Im with MPO but normally wouldn't attain OWE status with MPO, but I do earn lots of Asia miles with CC spend.

So im potentially happy having no/low status on MPO, and using my CC earned miles for redemptions, which really aren't a problem and gaining OWE status for the rest.

I just bought a DONE3 ticket and thinking BA will give me a sure fire OWE status after the flights. I wasn't clever enough to change the flights to target one marketing partner, so they are the actual metal flights QR/QR/BA/BA/AA/AA/AA/AA/JAL/CX/CX/CX/CX/BA/BA

Before anyone says AHAH! im going to add a separate side trip on at the start BA so would get the 4 flights and 600 tier points for OWS status very quicky and would finish off the ticket over the next year and get OWE (dont even need more than 4 flights).

So then Im trying to get my head around the AA challenge too, and im not entirely sure how to calculate the qualifying miles on non AA carriers- moreover I dont think I would reach OWE via AA (or MPO)

Then there is QF/QR/JAL.... dont really know much except Qatar seems like it has a good mileage program too, but I think I will need 4 QR flights in 24 months... I could do two more flights on QR easily too.

....(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: Upgrades, priority service and lounge access, redemption on BA for European and trans-atlantic flights in business would be important to me and lesser would be AA redemption for trans continental flights. There is no wait-listing allowed in MPO for non CX flights so this is a real bother, no mater what MPO status (or is this not true?)

(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: 50k-70k

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
(First, Business, Premium economy, Economy, cheapest)
Reply: Discounted Business

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: Mainly pleasure, prefer OW because based in HK and fly a lot to UK, so BA is ideal and fly to the states again on CX. Problem is when i try to redeem a mileage ticket on BA (as an MPO) member in F/C classes its almost impossible for me.

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
(US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply: HKG to LHR to ARN and sometimes to JFK via LHR if im going that way or HKG to JFK and sometimes onwards to LHR, sometimes i want to redeem on AA for trans con

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


Cheers

So my first flights on OW await me, and with a slight change in travel patterns, it seems possible there will be more... Maybe I should get some card then. Mainly I am deciding between QR and AB at the moment, as these two are the ones that I have the next flights with.

Questions

(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:
Ideal would be lounge access at departure airports at Silver, but I don't think anyone has that anymore, then lounge access at hub airport (free and/or paid in both cases), good award rates, last good award ticket rates (if practical at all due to fees and relatively low mileage

(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:
20-40k status miles, 15-20 sectors, mostly longhaul

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
(First, Business, Premium economy, Economy, cheapest)
Reply:
Economy exclusively, mix of fare classes depending on chance, from discount to full fare. Mostly middle of the road buckets

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply:
Can choose within reason (depending on price difference, must have a reason for more expensive tickets e.g. to avoid too long trip duration).
Travel almost exclusively for work (pleasure travel almost exclusively on LCCs)

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
(US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply:
Expecting a number of Europe - Asia trips.
Formerly I would fly almost exclusively LH longhaul to Africa and Asia, but schedule changes and destination composition changes forced me to change my patterns. LH used to be most convenient.

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

(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:
Some miles in M&M, not significant amount. No status.

I'm mostly considering QR, as coming QR trip is going to be relatively high fare bucket, and there is a bigger chance to use more QR flights for future Asia travel.
Alternatively I'm considering AB, as they are relatively close by European airline, have some useable Topdeal Ticket promos (I can travel to VIE for private travel relatively easily) and I think I saw here I could get a silver card from them for 4 months for free, which could come in handy during next trip with AB (jan/feb)

Questions

I also have AirNZ Airpoints for the those unavoidable Star Alliance flights.

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: Free Bags (If in the US) and Good award redemption

(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?)
Unsure on actually miles. 25-50 flights

Australia/NZ flights domestic <8 flights,
Long haul 6-12
North American <10
Other - <5


(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
(First, Business, Premium economy, Economy, cheapest)
Reply: Economy/Cheapest

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

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
(US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply: Transpacific, any OneWorld airline + Fiji Airlines as they credit to Qantas

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

(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: QF Silver

(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Reply: Qantas, AA

My FF comes up for renewal in July 2017. Is it worth me trying to earn the status points to maintain my level or just switch to AA. Its unlikely I will be flying any One World flights until March/April next year. Currently in Europe and Ryan Air is good enough.

