Thanks for the reply and the info.

I need some advice. I am looking for an OW carrier. My main intention is save miles for reward tickets with low or no fuel surcharge.

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?

Reward tickets with low or no fuel surcharge

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?

25000-50000 cheapest class

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?

cheapest

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?

only for pleasure

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?

europe to asia, europe to north and latin america

(6) What is your home airport?

ISTANBUL Turkey

(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?

NO

(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?

Not really

thx in advance

Heya guys,

Recently relocated to the UK from HK due to studies. Wasn't really in the mileage/FFP thing but now I'm "free" from my parents I'm free to do as I please. Wondering what OW program to credit flights towards? Some Q/A answered below:

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Reply:Good award redemption rates and or earning rates

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
Reply: Less than 20,000 miles per year...depends on how many times I'll fly home or visit relatives across the pond (Canada)

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
As a skint student cheapest would be the best but on a super long flight I wouldn't mind splurging out a bit for Y+

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Pleasure. I can choose my airlines

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
Longhaul to Far East, InterEuro or TransAtlantic

(6) What is your home airport?
EDI

(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
None

(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
When I lived in HKG CX of course was my preferred airline. This year I took VS for HKG-LHR-EDI. Will have a return journey to take on the way back home this summer but after summer I'll be changing back to OW as VS will no longer do LHR-EDI.

After your studies where will be home? (If you know)
CX is not that good a ffp for low priced economy fares, especially on non CX flights.
If cost is prime factor when choosing a flight, treat ff miles, if any, as a bonus that may or may not have value in the future.

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en.../airlines.html You may be able to get miles from your VS flight into 1 of the VS partner airlines ffp's (ffp tend to be reciprocal)

will be staying in the UK or EU at least.
Yeah I know that about CX low fares which is why I wouldn't want to bank with em. Well the return flight I'm taking later next year will be last one banked with VS. (will have enough miles for a Y to Y+ upgrade)

If cost is prime factor when choosing a flight, treat ff miles, if any, as a bonus that may or may not have value in the future.

yeah true that. But what program should I accrue it with then? What OW program would have the best redemption rates?

AS or VS ?
Long haul AA and no award surcharges, unless on a BA flight. But earn to burn is what is important, as are the expiry rules. Short haul BA is good for many

QF vs AA Help
 

Hi all. Haven't traveled in awhile but now starting again regularly and need advise on whether to focus on the QF or AA program. Here's my info:

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Decent FF redemption for economy intl flights, priority services, lounge access.

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
Currently flying 6 round trips per year IAH-PER. All business class. Some miscellaneous US travel but nothing significant.

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Business, corporate discount fare (such as I on QF)

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Work travel to PER on business is limited to corporate alliances. Currently QF, Qatar, or Emirates. Latest almost all trips have been QF, with Qatar as a distant second.

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
For QF - IAH-DFW-SYD-PER, for Emirates, IAH-DXB-PER, for Qatar, IAH-DOH-PER

(6) What is your home airport?
IAH

(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
QF gold (80k pts), AA no status (40k pts). *A Gold (UA 1 MM).

(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Prefer Qantas routing to PER due to less air time.

The corporate alliance always buys the QF flights as QF ticket stock, although the IAH-DFW leg is on AA metal. For US flights, being at IAH for home airport, I favor UA or Southwest for US trips, so I hardly ever fly AA directly.

My understanding is that since my tickets on QF are bought through QF, the AA metal IAH-DFW won't count towards my four segments for AA status. Is that correct?

On QF, I will easily make platinum and may even make it to platinum one, although there isn't a difference in point accumulation, etc.

My goal is to accumulate miles for international leisure travel, probably back to Australia or Asia.

If I'm correct that I can't get AA status, do the lower redemption rates on AA outweigh the lower status multipliers and lack of access to additional FF ticket inventory?

Thanks...

No. These segments should count when they have the AA flight numbers on them as far as I have understood the rules.
The ticket does not need to be issued by AA for this. My AA segment counter increases with every AA operated flight even when I fly AA on a ticket bought through BA or AB.


Seeing you live in the US, getting status on AA is just a quick one-day run to anywhere with a connection away, should those AA-on-QF-tickets-segments NOT count towards status (I'd pose this question again in the pre-merger AA forum for more input, but I sincerely believe they will count).
That'd be money well spent: Once you have attained Platinum (after the second PER flight), each subsequent trip there will net you 55,000 redeemable AA miles. AA miles are generally pretty versatile and valuable in comparison, much more so than QF miles.

