About a year and a half ago I posted on FT asking which program I should join. You can find that post here. I got some really nice responses and advice at the time and deciced to join Flying Blue.

Everything was fine and I was very happily accruing miles until Delta had to go buy NWA. CO decided to say Goodnight Everybody and started the process of leaving Skyteam and joining *A or maybe worse getting married to my ex-employer United. We'll see what happens with that flirtation.

I need to make a decision to stay with AF/KLM FlyingBlue or go to OnePass.

Here are the decision affecting factors:

-I live 8 minutes from SFO. I love living in the Bay Area and have no immediate actionable plans to move anywhere else. If I live here the rest of my life I couldn't complain. (Europe and Africa are places that I am slowly but steadily working on living in for awhile because it a lifetime dream. SF is home though.)
-FlyingBlue Account Balance 23K+
-Two Trips to Europe to visit family will occur this year, first to MAD second to CDG. If I fly skyteam on both trips I will attain Silver Status until 31 Dec 2010.
-My parents live in Houston and I make at least two trips a year at least to visit them. They visit me once or twice a year. I LOVE my parents, I am not so hot about Houston. I grew up there and I am done with it. I always fly CO to get there, great price, non-stop, clean planes, meals in coach (breakfast is best), don't lose my bags, ON-TIME!
-The places I like to travel to, AF/KLM serve very well. From SFO there are 5 nonstop destinations in Europe two are on AF/KLM.
-I Love Air France, great food in coach, free drinks and lower elite minimums for people outside France, and yes my bags always get there. They go where I want to go.
-I really like Continental, they are a great airline
-I really don't like United. I got layed off and yes I am bitter. They really are not a great airline, and chance of having to fly United what with CO courting them does not make me happy. If CO took over UA I really would feel vindicated. The bitterness toward UA plays big into my decision, sorry

So if I fly Skyteam in March to Madrid, I could still liquidate on my trip to France in June, and start accruing miles with OnePass on my Thanksgiving and X-mas trips to Houston. It would be nice to think that my pleasure trips could pay for my family trips to IAH.

Or should I do something completely different? I have half a notion to say the hell with airline miles I just want the cheapest ticket on the airline that rarely crashes.

Merci!
JohnPaul

PS If I should move this to the Skyteam Forum please forgive me.

Hi,

Have you read the changes introduced to the FB program starting April 1st? An ideal date because the program has become a joke. All fare except fully-flexible economy will yield from 25% to 75% miles, which is a huge hit for most coach traveller, and the redemption level willl be upped greatly, except for coach.

The only persons not impacted will be customers who mostly fly full-fare economy and who redeem in coach award. If you're not in this category, I urge you to read the dedicated thread in the Flying Blue forum to see how it could impact you before deciding to stay with FB.

Unless you are prepared to pay twice the price for your tickets, your mileage earning will decrease dramatically making even silver elite a challenge.

I recommend that you send your card back to Flying Blue explaining why you have given up on the program and why -- despite your preference for the AF product -- you will as a matter of principle no longer fly AF unless they are absolutely much cheaper than anyone else.

FB is probably the model for DL's new program, so CO is probably the best option.

Agreed re CO being the best option, but consider that CO is moving to *A and a relationship with UA, so you'll probably find yourself flying on them a bit.

come over to OK+.