I think the airberlin program might be a good solution for you to keep, if you can make Etihad work for you on flights to Europe and/or the US. Etihad is a major stakeholder of Airberlin, and they two airlines now have reciprocal FF benefits - you get lounge access and priority airport services flying EY across the whole EY network, and EY-operated flights (and other airlines in the Etihad Partners Alliance) are status-qualifying.
Earning rates for discount economy are so-so, with most fare buckets earning 50%. Booked as AB codeshares, a large number of fare classes earn 100%, though, which is good, so get these if priced similarly.
With your travel pattern requalifying should be easy. Airberlin does not have a minimum own metal requirement.

SriLankan does indeed have low (re)qualification requirements, but seeing that they don't fly to the US and with their recent cancellation of all routes to Europe except LHR you will have trouble meeting their UL metal requirements.

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

Reply: Upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, good award redemption rates, better award access, free lounge access, seat selection, luggage tags.

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

Reply: Fly more than 45 flights a year.

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

Reply: Economy

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

Reply: Pleasure and work. Can not choose airline nor class. Always fly economy and the cheapest.

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

Reply: Stockholm - London. Scandinavian Airlines and British Airways. Flights to Europe from Stockholm and London.

(6) What is your home airport?

Reply: London Heathrow and Stockholm Arlanda

(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: I am EuroBonus Gold at the moment and have British Airways American Express card.

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

Reply: Preferred Airline is British Airways. Most common Airline is Scandinavian Airlines.

Other:
Due to the disastrous changed announced by SAS with lounge access and fast track I want to see whether I am better off flying OneWorld or Star Alliance.

Really appreciate all the assistance.

I'm an AA EXP member and I've been struggling with where to focus my earning since they announced the new structure earlier this year. With new EQD structure my EXP status drops to Gold.

I've looked into the options a *lot* and I keep finding new pieces of info when I think I'm close to making a decision so I just thought I'd get the opinion of some people more knowledgeable than myself.

At this point in my research, Alaska seems perfect except there's no EU->ME redemptions which are important to me. JAL maybe?

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Award redemptions, priority, baggage fees.

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

50-70k miles, <25 flights.

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

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

Yes, can choose any. Work.

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
DUB->LAS/SFO/LAX (AA, BA)
DUB->DXB (EK, EY)
DUB->LON (EI, BA)

(6) What is your home airport?
DUB

(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 EXP - mostly spent all miles.
EK - 40k miles. No status.
SPG Plat - 350k pts

(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
BA, EK

I want to stop using AA as the product has gotten extremely bad on the routes I travel since completion of merger.

BAEC shows not much love for shorthaul discount economy passengers. The way their tier point system is set up, you'd need to fly 120 segments (60 return flights) between ARN and LHR in order to qualify for mid-tier silver /Oneworld Sapphire status.
The cheapest booking classes earn all of 5 TP on intra-European shorthaul flights, and you need 600 for Silver status, which will grant you lounge access.

You'd much better off with a program allowing segment qualification. Airberlin's topbonus and AAs AAdvantage let you qualify for mid-tier Gold resp. Platinum with 60 segments (30 return flight, even less if connecting). Both have no minimum AB/AA requirements (AA does away with a four-flight minimum for 2017) and let you acquire status without flying them at all.
However, AAs new-for-2017 spend requirements are hard to crack if you only fly shorthaul in discount economy on partners: ARN-LHR on BA in the cheapest booking classes earns the not-so-princely sum of 91 EQD - and you need 6000 for Platinum. So, not ideal.
Topbonus also has a generous status match program gong on (check https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/airb...ir-berlin.html . You'd likely get your Eurobonus status matched and requalification requirements relaxed for the first year (you retain Gold in 2018 with just 20 segments in 2017!), so I'd give that a try for Oneworld.

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 rates

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
Reply: 36,000 miles; 6 round trips; up to 12 sectors
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Reply: First
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: Yes, I can choose the airline and class of service; travel exclusively for pleasure.
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
Reply: US Domestic 80% the rest EWR to Europe
(6) What is your home airport?
Reply: 1) ABE 2) EWR
[B](7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it?
Reply: Constant bank of AA miles
(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Reply: AA

The grass in not always greener on the other side

You have posted on the OW, Star & Skyteam "which ffp" threads.
The questions are essentially the same. Your response is not the same

OW
Skyteam post 77
Star Alliance post 1850
So you are a member of all 3 ffps? Any others?
Have have ff miles with all?
Status with none?