The only factor that would me holding back from going to AA and staying with QF (seeing you don't travel much outside of this and as such would not be able to use the AA SWUs, complimentary upgrades and other benefits) would be the ability to upgrade a few of these DFW-SYD longhauls to F, something you would not be able to do with AA instruments.

And it's comparatively easy to attain lifetime Oneworld Sapphire status with the amount of premium cabin flying you do when crediting to QF - after 14k status credits you'll be lifetime Gold. This takes two million BIS miles on AA - which is a LOT more flying.

For redemptions AA is far better than QF, and no AA award cash surcharge, unless a BA/IB award flight. QF has high cash surcharges. Look at post 330 for a comparison.

Look at the AA plat challenge for faster AA status. (links in post 1 of this thread). You will need 4 flights with AA flight numbers. As you are flying business class AA status does nothing for those QF or QR flights, but you earn more miles. QF flight numbers are valid for the AA challenge. QR & CX are not
http://flyerguide.com/index.php/Challenge_%28AA%29
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...-platinum.html

AA, QF and EK are ff partners of AS http://www.alaskaair.com/content/mil...ePlan-partners

AA and EK are ff partners of QF. But EK flights are non earning for status (No SC's) For EK flights you get (some) QF points (miles). QF recently reduced the earning on non QF flights.

Go with AAdvanatge

hello, im trying to figure out which is the best oneworld program to advise a friend based in DXB. right now im undecided between:

- JAL: allows to credit emirates and ow flights in one program and is preferred vs alaska airlines because it doesnt require to start trip in us
- QR: possibility of achieving status and decent award chart, plus pooling with credit card miles
- AA: good award chart, no fuel surcharge, miles expiry rules

i have posted a similar request in the information desk forum and received already some good help, but i guess this forum is most appropriate in deciding specifically which oneworld program

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
earn/burn ratio for longhaul redemptions
lounge access

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
mostly short haul from DXB in Y 10 segments per year, a couple of business class trip per year max

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Cheapest fare available

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
can choose airline

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
EK and QR mainly

(6) What is your home airport?
DXB

(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
None

(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
EK and QR

thanks in advance for your help!

First Blind Leap into the Frequent Flyer World
 

Hi there,
This is my very first post on here. Also, the first-time ever in my life that I have decided to actively pursue acquisition of miles through a frequent flyer program offered by one of the three big alliances.

The main aim is to use the miles flown to my advantage as a traveller. Benefit in terms of redeeming free flights, extra baggage allowance, and access to restricted lounges where ever I travel across the globe sound an attractive proposition to me.

I have had only subscribed to one frequent flyer program, Emirates Skywards, in my lifetime. But didn't pursue it after just 2 sector trip to Europe. At the time, I thought all of this was worthless time-wasting gimmickry.

But now, I have come to realize that one can indeed draw travel benefits out of these programs. But having researched a lot on the world wide web about major alliances and several frequent flyer program e-brochures. I have failed to understand how the whole thing actually works. The mechanism seems very complex to me for the time being.

So, I am here to seek help from people who are entrenched into this system, and have valuable knowledge to share with newbies like us.

I am a leisure traveller, and take two major trips every year. In Dec/Jan to Far East/North Asia/South Asia and Oceania/Australia/New Zealand. And in June/July/August to Europe/North America.

I rarely do short segment trips internationally.

So, this time I will be travelling once again to Far East and Australia/New Zealand in one go. And the best choice right now is to travel with OneWorld all the way to New Zealand, and cover all the countries in between on a 6 segment air ticket.

The OneWorld ticket I will be purchasing soon include sectors with Srilankan UL, Cathay Pacific CX, Qantas QF, and Malaysian MH.

Using mileage calculator, I have found out that I will be acquiring well over 20,000 miles on this trip alone for flying with multiple airline partners of OneWorld alliance.

Only 2 OneWorld alliance airlines serve destinations in my home country directly.

1. Srilankan UL
2. Qatar Airways QR

Cathay Pacific CX used to fly direct but not any more. But do still issue CX airfares and tickets in collaboration with Srilankan UL.

Can you help me with choosing the most beneficial OW frequent flyer program, and also to figure out which will allow me to jump from one OneWord tier to another quickly and also easily considering I am not a business traveller.

Please also explain the difference between Tier miles and Normal miles, and in my position given above how many Tier Miles and Status Miles can I acquire with a 20,000 miles+ journey on OneWorld.

If you can explain it with a clear EXAMPLE, it would be easier for me to understand this frequent flyer conundrum.

