But then you've got to start from scratch with them, so i guess internationally, i should just stick to *A and domestic just fly any one of them.

I usually just go for the cheapest option hence buy discounted tickets and have flown in different airlines as well as budget air. But I also do take timing into consideration for certain flights. Status has no meaning for me since I don't travel that much to get any. But if I can earn mileage in the long run, it would be nice to use an award ticket now and then.

That said, so many budget airlines in the region...

That's true. There are too many budget airlines in the industry and prices are quite competitive. For short-haul its good but only if it's long-haul, then i guess its a different story.

Hey Guys I'm still deciding on this.

Questions
For members asking for information please help people to assist you, can you provide:
(1) What is your home airport? (SFO, SCL, London LHR, HKG, Singapore SIN etc.)
SIN, CBR, SYD, MEL
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)
50-60K, this year 80-100K
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy ? ( First, Business, Economy etc.)
Business preferably, otherwise Economy
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or, class of service?. Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Yes to both, Strictly Pleasure
(5) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Bottom half of the Kangaroo Route and the china express routes.
(6) Do you have FFP status of any kind of OW or other airline at present? What is it? (AA Executive Platinum, QF Gold, UA 1K, LAN Comodoro, etc)
A3*G, TK*G, VA SG, EY Gold, FB Silver
(7) What is most important to you in a FFP? (upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, extra baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, free - discounted lounge access, etc.)
Good Earn & Burn Rates, Flounge Access
(8) Preferred Airlines
CX, AA, SQ, VA, QF, BA

Am looking at AA to get EXP but still keeping options open.

I'll probably join British Airways since no expiry as long as there's activity once every 36 months. I can just bank my miles there in the long run.

Plus if you fly a lot the kangaroo route in J tier points scheme is better than an air miles one. I suggest you to book separately flight on the same booking: e.g. LHR-SIN-SYD gives you 600 TPs for a return ticket, LHR-SYD gives you 480 TPs.

QF is the same, and would allow you to redeem on Jetstar Asia which may be useful from Singapore.

Hey guys ... i am starting my frequent flyer career and so i m deciding on which FFP to use

so far i have Finn Air Plus because of a leisure longhaul next summer ...

maby you could help me to select the best program based on my profile:

(1) What is your home airport? (SFO, SCL, London LHR, HKG, Singapore SIN etc.)
VIE (Vienna / Austria) so mainly AirBerlin flights
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)
dont know it in miles yet but it will be like every 2 weeks inner europe or 1 per month europe - asia / europe - usa
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy ? ( First, Business, Economy etc.)
Economy
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or, class of service?. Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
no i cannot choose the airline and its primerily business plus some short AB flights for leisure
(5) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Inner Europe
(6) Do you have FFP status of any kind of OW or other airline at present? What is it?
no
(7) What is most important to you in a FFP? (upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, extra baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, free - discounted lounge access, etc.)
Good Earn & Burn Rates, Lounge Access, award flights
(8) Preferred Airlines
AB, BA, AY

thanks a lot!
best regards,
Andreas

I'll be moving to SYD and planning to do mostly SYD-TLV and SYD-SFO on my own dime about 2 times a year each and was wondering what would be my best strategy..

AA is selling miles from time to time at discounted prices which would make a round trip to TLV ~1300$ in Economy or ~2000$ in Business, cheaper than buying a ticket.

Should I credit all my miles to AA and top off the account as needed? Or is there a more lucrative award program for those routes?

I believe only AA credits miles flown on LY. So unless you want to go the long way from SYD-TLV with two stopovers all on OW airlines, then AA would be your only option for crediting.

Similarly, SYD-SFO would require a stopover in LAX flying on OW.

Have a look at the *A network too, that may be better for you.

hey guys,
nobody got a clou concerning my profile?
regards

well, as you said "i cannot choose the airline and its primarily business" you basically are stuck with whatever airline or alliance your employer uses for your business travel. Having or attaining status on the carrier you use most is the logical thing to do. Once-a-month TATL or TPAC will get you there pretty quick.

As far as OW programs go, be aware that Finnair Plus has lousy earn rates for anything less than full fare classes. Discount fares in Y earn only 25% or 50%, so not recommendable unless you buy V and above fares (details). AAdvantage is much better in that regard - you get 100% mileage credit on even the lowest fares.

Hey Bhomburg
Thanks a lot for your response.

So my primery airline would be air berlin as it has the most connections from vienna.

What about the airberlin - topbonus program? Any experiences there?

Have been reconsidering my options and thought this was a good thread to gain some insight from others. I'm a NZ resident, but commute weekly to MEL. Also have a couple of J class trips to Europe each year and fly around 200k miles per year.

I used to fly predominantly *A on NZ, but have gotten tired of the continual FFP changes and given most of my business to QF. As others have expressed QF burn rates are poor so while I have quickly built up over 450k QF miles, I'm considering whether AA would be a better scheme going forward or at least to run alongside.

I probably earn enough Status points to reach QF Plat One, but not sure whether the extra benefits above QF Plat outweigh the effort. Anyway, here are the facts.

(1) What is your home airport? (SFO, SCL, London LHR, HKG, Singapore SIN etc.)
Reply: AKL

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)
Reply: 200k - approx 130 sectors, mostly discount Y but with a few long haul J.

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy? ( First, Business, Economy etc.)
Reply: Generally discount Y AKL-MEL but normally 2-3 trips to Europe in J each year

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or, class of service?. Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: Yes, TT fares in Economy, Long Haul in Bus. Unfortunately all work and no play

(5) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply: Weekly AKL-MEL is my main commute.

(6) Do you have FFP status of any kind of OW or other airline at present? What is it? (AA Executive Platinum, QF Gold, UA 1K, LAN Comodoro, etc)
Reply: QF Plat, GE NZ, Gold with VA

(7) What is most important to you in a FFP? (upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, extra baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, free - discounted lounge access, etc.)
Reply: redemption rates and award access

(8) Preferred Airlines
Reply: largely given up on NZ apart from 1 x J class AKL-LHR which maintains my GE status. Tried VA but QF suits me better.

Yes for AA. Look in this recent thread. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qanta...yer-world.html
Sign up for the AA plat challenge [carefully check eligible TT fare buckets].
If any discount flights are non earning in AA put to QF or just enough to maintain QF gold for Q club access.
Can you get the AKL-LHR booked into QF ?
Once you have AA status the QF-EK arrangement may be of benefit when on QF flight number (QF-EK arrangement details not published)