Master, for those not sticking to one alliance http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...help-here.html

USA based airline ffp's tend to be more generous (status benefits/earn/burn/upgrades/award cost/award cash surcharges/expiry/affiliated credit card ff mile earning/promotions) compared to non USA based airline ffp’s (even after the recently announced changes to some USA ffp’s). But if you are not flying the airline of your ffp the useful benefits are somewhat limited. Low cost fares are tending to earn few ff miles, but depends on the ffp.

The airline you fly most or an airline of the country you live is the best ffp for many people. Generally you are better earning on your primary airline due to greater recognition, better service when disruptions, ability to upgrade flights and possible operational upgrades.

But with the change of most USA based ffp's to revenue based for flights on own airline, flying the airline with best fares and best schedule that matches your requirements now has merit. And then treating any ff miles as a bonus, which may or may not, be able to be used. Low cost fares are tending to earn few ff miles, but depend on the ffp.

Awards assistance tools
Use at your own risk. These may not be up to date. (These are not recommendations)
Frequent flyer miles/points are not equal to or burn. They are not 1 to 1
If a multi segment award check the rules/cost carefully. With some ffp’s it can be 2 or more awards or cost more ff miles than a direct flight.
Some awards/airlines/routes can have cash surcharges, in addition to real taxes.
-AwardAce: Compare Award Redemptions Across Airlines In Seconds --> http://www.awardace.com/
-Economical Excursionist's Tools to compare Frequent Flyer Mile Redemptions --> http://www.flyermiler.com/
-http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ast-miles.html --> http://www.awardhacker.com/

The grass in not always greener on the other side

36k miles flown will not earn much with the devalued award charts these days. Even factoring multipliers for premium cabins, you simply don't fly enough to build up a meaningful balance which you can redeem for (premium cabin) awards before they expire.
So I`d rule out all programs with fixed expiration policies. The only programs that make sense for you are AAdvantage and BAEC.
AAdvantage hoses non-status members with very poor RDM earning after they switched to spend-based earning. If you have AA status (36k miles in premium cabins can mean you are Platinum...) the picture looks better.
BAEC earnings are still distance-based, which may work out better for you, especially if you are planning to use the points for domestic redemptions on AA.
Have a look at BAECs calculators for earning and redemptions and do the math with the routes you fly.

It looks to me like BA is your best choice. Aer Lingus is already eligible for tier point earning, and BA award availability is generally good throughout the system, although its usurious fees are still to be reckoned with.

To get to BA Silver (OW Sapphire, hence lounge access etc.) you need 600 tier points; a DUB-xLHR-LAX trip in discount business class would earn 180 TP (40+140) in each direction; a couple of return trips and you're there.

(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, 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: 25K-50K, 25-50 flights
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
(First, Business, Premium economy, Economy, cheapest)
Reply: cheapest, usually Economy or premium economy
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: I travel for both work and leisure, when I get to choose I usually go for the cheapest option.
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
(US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply: transatlantic, a few Canada-Asia flights a year
(6) What is your home airport?
(SFO, SCL, London LHR, HKG, Singapore SIN etc.)
Reply: YVR, CAN sometimes when in Asia
(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: none yet...
(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Reply: I fly westjet a lot, but I don't think that helps :(

In USA lounge access is by paid membership, unless on an international itinerary.

Westjet is an AA ff partner. http://www.wheretocredit.com/westjet

Your answers are different to the Skyteam which ffp thread, with essentially the same questions, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/27672662-post78.html

To my knowledge, the only oneworld program offering a FF relationship with WestJet is AAdvantage, and although you'll earn miles (very few of them after a huge devaluation effective Aug1, I might add) those are redeemable miles only and not status-qualifying.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...es/westjet.jsp.

Chasing status with your flying pattern is hopeless. 25-50k miles in cheapest economy - a lot of it on an airline that's not even a partner for most OW programs - will not get you anywhere meaningful, no matter which program.
Go the credit card route instead. Get a travel benefits card that comes with a priority pass membership for lounge access.
The co-branded AA cards will get you a free bag on AA.