Hope someone can help me figure this out.

Many thanks.

Welcome to FT, Libertine!

I am going to move and merge your question to an existing "sticky" thread that covers how to choose a Oneworld frequent flyer program. In it we have a little "template" - a Q&A form that will assist members in recommending the best "fit" in FFPs to your particular circumstances.

Happy flying!

Gardyloo
Oneworld moderator

Easiest OW Program - 50000 miles/year max
 

Hi there,
I have been looking into OW frequent flyer programs for a while now. Looking for help narrowing down my choices.

Expected Yearly Travel - 50000 miles max
Type - Long Haul Segments
Airlines - Multi airline itinerary. Not possible to fly multiple segments with any one OW airline alone. Will mostly travel on OneWorld tickets combining 2 or more airlines on one journey.

Note: Maximum segments with one any one OW airline will not exceed 2/3 for a round trip.

Example from my upcoming trip

Outbound -

KHI - CMB > Srilankan UL
CMB - BKK > Cathay CX
SIN - SYD > Qantas QF
SYD - AKL > LAN

Inbound -

AKL - KUL > Malaysian MH
BKK - CMB > Srilankan UL
CMB - LHE > Srilankan UL/Codeshare MJ

Aim/Target :

Obtain

Ruby - First Year's Travel
Sapphire - Second Year's Travel
Emerald - Third Year's Travel

And then try to retain Emerald in subsequent years by flying 50,000 miles on various OW partner airline annually.

Having looked at the comparison charts, it seems like with a 50,000 miles annual ceiling only these options make sense. I wont pay any attention to the sector flown threshold option to reach status set by each airline as I never fly that many sectors within a year. Instead focus on achieving status through long haul miles flown with 12-15 sectors flown each year.

1. Royal Jordanian -

Emerald - 55000 tier miles with 50000 for re-qualification. NO min RJ miles
Sapphire - 35000 tier miles with 30000 for re-qualification. NO min RJ miles
Ruby - 15000 tier miles with 12000 for re-qualification. NO min RJ miles

2. Srilankan

Emerald - 60000 tier miles with 55000 for re-qualification. 30K min UL
Sapphire - 40000 tier miles with 35000 for re-qualification. 20K min UL
Ruby - 20000 tier miles with 15000 for re-qualification. min 1 UL segment

The biggest catch it seems with Srilankan is that one must fly minimum 30000 miles on UL of the 60000 annual threshold. That's simply impossible to do unless there are long-haul codeshare flights available to Australia/New Zealand or USA/Canada

It seems like Royal Jordanian doesn't ask for any minimum mileage of the total 55000 miles to be flown on RJ to acquire or retain Emerald status.

I am leaning towards RJ solely for this reason even though I won't be flying even a single sector on it on my way to Emerald status, but rather frequent with Cathay, Srilankan, Qantas and Malaysian.

Seems like Royal Jordanian RJ has the easiest and most flexible program for medium mileage leisure travellers. And would be the easiest option with which to acquire Sapphire/Emerald OW Status and also retain it.

Have I made the right choice, or is there a hidden catch with RJ Royal Plus program that I seemed to have missed?

Many thanks for your help with this query.

I'm going to move this to the same thread I moved your first one to. You'll find your messages on the last page.

Gardyloo
Oneworld moderator

Thanks!

I just hope that someone will eventually help me with this query. Or I will have to take a blind plunge, and learn while making mistakes along the way.

I don't even know for now, if frequent flyer programs are worth wasting so much time over.

Please as the questions in post 1

Most FFP's cost nothing to join so you may some benefit.
If you are not in a ffp you get no benefit

Thanks for your prompt reply.

Here are the answers to the standard questions.

Questions

For members asking for information, to help people to assist you, can you please provide:

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?

Reply :

Upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, extra baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, and free- discounted lounge access. So, all of them really. But premium lounge access and free mileage reward based tickets are the most dear to me. I would also like to take the shortest route to Sapphire or Emerald status and be able to keep it relative ease.


(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?

Reply :

25000-50000, <25 flights/sectors. Economy predominantly with an occasional trip or two in Business, provided I get a great deal.

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?

Reply:

Economy/Cheapest.

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?

Reply:

Yes, I am free to choose whatever airline I wish to fly with. The same goes for class of service. Most of my travelling will be for leisure purposes.

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?

