"flying Club from LHR to AUS return you get 600 TPs."

Amazing!!

which oneworld FF program to go for??
 

Hi fellow Flyers

First of all, I do want to mention that I have tried searching through this forum for answers to no success.

Situation:
I have just completed several flights on LAN airlines and would want to credit the miles to a oneWorld program. I know that LAN have their own program called the LANPASS but I have reservations in crediting the miles to that program as I would probably not travel much on LAN unless I am in the South America region.

I am considering going for CX's program but I am not sure if that is the best route to go for and would like to seek advise.

Background info
1. Home airport --> SIN/CGK (I spend most of the year in between this two places) In the next few years, I might return to the US
2. How many miles a year? --> between 15-20k, can reach 30K.
3. types of fares? --> economy mostly (sometimes discounted). business class once every 2 years or so (though I would aim to at least do 1 business class annually)
4. Can choose airlines mostly (but recently most of my travel are on SQ or CX), travel for both work and pleasure
5. Region of travel --> mostly Asia. 1 trip each to Australia and the US
annually
6. FPP Status? --> Right now only a regular KF because of the limited mileage credited as result of discounted tickets. Also regular on Emirates
7. Whats important in a FPP? --> redemption, upgrades, award access, lounge access (in order)
8. Preferred airlines? SQ, CX (mostly, but I also like TG, NH, EK) --< have more experience in *A airlines mostly cause of my travel pattern

Thanks in advance. Hoping to hear from the esteemed experts soon.

I am moving this to the existing "which FFP" thread.

Gardyloo
Oneworld moderator

As a general rule upgrades are only available with your FFP airline miles on a flight marketed (your airline flight number) and operated by your airline. In general you cannot upgrade codeshares.
Depending on the airline some low $ fares are not upgradeable.
Is different for the AA/BA/IB arrangement (as post 292 above).
Have read where MPC Asiamiles can upgrade BA flights, but not 100% sure who it works

Some Emirates EK flights from 31 Mar 2013 will earn miles in QF ffp. Same for QF to EK ffp. But QF is not a good ffp: high $ surcharges on reward flights and international upgrade is by lottery favoring those with status

Also worth looking as Alaska: a good ffp with a wide range of OW & other airline partners. Also with you can get AS miles on some partner airlines low cost fares, where often these get no miles on other OW ffp's.

Also worth looking at linked threads in post 2 of this thread

Can the LAN flights miles be credited to Alaska's FF program? I understand on the limitation of the ugprades. Thanks.

In general yes. But check the fare bucket. Some may not be eligible. No idea about the various other LAN brands (Columbia, Ecuador, etc). Believe AS does not have one way awards (check)

You are allowed to find the Alaska airline web site by yourself @:-)
Google is your friend (as always). We like people contributing to the thread

http://www.alaskaair.com/content/mil...ePlan-partners

Edit: from a post on 2 Feb 2013

Glad i found this thread :)

We are in the processing of moving from Melbourne, Aus to LA. Currently have no FF membership, but in the next year will need 7 return flights from LA back to Aus. We will be living in the US indefinitely, but for at least one year. Will also wanting to be doing internal flights within the US for holidaysl weekends away and some work.

I guess the main thing we want out of a program is lounge access if possible

I think the consensus will be we will need a bit more information about your actual travel plans (cabin advance purchase etc)

But in any case you will likely find that tickets bought in the USA will be less expensive than anything in the same fare class bought in Australia.

Also search for the threads in the American Airlines thread about "Platinum challenge". Which will be useful if you are going to being flying in economy.

Happy wandering

Fred

As far as I know status with US ffp's does not give lounge access. QF Gold & Plat status does including some AA lounges. But AA is a far better ffp compared to QF. Buy AA or QF club lounge access if needed. If you are flying business class is a moot point:- you have lounge access in intl flight (at least with QF):

Worth finding out what airline you work uses. They may have a corporate discount including for USA-Aust. Qantas, United, Delta, Virgin Aust & Hawaiian fly USA to Aust. And Air NZ via AKL. As above buy your r/t ticket in the USA [LAX-MEL-LAX]

There is a similar thread on star forum.

If you fly business class consider BA executive club: with two return AUS-LAX you'd become silver (OW sapphire) which gives you lounge access when you fly US domestic.

If you fly economy you have to figure out what among AA and QF fits better for you.

How much are you going to fly around the USA?

With 7 USA-Aust returns it will not be QF (so long as tickets are in the correct-earning fare bucket): trust me ^

Just look at burn rate & the fees needed for a QF reward flight compared to AA. Only QF advantage is you can upgrade eligible QF flights. But a straight out AA J reward is competitive to the QF points needed for a J upgrade.

Who is paying for/choosing the airline the USA-Aust flights ?

Not an AA site: http://flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php/Challenge_%28AA%29

AA PLT status will give you lounge access on domestic flights connecting on same day international segments, though not on separate USA domestic flights. Seven AA codeshare round trips LAX-MEL (at just under 8K miles each way) in one (calendar) year will provide EXP status. The same on QF flight codes will be 45 status credits each way - or enough for QF Gold or AA PLT.

Seven in Y+ (QF fares only) would provide QF Gold. Two in Y+ (plus a couple of short flights) would be AA PLT.

In seven business class flights either program will yield OW Emerald. In any case your issue will not be lounge access but who provides you with better irregular ops support and better awards / upgrades. Remember awards / upgrades on USA-Oz flights are difficult (though not impossible) to find even for QF PLTs.

Happy wandering.

Fred

Most depend on travel class IMO, if mainly business I'd go with BA considered it allows to earn full avios and TP on any AA flight. With economy is more difficult:
AA has the unknown factor of the merger that may change aadvantage scheme.
QF doesn't seem a good FFP but if he is going to stay only one year in the US and then come back to Aussie it could make sense to join it

Thanks all.

It will be economy flights as they will be for personal reasons. So we will be paying for and choosing the USA - Aust flights. And will probably be able to do so 4 - 6 months in advance

Internal flights within the US will also be economy as far as i know. And my work does not have any prefferential airline or gain any discounts. We just book the flights ourself (within a budget) and they reimburse us.

Sounding like AA is our best bet?

As prawn86 is new to OneWorld & freq flyer programs here is more on some of the abbreviations mentioned above (from http://www.oneworld.com/ffp/my-oneworld-tier-status/ )

Status
OW Emerald = QF Plat = AA Exec Plat [EXP]
OW Sapphire = QF Gold = AA Plat
OW Ruby = QF silver = AA Gold
OW none = QF Bronze = AA nothing

Post 1 has other links