And will not be any better with other alliances-airlines.

With the change of most USA based ffp's to revenue based for flights on own airline, flying the airline with best fares and best schedule that matches your requirements now has merit. And then treating any ff miles as a bonus, which may or may not, be able to be used.

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Reply: Lounge access, priority security/check-in/boarding, complimentary/discounted or status upgrades, FFM accrual (in order hi-lo)

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
~100k economy or economy+, 10-15 roundtrips

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

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

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
London-Africa/Middle East

(6) What is your home airport?
LHR/LGW for next three years

(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 Plat, 80k+ (which will be burned by this summer on family reward trip)

(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
New, but mostly BA/AA in the past

What is wrong with AA? BA would be the next choice, buy why change?
AA does not have soft landings (status fall to the bottom)

AA Plat (OW Sapphire) will get you lounge access

If flying to Middle East Etihad EY is an AA partner.

You will not get upgrades ex UK. With non USA airlines always expect to fly in the class you buy

After the 3 years then to where?

if changing from AAdvantage be careful about expiry http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...-t-expire.html

The grass in not always greener on the other side

Thanks for the response. Maybe I don't understand mileage accrual. On any OW flight, will I be able to put my AA number and accrue at the AA Plat rate?

After three years it will either be back to the states or Germany (FRA).

Yeah, it sucks about no soft-landing. That's how they keep us coming back!

As for expiry, the miles will be gone this summer anyway so the only holding power to AA is the current Plat.

Yes. For OW & AA partners, like EY, you will earn AA miles as per the AA charts. https://www.americanairlines.com.au/...r-airlines.jsp
For example BA https://www.americanairlines.com.au/...sh-airways.jsp
Will depend on the airline and fare booking class. Low cost fares can earn little or even nil.
www.wheretocredit.com gives a guide for redeemable ff miles (but check the AA web site).

With a non USA address you may be exempt from the AA $ spend requirement for status. Check the AA web site

Does that 100% rate mean I earn 1:1 for my base miles or does that mean I am earning double?

As per AA links above. All fare class do not earn 100%. Depends on the airline. Your status bonus is additional to the % in the table. With AA ff miles based on revenue is hard to determine. More a question for the AA forum to be sure. Will be a wiki thread on this topic (but can be hard to find on the AA forum).

Qatar and BA have the best route network for MiddleEast/Africa destinations from London, so you'll end up mostly on their planes when flying oneworld and their FFPs would be logical options to switch to.
Full-fare Y travel earns well in all programs. However, there's nuances, and AA is stingier there than both BAEC and QRPC.
BAEC treats Y, B and H fares as full fare on Qatar and itself for points earning purposes. AAdvantage only awards 100% miles for the most expensive Y fare bucket on Qatar, and Y/B on BA. Earning on both drops pretipiously beyond that. So sticking with AA is not the best choice unless you really buy full-fare Y tickets.
QRPC also classifies Y/B/H fares as full fare, and they let K/L/M/V fares ('economy value', the next tier down) earn at much higher rates than you'd get with AAdvantage or BAEC.
Qatar usually offers lower pricing than BA, and chances for op-ups into business class are best with (high) QRPC status. If you (have to) fly QR mostly and buy less-than fully-flexible Y, switch to QRPC to maximize earning and upgrade opportunities, with BAEC a consideration only if you typically fly them on Y/B/H fares.
Qatar does not offer premium economy, and they reserve their own (very nice) lounges in DOH and LHR for premium cabin passengers only. Status passengers in Y are relegated to rather subpar lounges at those two airports. Especially at their hub in DOH, that is really annoying.

BA has premium economy, which earns disproportionately well in AAdvantage. If by "Y+" you mean you can buy into that cabin, fly on BA and stick with AAdvantage (or move to BAEC for taking advantage of POUG/AUP upgrade options).

How close are you to lifetime status on AA? Three years of EXP with 300k+ miles towards milion miler status (if you stick with AAdvantage and fly on high-earning fares) is worth considering, especially if you'd be able to use those SWUs for (personal) trips back to the US.


