US based but using non-US FFP
 

Apologies in advance if this has been posted before, but a search didn't turn up anything (and I wasn't even sure how to describe it for a search!).

Anyways, I am US-based and have done most of my travel with AA. It's mostly domestic travel but with enough international J travel to be a PLT with AA. However, some of the benefits of being a oneworld elite (lounge access namely) only apply on my international trips since AA sells Admiral's Club memberships.

As such, I'm thinking of switching to BA or QF so that when I inevitably become a oneworld elite next year, I'll have domestic lounge access since I won't be holding an AA elite card but a BA or QF one. (EDIT: I'm looking for domestic lounge access since frequently our boss makes us fly to a central point before we continue to a client site - example: next week I'm going NYC-DFW (where everyone is meeting)-LAX. So sometimes (thanks to this dumb preference of his), I can get stuck in an airport for long periods of time waiting for others to meet up.)

Has anyone else done such a thing and, if so, how did you choose your overseas program?

I do this, but I maintain OW Emerald on both AA and QF.

If I had to choose, I'd pick AA for the upgrades as opposed to QF for the lounge access when on a Oneworld carrier. You'll get lounge access anyway on an international itinerary.

AA miles are worth a lot more than Qantas points.

I do something similar in *A. I collect points in the bmi (BD) program even though most of my *A flying recently has been on UA. I get RCC access on domestic itineraries (which is not worth much) but really am doing it for the better value of the points and lower qualification thresholds.

Keep in mind that you will have to pay fuel surcharges on redemptions, which will lower the value of the points collected, but that can be offset with other benefits, depending on the program you end up in.

S.

Please continue this discussion in the MilesBuzz forum. Thanks for your understanding.

Jouy31
TravelBuzz moderator

I started crediting my *A miles on BD too - I fly UA and US mainly. My #1 reason was that I get a 600 mile minimum on short flights. US and UA both dropped the minimum earlier this year and now credit actual flown miles only. When I do become a Gold on BD (on my way...), I see lounge access a a big plus, especially when one has a delay. Beats hanging out in the waiting area.

Lots of people do this. Most of my flying is on UA, but I credit to Aeroplan and Asiana.

Only 4,500 miles from making Asiana Gold, whoopy doo.

CX offers upgrade awards for AA and BA

BD's award system seems pretty good

for skyteam, you have to have a foreign FFP to get F awards on AF/KE/etc

Would you get the domestic lounge access because:
1) to BA/QF the USA is "international" even though to you it's domestic
2) BA/QF elite status includes lounge access anywhere
3) OneWorld, like Star Alliance, gives lounge access to Golds on international tickets.
?

Thanks, FlyerTalk! I had only been in a lounge once or twice before, but on my recent trip to Ireland I hit the lounge at every airport I was in: LAX, FRA, DUB, LHR, SFO, using my Star Alliance Gold status. It was quite nice actually and I'm thinking of using miles to purchase a lounge membership for 2009.

Just remember that if you use AA for transatlantic flights you wouldn't collect any points if you joined BA. Why BA haven't reallised that this loses them more customers, who turn to *A instead, than it gains them I haven't a clue.

1) and 3)