Reply:

Which ever gives the most competitive fare. OneWorld tickets have never let me down, as they turn out to be the most competitively prices. Two 20,000+ miles trips every year. One to Australia/New Zealand with stopovers in either KUL/SIN/BKK both ways and an additional one in CMB. Second one, again a 20,000+ miles trip to US/Canada with stopovers in LHR/CDG plus another one in either DOH or DXB.

(6) What is your home airport?

Reply:

LHE Lahore, but do also fly from KHI Karachi, and rarely from Islamabad ISB as airfares from ISB tend to be higher priced than from KHI/LHE. KHI being the hub here offers the cheapest airfares from/to any destination globally.

(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?

Reply:

Used to have Emirates Skywards, but I never cared about the miles after flying 2 sector to Europe with them. Must have expired by now. It was ages ago.

Never really cared about frequent flyer programs until now. But considering I will be embarking on a 20,000+ miles journey next month. Finding out that this one trip alone could take me to RUBY status from nothing with some OW frequent flyer programs seems like a great opportunity.

(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?

Reply:

None really. I keep a list of MUST AVOID airlines than the other way around. But the upcoming trip would include sectors from Srilankan, Cathay, Qantas, Malaysian and LAN.

Only 2 OW partner airlines operate directly from my country. Srilankan and Qatar Airways. So, I suppose for all outbound/inbound first and last legs, I have to fly with Srilankan or Qatar for onward connecting flights.


Hope you will be able to help me with.

Many thanks.

I posted this in the general "FFP recommendations" thread, but I am also looking for a more OW-focused perspective on where I should start crediting my flights now that I have moved and my QF status is slowly dwindling.

Admittedly I haven't read into to many programs other than AB's (which didn't excite me very much), so I appreciate any advice! A program with a decent rewards credit card attached (in Germany) would be a nice thing to have, too.

1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
Priority services, award redemption, lounge access, upgrades

2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?
25000-50000 miles, ~20 flights. Mostly intra-Europe or to US/Australia.

3. What fare class do you usually buy?
Economy, upgrade with points where possible.

4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Mostly able to choose as most flights are personal/for pleasure. When flying for work, I can usually choose alliance.

5. Which routes do you fly most often?
Intra-Europe, Kangaroo, Transatlantic

6. What is your home airport?
TXL

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in a FFP, if any?
QF Gold (about to drop to Silver for the next year and will probably not requalify). Have ~140,000 QFF points to be used.

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
I don't have a preferred list of airlines, but I usually fly QF/AB/AY/BA/EK/AA with the occasional LH flight. I have an upcoming TXL-SYD round trip which I am crediting the intra-Europe segments to QF (AB flights) and the rest to an EY Guest account which I have never used.

RJ requires minimum sectors (4/8/12) on RJ metal for initial qualification, e.g. http://www.rj.com/en/ffp_gold_plus.html?learn_more

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...oyal+jordanian

I accidentally got BA Silver a couple years ago and since I've been just managing to hang onto it, but I'm not sure it's the best airline's FFP for me, especially since the fees for flying in and out of LHR are consistently crazy. I'm pretty sure at least that oneworld is the best alliance for me since it has the best South America coverage.

1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
Lounge access, priority services. Upgrades happen so rarely for me that while it would be a perk, it's not one I'm familiar with or banking on.

2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?
Not sure but probably around 25k miles, give or take. Under 25 flights. In the 2014 calendar year I did exactly 25 segments, if I'm counting correctly.

3. What fare class do you usually buy?
Cheapest, but keeping an eye out for premium economy that seems worth it.

4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
I travel for pleasure so I can always choose.

5. Which routes do you fly most often?
I don't think there are any particular routes I fly most often except maybe NYC <-> MIA and NYC <-> SFO more than once a year. My flying is more from NYC to Europe and then around Europe, to South America and then around South America, and back to NYC. Or in some other order. I usually fly into Rio in South America, no consistency in Europe.

I'm thinking of spending more time in SE Asia, I'm not sure how much this changes things.

6. What is your home airport?
JFK, sort of. I'm in NYC maybe 4-6 months of the year, the rest abroad. Trying to spend even less time in NYC/the US.

7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in a FFP, if any?
BA Silver, and probably about 35k miles in there.

8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
I don't think I have really preferred airlines but BA is nice, Finnair and Iberia seem nice from my limited experience with them, and American seems to be the only tolerable US domestic airline.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Earning and using air miles with an OW FFP ?
 