While Etihad is indeed an AA partner, the FF partnership is limited to only earning redeemable miles (no EQM) on EY flights, and they do not recognize AA status for priority services in the air and on the ground - no lounge access - at all.

BA has various upgrade avenues, which do require FF instruments (avios) or (attractively priced) cash payments. Check the 'AUP' and POUG threads on the BAEC forum. These are especially attractive for upgrades from Premium Economy into business class. From economy, these will only get you into Premium economy, though.

Also note that is possible to upgrade full-fare BA tickets with AA miles. See details here: https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...r-airlines.jsp

Qatar is known for operational upgrades. Chances are fairly high of op-ups into business class happening for high-status QRPC members.
Also, QR offers discounted online upgrades as well. See here for examples ex LHR.

AA, unlike its two large US counterparts, currently does not waive the spend requirements for members based outside the USA. But that should not be a concern when buying <100k of (expensive) full-fare Y fares on partners annually.

Which Oneworld carrier to join?
 

Background: My s.o. is with AA so sometimes I concede to fly AA (or other Oneworld partners like BA, JL) if the price is right. I am currently UA's Premier Platinum and want to keep at least Premier Gold (50k-level) with UA. The purpose of joining Oneworld FFP is to credit the Oneworld miles to it and, if possible, obtain mid-level 50k status for complimentary selection of "more space" economy seats. Below are the responses to the questions. Any help is appreciated. Thanks! :cool:

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: Extra baggage allowance, free lounge access, free "more-space" economy seats selection.
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
Reply: >50k miles per year, a little over 100k. 25-50 flights.
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
(First, Business, Premium economy, Economy, cheapest)
Reply:Economy cheapest - 60%, Premium economy - 40%.
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: Yes. 99.99% travel for pleasure.
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
Reply: Trans-Pacific to Asia (TPE), 3 roundtrips a year at least. Various US domestic flights to ski resorts and/or HNL/OGG, CHI, IAD/BWI. Twice a year to Europe (mainly UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Alps for skiing - mostly Switzerland and Austria.)
(6) What is your home airport?
Reply: LAX, ONT, TPE, TSA
(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:United MileagePlus Premier Platinum. Not a lot left on UA.
(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Reply: United Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways

Flying on Tuesday, where to post?
 

Hi all,

I have recently taken up a new role which will involve lots of long haul business travel between New Zealand and Australia and between NZ/Australia and Asia (mostly China and Hong Kong)

I am flying on Tuesday to Hong Kong and China on CX business

I am currently gold on Qantas but their silly annualised rather than 12 month rolling qualification means I wont requalify this year. I am happy to consider posting these next flights to another carrier. I have jsut applied for the Topbonus status match too (I am Gold Elite on Air New Zealand)

1 - what is your definition of best?
I would like a programme that offers a fast path to platinum (emerald) on Oneworld, and cheap mileage redemption in business class on oneworld
2 do you value miles/points (or equivalent) for redemption over gaining status?
Both
3 do you fly enough to gain any meaningful status?
Yes, am Gold elite on Air NZ
4 what do you want to use the miles/points for (award, upgrade, hotels, what ever)?
business awards and upgrades only
5 what sort of flight award is of interest (destination, class of travel)?
class of travel
6 are you interested in topping up by paying cash for miles?
sure
7 which airline and where do you normally fly?
Qantas and Cathay Pacific within Asia/NZ and to Asia
8 are you primarily a leisure or business traveller?
both
9 where do you live?
New Zealand and Australia
10 do you have other ways of earning points in the various programs, e.g. credit cards, shopping, etc,?
Possibly a credit card in Australia

AA vs QR?!
 

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Lounge access, priority security/check-in/boarding, complimentary/discounted or status upgrades, FFM accrual

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
Usually 3 flights between the USA and Asia, and several flights within Asia (cannot always get alliance airlines on these, but I try) -- typically economy

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Typically discounted economy, or saver economy awards -- will begin booking selectively on business/first class with points and $ as I get more savvy

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
I can choose 100%, I travel for pleasure

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
Delta ATL--> SIN

(6) What is your home airport?
ATL, SIN, SFO

(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?
Delta Gold Medallion (115K miles), United Gold (10K miles), plus around 170K Chase Ultimate Rewards points

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

More details... :)

I have never flown oneworld carriers and have no oneworld frequent flyer accounts setup YET. I snagged one of the Qatar deals from BKK to LAX on Business for $1,500~ RT so I have a large earning opportunity coming in March 2017.

