I've been based in NYC now for a little over a year and expect to stay in the US for another 2-5 years before returning to Canada. Right now I'm BAEC Silver (soft landing from Gold) and likely will lose my status by Sept 2009; Flying Blue Gold (until Mar 2009 and then Silver for about another year); and Aeroplan zilch (but a longtime member). Continental is my company's preferred carrier in North America and Europe except UK, Virgin for UK flights and United for Asia-Pac. Not sure about South America. I likely will have one Asia-Pac flight, one South American flight and several flights to Canada for business next year. I've got practically no miles left with BA (after the award sale - but several J class reward flights planned for next year), about 150,000 Flying Blue miles and de minimis Aeroplan miles.

With CO joining Star* next year, I had been thinking that I should continue allocating Co flights to FB and then switch allocation to Aeroplan when Co joins Star*. But FB has high redemption fees, as does Aeroplan, and it seems that award inventory is better if I'm looking for Co flights using Co OnePass miles (likewise for American - better availability if I wanted to use AA miles instead of BA miles). Alternatively, I could switch to Co next year (and continue enjoying basic elite status by virtue of my FB Silver status) but start accumulating Co miles instead (but without FB elite accumulation rates). I could also look at getting the Co Presidential credit card, which is expensive but seems like it might be worth it for the lounge access and EQMs.

In addition to switching from FB to Co, should I also look at switching allegiance from BAEC to AA?

Have CO match your FB or BAEC status. Start flying and crediting to CO. You can even credit most of your VS flights to CO.

The main advantage of US-based programs is that there are fewer YQ surcharges on rewards. That can save a lot of money.

There are fewer surcharges on reward flights, but status in US-based programs generally doesn't provide automatic and free access to airlines' lounges. By contrast, if I allocate my CO flights to Aeroplan (as well as what is likely to be an upcoming United flight to Asia in J), I have a decent chance of reaching elite status with Aeroplan (which would get me lounge access as well as other perks). However, any Virgin flights I did would result in "orphan points" and wasted status-earning opportunities. Moreover, CO at least (and perhaps other US carriers) have lifetime elite status.

Would getting a status match now with CO on the basis of BAEC Silver get me much more than what I'm going to be getting for the next year via FB Gold? Should I wait until later in 2009 and then ask for a status match on the basis of FB Silver (with the hope that the status match would extend through 2010)?

I forgot about the non-US *G lounge access bit. That is important to consider.

A match today on CO will last through Feb 2010. Check out the Status Match Master Thread for more details on the timing and paths for such stuff.