Hello,

I have discovered this new sport consisting in optimizing air miles :)

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Upgrades on travel, free - lounge access

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
Generally 8.000 but I'm going for a RTW in few weeks :)

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Always the cheapest then I try to upgrade :p

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
I travel for pleasure so I choose the cheapest airline flights

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
Paris-USA with AA

(6) What is your home airport?
Paris CDG or ORY

(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
No status. I belong to the free program of AA and BA with only few miles available

(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
AA or BA

But I must add that I have booked a RTW from Europe with an agency and will fly with OW airlines (Qantas mainly but also Emirates, British Airways, Jetstar Asia, China Eastern and Air Caledonie).
I have been advised to sign in Qantas FF since it permits to earn points for every flight.
But I will probably never fly with Qantas after my RTW.
Therefore I was thinking about earning points on my AAadvantage card. I read they have the best deals.
Even if I don't fly with AA for this RTW, I could use those point afterwards to fly to the USA with AA from Europe.
I also have a BA FF (with no mile point).

What do you think is the best FF card to use for earning miles with a RTW with OW for a European traveler ?

Thank you for having taken the time to read my post :)

Olifly Welcome to FT

What sort of RTW ticket? Reads like a OW Global explorer GLOB***
What are the flight numbers? You may be on codeshares, so the operating carriers may be different. Getting miles from codeshares can be problemetic.

QF is a very poor ffp due to high cost of award flights/upgrades (QF points) and high cash surcharges. AA is good for many people, as is BA. But BA awards can have high cash surcharges.

You can add your ffeq flyer number at any time. You can also retro claim miles where for flights that has no ff number. Rules for retro credit vary a lot. For many ffp's you need to be a signed up member at the date of the flight (as you are now)

AAdvantage to earn air miles with every OW flight (even with no actual AA flight)
 

Thank for your answer.

I booked my RTW with an agency who works with OW.
I will ask about codeshares.
I think I will go with AA. Is there any downside earning miles with AAdvantage for OW flights (even with no actual AA flight) :confused:

Just moved to TYO from USA -- which to switch?
 

Dear all,

Have just moved to Tokyo...and am going to be routed increasingly on JAL/FinnAir/BA...so, could do with advice?

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
ability to use miles or awards for upgrades when I fly with my family on our own travel.

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors? and (3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
~100-150k per year (BIS). Mostly in C/J/Z (business to discount business). Some in premium economy if the boss is being difficult


(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?

Mostly travel for work. I have limited ability to choose, but some ability to influence.

:
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
#1 route is TYO - NYC. Followed closely by TYO-GVA.

(6) What is your home airport?
TYO

Reply:
(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
United 1k. Used to be a BAEC gold, and have a few residual miles, but token amounts.

(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
I like BA Club world. But will end up flying JAL...because I'm here. And Finnair because of pricing, I suspect?

I'd like to statusmatch. I'm happy to do a challenge -- I have two business class trips in Feb/Mar (TYO-BUD-NYC-TYO and TYO-NYC-GVA-TYO) so meeting any challenge thresholds should not be a problem.

Thanks for advice!

US Airways is now OneWorld right?

So if I flew primarily American, I could still get points for US Air flights out of DCA correct?

(Formerly a big United guy when I lived near Chicago, but looking to switch possibly.)

I'd be flying DCA->PIT and DCA->SFO often.

- what is your definition of best?:

I will be flying primarily coach, I'd like to acquire status quickly and use it to redeem for upgrades to Economy plus on short trips or business class on longer trips.

- do you value miles/points (or equivalent) for redemption over gaining status?
I can have my work book coach class tickets, so upgrades are more useful

- do you fly enough to gain any meaningful status?
I just missed United Silver last year. I will probably fly more this year.
- what do you want to use the miles/points for (award, upgrade, hotels, what ever)?
I'm primarily focused on upgrades since work pays for hotels etc
- what sort of flight award is of interest (destination, class of travel)?
Usually vacations. For example I did an open jaw into prague, out of amsterdam with my points this summer.
- are you interested in topping up by paying cash for miles?
No
- which airline and where do you normally fly?
I normally will fly to SFO, and PIT a couple times a year.

- are you primarily a leisure or business traveller?
Primarily business
- where do you live?
Washington DC

- do you have other ways of earning points in the various programs, e.g. credit cards, shopping, etc,?

I churn cards, yes, but usually once/twice a year.

I'm far from an expert on JAL's program, but my quick read of it is that it's fairly clunky for attaining high status. Frankly, with your travel patterns, I'd have to suggest AA. You could challenge to Platinum (OW Sapphire) easily, and flying as much as you'll do in premium cabins will undoubtedly get you to Executive Platinum (OW Emerald) quite rapidly. For he time being at least, AA's earn/burn numbers are hard to beat in Oneworld.