Have a dilemma and would love an opinion:

A) Should I credit this long flight/miles to Qatar and status match to Qatar Silver/oneworld Ruby - no lounge access on any economy seats I book with just Ruby At least I can start earning nice miles in a QR bank as I will likely use them in the future since they fly into my home base, ATL.

OR

B) Should I credit to American. Only reason I may do this is because I may do a few credit card sign-on bonuses later in 2017 worth 50-90K AA miles. I have no desire to use AA outside of this in the future, but the bonuses seem nice.

Status matching to AA Gold or Plat after setting up a bank with them seems useless because 1) my Qatar flight wouldn't earn miles for the status challenge (they don't count Qatar EQM's for the 90 day challenge) 2) if I ever fly on American in the future (not my ideal), it would be from award flights, if ever, so it's not like I'll earn EQM's on award flights either.

I have some future flights on oneworld carriers potentially coming as well (Sri Lankan and/or Malaysian), so this is another reason I need a oneworld bank.

Any thoughts? I hope this was fully coherent. I'm leaning towards Qatar.

Hi Everyone! I'm moving to Cairo this February for work and am not sure if I should credit
everything to AA, who I've been quite loyal to, or to make a new Qatar Privilege account as
that will be my go-to carrier. I'm in Cairo til the end of year, so nothing long term.

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Tailored service and award miles.

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
300K, split down the middle between AA and UA. Long hauls with UA (SFO based for now) and
AA for everything domestic.

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Economy domestic (thank god for complimentary upgrades!) and business intl.

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Yes, and 90% of travel is for business.

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
I fly US-Asia and Europe, along with domestic. Loyal to UA for intl. and AA for domestic.

(6) What is your home airport?
Currently SFO and SJC, but will move to CAI this February.

(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?
I have AA EXP and UA 1K. Most of my miles are banked with United, but am starting to grow AA.

(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
I will be flying a lot with Qatar until I move back stateside. Prefer this over BA and Royal Jordaian.

I would probably stick with AA since AA's elite qualification metrics are fairly decent when flying business class on partners like QR. You don't say how much of your travel might be on ME - North America routes while you're based in Cairo, but you might want to spend a few minutes (have some aspirin set aside) to figure out how many AA elite qualifying miles and EQ dollars you'd earn on a typical itinerary, including some mixed QR/AA itineraries that include domestic segments on AA metal. My hunch is that you'd end up better off building your mileage base with AA rather than starting a new one with QR, but it's not challenging math.

Thank you! I ended up plugging in the numbers and it's actually quite amazing!

I would earn roughly double the miles with AA than I would with Qatar (until I hit plat) and
from what I have read, mileage redemption is much better on AA.

Looking to maximize a nice business class deal I got on QR for OW status. I am located in NYC.

Flying AMS-DOH-HND round trip in R class (business) on QR. Using the BA Tier Point calculator, it looks like I would earn 560 tier points from this itinerary (140 TP per leg). BA Silver (OW Sapphire) is 600 TP, leaving me 40 TP and 4 BA segments short. Looks like JFK-LHR-AMS cash fare (RT) will net me 50 TP in O class and cover the 4 segment requirement for BA Silver.

Is there any other program that would get me OW Sapphire status like this?

From your profile "Programs: AA/JL, KE, NH"
Why would you want to join a 3rd oneworld ffp? :confused:
Why not put to AA?
Getting OW Sapphire status from 1 trip is unrealistic.
www.wheretocredit.com/qr for redeemable ff miles. Determining status earning is much more difficult, especially with revenue based ffp's

I only have an AAdvantage account. I mostly use my AA miles for JL redemptions, which is why I put that there. Given AA's new revenue requirements, I can no longer even hit AAdvantage Gold status with them, so I am looking for other FFP's with no revenue requirement.

I don't care about redeemable miles, only obtaining status. I mostly want it for the lounge access and being able to pick MCE seats for free on domestic AA flights.

The grass in not always greener on the other side

Toronto Base - Which OneWorld Recommended?
 

