the best program ends up getting me status/upgrades/lounge access, that's great, but I'm not willing to spend more than, say, an extra $25/ticket to get it. I expect all the tickets I buy to be economy class, discounted fares.
Can you help? Pros/cons of the various programs for these trips? Does it make any difference if some years I end up doing less than 25000 miles?
Thanks!
I expect to be making the following flights on a yearly basis:
NYC-TYS or BNA, 4x/year
NYC-BOS, 3x/year
NYC-SFO or PDX, 2x/year
NYC-MHT, 1x year
NYC-MNL, 1x year (possibly with a stopover in another Asian destination like HKG, SIN, NAA)
NYC-CDG or FCO or LHR, 1x/year
possibly another North American destination, 1x/year (ORL, YYZ, WAS)
The NYC-BOS may not happen as often because sometimes I take Amtrak instead. I prefer JFK and LGA as departure destinations, although I'm willing to fly out of EWR if it's much cheaper.
My main goal is converting miles to free flights. If the best program ends up getting me status/upgrades/lounge access, that's great, but I'm not willing to spend more than, say, an extra $25/ticket to get it. I expect all the tickets I buy to be economy class, discounted fares.
Can you help? Pros/cons of the various programs for these trips? Does it make any difference if some years I end up doing less than 25000 miles?
Thanks!
My best bet would be joining a star alliance linked airline such as United Millage Plus or US Airways Dividend Miles, simply because you can redeem your miles to pretty much any destination in the world
it also works with most of the flights you mentioned
you can accure miles with your account with United or US Airways
NYC-TYS or BNA, 4x/year via IAD, CLT, or PHL with United or US Airways
NYC-BOS, 3x/year you can use the US Airways Shuttle
NYC-SFO or PDX, 2x/year JFK or EWR non stop on United to SFO and then connect to PDX
NYC-MHT, 1x year US Airways via PHL
NYC-MNL, 1x year (possibly with a stopover in another Asian destination like HKG, SIN, NAA) EWR-SIN non stop on Signapore Air, plus other *Alliance airlines
NYC-CDG or FCO or LHR, 1x/year Via FRA on Lufthansa
trust me the possiblites are endless, any questions please feel free to ask
Oct 17, 2008 | 1:11 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NJ/NYC
Programs: AA EXP/LT Plat, SPG Plat/LT Plat, HHonors Gold, Hyatt Plat, IHG Plat, MR Silver
Posts: 2,789
In my opinion, Alaska Airlines has the best program for you, as long as you would only be flying enough to make low level elite on any of the major carriers. I say that because as a low level elite, upgrades are going to be rare, at higher levels they become much more common.
AS will let you earn and burn miles on a ton of carriers on varying alliances. As your goal is to get free tickets, I think this setup would be most ideal (yet not the ONLY solution) for you.
AS will let you earn and burn miles on a ton of carriers on varying alliances. As your goal is to get free tickets, I think this setup would be most ideal (yet not the ONLY solution) for you.
Oct 17, 2008 | 3:19 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 3
Why Alaska for New York?
troyb,
How does that work? It seems a bit strange to have Alaska Airways as my mileage program if I'm not ever planning on flying one of their routes.
I would book most of my flights on the partner airlines but use my Alaska FF number while booking? Then when I accumulate miles I can spend them on Continental, Delta, American, NWA, Air France, Cathay, etc?
Is there any value in getting MVP status if I never fly Alaska proper? - I think it's possible that I will get over 25000 miles in a year, so should I shoot for Alaska status or on one of the other carriers that I might occasionally be flying?
Thanks!
How does that work? It seems a bit strange to have Alaska Airways as my mileage program if I'm not ever planning on flying one of their routes.
I would book most of my flights on the partner airlines but use my Alaska FF number while booking? Then when I accumulate miles I can spend them on Continental, Delta, American, NWA, Air France, Cathay, etc?
Is there any value in getting MVP status if I never fly Alaska proper? - I think it's possible that I will get over 25000 miles in a year, so should I shoot for Alaska status or on one of the other carriers that I might occasionally be flying?
Thanks!