Look at the AA Wiki for information about the challenges. You'd probably have to use AA flight numbers on TYO-NYC on JL, or else ride AA metal to the US then switch, but only until you've reached 10K elite qualifying points (6667 butt-in-seat miles in J) at which point you could fly on any Oneworld flight number and still build miles/points to EXP.

Yes, you'll earn AA miles on US flights.

Look at the wiki on the AA board regarding the status challenges. Might work for you.

Infrequent flyer to anywhere!
 

Hi eveyone!
I am mostly a *A flyer but I think I am going to increase the frequency of flights on OW.
Note that I am a NOT so frequent flyer! Around 3 intercontinental flights a year in the cheapest airline I can find!
And life is changing all the time, so I will give you my guesses for near future flights and airports.... I will answer the questions as accurately as possible!

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Main objective: status upgrade. Secondary objectives:redeem miles on seat upgrades long-haul or award flights.

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
Around 20-40.000 miles a year in 3 intercontinental flights. (maybe not all on OW)

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Cheapest!

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Both for work and for pleasure, and I am the one deciding.

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
On OW: British, TAM
Others: TAP, United
a) USA East coast <-> Portugal
b) Portugal <-> Brazil
c) Portugal/Brazil <-> Japan
d) Within Europe

(6) What is your home airport?
Lisbon, or Fortaleza, or Tokyo

(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
No status for now.
I have around 13.000 avios on British.
(and 12.000 on United and 19.000 on TAP)

(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
In future, probably TAM, TAP


Is the there a program on OW suitable for less frequent fliers like Asiana, Aegean and Turkish in *A?
TAM seems to be decent enough to get "Silver" status (15.000m/1y) - impossible for "Gold" (50.000/y)
British avios seem to be for life which is good! And family pooling is a big factor for not so frequent fliers I think....

Thank you for your help!

Guys need your help! Have some travel booked for rest of the year with my fiance. Trying to figure out a program to credit her flights.

1. She seldom flies alone, and I'm already an AA EXP. So status has no importance.
2. Most travel will be on AA, BA metal. About 40-50k Miles.
3. Leaning towards BA Avios due to household account = the ability to pool. I retain control essentially. :D But will she get more value out of AA miles?
4. She has some 300k in chase points, outside of that no ffp programs.

Thanks!

Since the Chase points can be transferred 1:1 to BA Avios, so that would be my choice. Hopefully you're aware of BA's demon surcharge practices on awards on BA metal or anything transatlantic, but Avios can be good value on transpacific or South America flights, or on shorthaul North America awards.

You might also look at Alaska, however, as their redemption rates are quite good and you can (for the time being at least) also use a number of Skyteam partners with AS miles, such as DL, KL, AF etc.

I don't know if this is the right section, but I wanted to ask.

I have Enrich Silver membership, and I want to use it to book a one way business class flight to USA from KUL. My issue is Malaysia doesn't fly to US anymore, and shares the plane from Tokyo to LAX with AA. I figure I have to call to ask, as I can't check online.

But is it American Airlines cheaper to redeem flights on with MAS enrich points, or is it better to not redeem on One world. I've never redeemed a one world flight, thus I'm not really sure if it's better to stick with MAS flights, or I can go ahead and redeem it for a One world member (does it work on AA tarrifs or MAS tariffs)?

You do not “redeem on Oneworld”. OW is only a marketing organisation.

As you have MAS enrich points you can only redeem with MAS. If you cannot do on line with MAS you will need to phone MAS. You can get award flights with any OW airline with MH points, subject to availability. The cost in MH enrich points will be as the per MH reward table It does not matter what other airline ffp charge.
Without looking as guess the options are
KUL-NRT-LAX (MH & AA/JL
KUL-HKG-LAX (MH & CX)
SIN-HKG-LAX (CX) (find your own way to Sin)
http://www.oneworld.com/flights/where-we-fly

If you are not a US citizen would expect the USA to want a ticket out the country before they will let you in. But do no rely on this forum for passport/immigration advice

That's great because from what I understand, MAS has slightly cheaper redemption rates than others (not including fuel surchages since that I'm not sure about).

which 1w ?
 

Hello,

I need help finding which 1W FFP to bank my travel miles on. I am thinking of also joining a ST FFP and *A FFP other than LH M&M because of their really high mileage status qualifications or what ever they are called.
I was considering AAdvantage as a substitute to BAEC, but I'm not sure will this be the correct strategy.