Hi there, currently I am a CX Silver, almost qualified for Gold. However, I am wondering if CX is the best program for me to bank all my miles. I'm not liking the fact that the miles expire after 3 years. Perhaps AA or BAEC might be something to explore as it sounds like they don't expire? I mainly like being able to store my miles for upgrades.

Things I value: Priority Check In/Boarding, Lounge Access and using points to upgrade premium economy flights to J rather than an outright redemption of miles for a J flight.

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? - upgrade travel from prem econ to biz, lounge access, priority check in and boarding
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
30K - 40K miles a year, fly from Toronto to Europe or Asia about 2-3 times a year, with 2-3 short trips to USA

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Premium Economy on Cathay or Business Class on AA to fly to Asia

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

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
Canada to Europe and Asia, at least 2-3 times a year

(6) What is your home airport?
YYZ

(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?
CX Silver. Yes, miles banked.
(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
CX, BA, AA, Finnair, Japan, Malaysia; I really like CX J the best, so that's why I bank my miles there because of the product.

AAdvantage or Marco Polo?
 

Hi all - new here and have tried to study the various FFPs, however I would really appreciate your input as they are quite confusing! I will be travelling more going forward and am debating which FFP to pledge my loyalty to: AAdvantage or Marco Polo / Asia Miles. The below will be my anticipated travels for this year (may increase going forward):

Based in NYC (JFK/LGA):
- 1-2 business class trips to Asia (British Airways - usually with stops, so for example, I've calculated that if I bank one return NYC/India trip to Marco Polo, that alone would get me 290 club points which is almost enough for Marco Polo silver)
- 2 economy / premium economy class trips to Asia (Cathay)
- 10-12 economy class domestic trips of various lengths (American)

Additionally, I usually travel around Asia quite a bit (on Cathay) every time I visit - so there are a few additional short-haul flights there in between Asian cities.

I think my answer would've been to commit to AAdvantage had the business trip(s) not provided the incentive of almost automatic silver status to Marco Polo. Prior to this year, I've only achieved status on United and never cared to think too much about my non-Star Alliance flights, so oneworld is completely foreign to me as to how things work. My initial thought is that it seems easier to accrue points on Asia Miles (for flight redemptions) since it's distance-based, whereas AAdvantage is fare-based. Lounge access is nice (especially CX's The Pier in HKG - which is where I usually fly long-haul into/out of Asia), but not my priority as I have Priority Pass Select membership via Chase Sapphire Reserve. Main priorities are ease of accumulating points/miles for free flights and chances for upgrades (which to be honest, aren't too easy nowadays).

What would you do:
- Credit the BA business flights to Marco Polo for the automatic Silver status and bank the rest of the flights to AAdvantage?
- Credit everything to Marco Polo / Asia Miles (should qualify for Gold then)?
- Credit everything to AAdvantage (not sure what that will get me)?
- Other ideas?

Thanks so much, and apologies in advance if this has been discussed before! I've asked friends who travel frequently for business and received various opinions, so thought I'm better off reaching out to the pros!

The big question of AA vs other Oneworld is whether you value upgrades (AA) or lounge access (non-AA) as your status perk

BA Executive Club may work better than Marco Polo if you go non-AA

You'd still nearly get Sapphire status from your Asia trip, plus you get extra miles when flying BA, but also IB and AA as well

BA's domestic US redemption rates for non-stops are reasonably good, although transatlantic are not with fuel surcharges

Moving the above two posts to the "Which OW FFP" sticky thread.

Gardyloo
Oneworld moderator

Hi,
I have used BAEC for about 10 years now, but contemplating if I would be better off by switching to AA. I've had Gold status with BAEC for 7 of the last ten years. Currently silver. I recently started in a new job which involves a lot of travelling (at least 1 intercon in C-class every 3-4 weeks, plus OSL-LHR/AMS/ZRH about once a week). I have had three intercon in C already this year, have SAS Eurobonus Diamond (*A). I hate the taxes BA imposes on award-tickets, and with the outdated seats in CW I try to avoid BA on the long-haul flights. Will use award tickets for OSL-US/OSL-Asia.

I want to spread out my points between at least two programs, and OW and SA are the alliances where the flights from Norway suits best to the destinations I'll travel to for work.

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Good award redemption rates (only C/F), better award access, Emrald status in OW for lounge access.