Thank you.
Questions
For members asking for information, to help people to assist you, can you please provide:
(1) 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: Lounge Access, Priority service when flying, extra baggage allowance
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
(<25000, 25000-50000, >50000 miles - <25, 25-50, >50 flights?)
Reply: <25000
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
(First, Business, Premium economy, Economy, cheapest)
Reply: cheapest
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: Yes; pleasure
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
(US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply:CAI-ORD, CAI-JFK
(6) What is your home airport?
(SFO, SCL, London LHR, HKG, Singapore SIN etc.)
Reply: CAI
(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
(AA Executive Platinum, QF Gold, UA 1K, LAN Comodoro, etc)
Reply:LH M&M (base), Etihad Guest (base), both with about 5000 miles banked on each.
(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Reply:BA/AA, EY, LH, and I've flown some AZ

Best program for TLL-based occasional flyer
 

Based in TLL and fly occasionally on AY, IB, and (rarely) BA or AB for business on short-haul European connecting flights.

Already have UA Platinum/*G, so am not seeking to maximize my Oneworld flying. My only criteria are:
-Relatively good expiration period for miles earned
-Relatively generous earnings on discounted intra-European fares
-No fuel surcharges for European redemption (I understand AY has now introduced this benefit)

Given these criteria, would you go with AY, the airline whose metal (well, FC/flybe Nordic) I'll be flying most? Or do IB, S7, or even something like MH offer a better fit?

Many thanks for any input!!

Hi,

Can I get some help with this I am very confusing about which OW program for me to go with. CX seem to be easier to get higher tier and have more benefit for low tier member but BA do lifetime tier states while CX doesn't (1185 tier point in account)

- what is your definition of best?
Great Fare
- do you value miles/points (or equivalent) for redemption over gaining status?
NO
- do you fly enough to gain any meaningful status?
Well, Yes if I focus on one program
- what do you want to use the miles/points for (award, upgrade, hotels, what ever)?
Upgrade
- what sort of flight award is of interest (destination, class of travel)?
Class of travel
- are you interested in topping up by paying cash for miles?
NO
- which airline and where do you normally fly?
BA/CX
- are you primarily a leisure or business traveller?
Student
- where do you live?
HKG
- do you have other ways of earning points in the various programs, e.g. credit cards, shopping, etc,?
NO


Questions
For members asking for information, to help people to assist you, can you please provide:
(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Reply:
upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, extra baggage allowance
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
(<25000, 25000-50000, >50000 miles - <25, 25-50, >50 flights?)
Reply:25000-50000
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
(First, Business, Premium economy, Economy, cheapest)
Reply:Y/PEY
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: I can choose
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
(US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply: HKG-LHR
(6) What is your home airport?
(SFO, SCL, London LHR, HKG, Singapore SIN etc.)
Reply: HKG
(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
(AA Executive Platinum, QF Gold, UA 1K, LAN Comodoro, etc)
Reply: CX Green (12XXX in account) BA Blue (83XXX in account)
(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Reply: BA/CX

You cannot upgrade CX flights with BA avios, only BA flights (and full fare AA/IB flights).
I believe you still can upgrade BA flights with Asia Miles, as well as CX flights.

On that basis, CX may be better for you.

Hi folks, I would love your advice on an OW FFP! Many thanks in advance.

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Reply: priority services (business check-in, fasttrack)

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
Reply: <25 some years, 25-50 others.

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Reply:
50% personal: cheapest
50% work: cap depending on destination.

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: 50% limited choice for personal, more choice for work.

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
Reply: ZRH return to SFO, PER, SYD. Within Europe.

(6) What is your home airport?
Reply: ZRH

(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?

Reply: 50k QF. 20k LH. Lowest tier in each.


(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Reply:
Most common: QF LX SQ LH
Preferred:
- non-US airlines :-)
- My wife prefers Emirates (her legs actually fit in A380 economy there) and SQ for service.
- My wife heard bad things about LX and Thai for long haul with kids... but that's handwavy.

(9) Extra info:

Upcoming flights:
ZRH-CPH-SFO return on SAS class Z.
ZRH-DXB-SYD-PER-DXB-ZRH on QF (emirates operating) class O and Q.

I booked with SAS thinking about *A since Asiana or Turkish status is valid for 2+ years, so less thinking in the future. I got an amazing fare, so I didn't think about it too much, and business class is a luxury for me :)

The QF flight was a case of "I'm not worried about FFP, just give me the best/cheapest flight". no *A flights suited us for that (open jaw routing apparently screwed that up). I almost took Etihad to open the books with Asiana, but the flight timing was bad for the kids. So now I look into it, *A is quite limited for the Kangaroo hop, I'm looking at attempting either *A Gold + OWR, or just OWE.