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
>50000 miles - >50 flights

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

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

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
Oslo-Europe (about 40 roundtrips per year). Oslo-Asia/US 10-15 roundtrips per year.

(6) What is your home airport?
OSL

(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?
BAEC Silver (250k Avios). SK Diamond (500k miles)

(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
For OW: BA, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, AA

If anyone can give some guidance to what FFP in OW you think I would be best off by choosing, I would love to hear your thoughts.

My first two trips on OW are coming up the next two weeks:
Trip 1: OSL-LHR-PEK (BA) SHA-HKG (CW) HKG-LHR-OSL (BA) - C Class
Trip 2: OSL-HEL (AY) HEL-NRT (JL) HKG-LHR-OSL (BA) - C Class

So I should choose the FFP before Monday.

Need a OW FFP ... is it BA or AA or something else?
 

Hi all! Thanks for your help, I'm a anewbie...

After building some status with *A, I need a OW program. Currently live near SFO, work HQ in Madrid (once a year), travel to LAX for business (every 1-2 months), family in LON (twice a year). I think its between BA and AA but both seem to get a lot of flack here for devaluations...

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Reply: Upgrades then lounge access
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
Reply: 25000-50000 25-50 flights
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Reply: Economy or Premium Economy
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: Both work and pleasure. Some flexibility with airlines
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
Reply: US Domestic and USA - Europe
(6) What is your home airport?
Reply: SFO
(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: *A Gold with TK. Wife has a bunch of AA points, no status
(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Reply: Mostly *A until now, US domestic with AA haven't impressed me

Thanks again for help, appreciate any replies.
Cruciferous
____________________________________

Hi all,

Used to be (still am) a ST Elite +, however I have got some flights in J on OW carriers coming up and I need to decide which program to credit them to. Trips are as follows:

Trip 1: 6 segments (2 domestic US on AA, 2 inter-EU on BA/IB, 2 intercontinental on AA) all in J/D/I booking class

Trip 2: 4 segments: 2 inter-EU (LHR-HEL) in J on BA operated by AY, 2 inter-EU (HEL-TLL) in flex-economy (Y) on BA operated by AY.

Trip 3: 4 segments, all long-haul J (booking class R) on QR

Figured that these flights will land me the highest tier on somewhat any OW carrier's FF programme, but I am asking here for experiences with different programmes with respect to benefits as well as miles value/redemption.

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Reply: Upgrades, then lounge access/priority
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
Reply: 25-35 flights, 50/50 between EU and intercontinental (North America, South America and Central- + East-Asia)
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Reply: , 90% of the time lowest price economy
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: Only pleasure as of now, choice based on alliance (FF status) and price
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
Reply: For now KLM, inter European routes
(6) What is your home airport?
Reply: AMS
(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: ST Gold on KLM/AF with around 70k miles in reserve
(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Reply: Stayed loyal to ST until now, I like KLM/AF (also most flights on these).

Hope you guys can point me in a right direction :)

Hi Everyone!

Can I squeeze any value out of this...

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Reply: Lounge access, then reward seat redemption, then upgrade redemption
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
Reply: Discount Y: 36,000 (as 2 sectors per month). PE Y: 8000 (2 sectors annually)
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Reply: Cheapest economy on full service airline for work, cheapest premium economy for leisure
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: Choice of airline, most miles for work
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
(US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply: HKG to KUL, SIN, MEL. Up until now, most of my flights were HKG-SIN with SQ due to their included flexibility at the same price point as CX. My pattern has changed though, spending more time in KUL than SIN
(6) What is your home airport?
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?
Reply: VA gold (achieved through SYD-MEL-BNE and HKG-SIN, expiring at end of month, considering VA marketed HKG-SIN-MEL return to requal but don't think it's worth the expense)
21k VA
23k QFF
(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Reply: CX, SQ, QF (company policy of no MH)

I'm looking to hear opinions about re-jigging my goals and instead chase upgrades on my annual HKG-MEL flights rather than lounge access.

Occasionally on HKG-KUL/SIN I'm in a CX booking class that earns QFF miles, but most often it's not.

Also looking at getting the HKD Amex (not elite) with MPC membership

If I change to chasing upgrades (from discount Y?), am I better off with QFF or AM/MPC?