So, I'm looking at TAM and I can't find much discussion on them. I calculated it as QF: 12.5k miles, 150 points (OWR at 300) TAM: 23k points (OWR at 15k, OWE at 50k).

Then I looked at TAM partners, and they've retained a lot of *A partners which is perfect for flying around Europe - best of both alliances? What's the catch?

First post, thanks to anyone who can help with advice:

First off, the facts:

(1) 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:I want upgrades and baggage allowance in my FFP, lounge access

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
(<25000, 25000-50000, >50000 miles - <25, 25-50, >50 flights?)
Reply: I am looking at right now 2 trips per year Brussels to Shainghi, two trips per year Brussels to Austin, two or more US domestic trips. Other EU based travel is possible, but with the price of Ryan Air it's sometimes hard to choose loyalty.

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
(First, Business, Premium economy, Economy, cheapest)
Reply: Usually Economy/Cheapest, but will buy Premium Economy when the cost difference is not so much (sometimes on BA's Shanghai flights)

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: Living in Brussels Belgium area, but have am a US citizen with EU residence. So I can use my US address for frequent flyer programs. I am flying for work for at least 4 international legs, but as I own the business and we are starting off, the flights are the cheapest/ near cheapest at the moment. As we grow, buying premium economy flights are desirable. I also have family in Canada and the US that we see on an annual basis, so family flight tickets also happen.

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
(US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply: Currently I really would like to stick to London as BA can get me to many places I need to travel in a short time, quick trip from BRU to LON, then I can fly direct to Toronto, Austin (LOVE THIS OPTION) and Shainghi, which are three of my most common flights. I also have to planned travel on an annual basis of Las Vegas, Boston (east coast) for most years. As my business grows there are possibly three to four US based trips each year.


(6) What is your home airport?
(SFO, SCL, London LHR, HKG, Singapore SIN etc.)
Reply: Brussels BRU, with AUS Austin Texas my second "Home". most flight will originate from BRU


(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
(AA Executive Platinum, QF Gold, UA 1K, LAN Comodoro, etc)
Reply: I have some miles banked in an about to merged US Airways account, but no status, been flying the cheapest option for all my international travel on non banking tickets, but as the business grows I want to build some status to make my travel more enjoyable and give me something back for logging air miles.


(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Reply: I prefer BA for my international travel via London, but otherwise, I am not set as of this moment, hence this post.

To expand on the above, I live in the Brussels area, fly from BRU almost always as my starting airport, but will also have AUS in Texas as my "second" home as that is where our US office is located. I run my own clothing company which has our factory in Shanghai China, which I travel to at least twice a year. There is/will be around three plus trips to the US/Canada a year, both personal and business.

I am trying to decide between the AA Advantage verse the BA program. My thoughts are that at first glance the BA FFP program with the BA CC to help earn miles is the logical choice. I can take out a company CC which will help with earning non flying miles.

But I think the ability to earn miles and status will be easier with the AA program. I can still bank miles on the major BA routes when I fly, but I'm not sure if the cheaper rates, especially for Premium Economy are available on the AA site when booking BA flights.

So given these two options, which is the better choice for me? I can be either EU (Belgium) registered or Austin, Texas USA based for my account, either works for me.

Thanks for the help. Gregg

Hi all, I'm *A Gold (TK Miles & Smiles Elite) and can easily re-qualify with my short haul travel (mainly from BRU to other European cities). For my long-haul I'd like to have more choice and my customers often require me to choose the cheapest reasonable option, hence I would like to add oneworld to the mix.

I would like to leverage my *A status to status match to a similar level on a oneworld carrier.

Questions
For members asking for information, to help people to assist you, can you please provide:
(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Reply: Good award redemption, miles do not easily expire, ability to re-qualify
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
Doing about 60 shorthaul segments on *A.
Plan on doing minimum of 4 TATL segments in C each year on oneworld. Mybe Asia (HKG, SIN, ...)
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
TATL: C
Short haul: cheapest
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Mostly work but I'm free to choose if price is similar
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
Intra-European, TATL (BRU-NYC, BRU-LAX, BRU-MIA)
(6) What is your home airport?
BRU
(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
TK Elite (*A Gold)
(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Mostly LH. Would do VS or BA to US.

Thanks for your input!