Thanks for the info!

I was looking at redemption rates for AA as well and saw the meager 25%, thanks for confirming that. I've been looking to play the credit card game though, so I may switch to AA if I can figure out how to do it right. So what should I do with the 39k points in my QFF account right now? :rolleyes:

Mwenenzi mentioned AS, where I'd get "actual flight miles", so should I bank my miles with them instead of AA? Because their redemption rate seems better than Qantas (42,500 Miles + $39.60 for New York to Syd compared to 64k points on Qantas)

And just throwing it out there, but would I get better value from switching airlines/alliances? (like the VA/DL partnership, or the Star Alliance)

A QF award NYC-SYD will have a high cash fuel surcharge/fees/taxes of USD$386 paid to QF (sample was economy on QF107 on 17 Jun 2014). Have not checked what the cash price is.

Compare
AA earnings (even at 25% or 50%) vs the AA miles needed for an AA award and the minimal cash taxes
to
QF earnings (even at 100%) vs the QF points needed for an QF award and the high cash taxes/fees/surcharges

From post 330
LAX-SYD one way
Economy QF 48,000 - AA 37,500
P Ec QF 72,000 - AA n.a
Bus QF 96,000 - AA 62,500
First QF 144,000 - AA 72,500
Plus a lot of $$$ in fees / surcharges to QF

Use your QF 39,000 points on an award in the USA on an AA or AS flight

As imaltesers is looking to boost miles with non-flying activities better to use AA (or AS) as a freq flyer (spender) program

Not really.You choose the QF flight because it was the cheapest option for you, remember? Spending more upfront with another carrier while hoping for better FF points earning for future award ticket doesn't make much sense for a once-a-year flyer at all.
Unless you go all-in with manufactured spending and churning multiple credit cards for sign-on bonus miles, you won't be able to generate enough miles in any program to fly to Australia and back purely on points every year, so some of these miles have to come from flying.
And to not let your existing QFF miles go to waste should you decide to change programs - redeem them for AA flights. Your points should be good to get you anywhere and back within 2,400 miles. Enjoy a nice trip to say, anywhere in the Caribbean, Central America, or even Vegas... :).

The AS program looks like it could be a good choice for you, though. They have a large earning partner network and a generous award chart. Plus, as an independent, financially healthy smaller carrier, they might be less inclined to devalue their FFP like it's currently en vogue with the legacy airlines. Current trend with FFPs is to reward spend rather than mileage. UA and DL have implemented changes to their programs in this regard, and it remains to be seen if and how the merged AA will follow suit. Personally, I doubt the current terms will survive much beyond 2015.

Permanent Tier membership
 

Hello Team, I have read through the several pages and could find something that met my criteria.

I have frequent flyer membership with BA and Etihad.
1. I'm currently in US and typically fly domestic to Chicago/NYC 2-3 times a year and one round trip to Bangalore India and back.
2. I have racked up some good avios and miles with both Frequent flyer programs.
3. I typically fly economy for personal trips and business class for official purposes.
4. All i'm looking for is good program where i can earn a permanent tier status which allows me lounge access and several other previleges. I'm not really into earning miles by flying because i have Citi Permiermiles card where i earn 10 miles for every 1 USD (on average its 80 cents). and 4 miles for groceries, entertainment etc.
5. Is there any program where i can get such a tier membership.

Any help here is appreciated!! thank you very much.

lon3volf Welcome to the forum

BA and Etihad are both AA partners.
Be careful about avois/miles expiry. Have you used your BA/EY Avois/miles?

Status/tier level is only by flying for most people. BIS - Butt in seat is the jargon here on FT. And AA status will not get you US domestic lounge access. Chicago/NYC 2-3 times a year and one round trip to Bangalore India and back will not get you that many miles or status earning

I typically use the avios to upgrade to first from business or economy premium from economy when flying international. A round trip to India, i earn close to 24k miles and with domestic flights, i earn enough to maintain the tier level of silver with BA. However last year i couldnt fly international because of which i lost the silver tier which i dont want to happen again.

I'm not sure this is something possible. But thank you for your response.

A good use of Avios.
Have you used your Etihad miles? I assume you can us on AA flights, given the converse is possible

Thanks for all your feedback. I thought about it and figured that I'm going to start collecting my FF miles with the AS Mileage Plan (since they have lower award redemption rates, and earn 1 point per mile), and I'm also going to hunt for credit cards that'll get me AA and AS miles. Does that sound like a good strategy?

Unless you fly or spend a lot better to concentrate on AS or AA. Not both. A (low) risk with AS is that QF cease to be an AS partner

So is there any program where i could earn good tier membership level which could be permanent or something which could be of long term.

No tier/status level is permanent, unless you get lifetime status. You have to earn status every year or for a minority of FFP's longer. In some places you can get status associated with a credit card. Based on your travels you can work out (in MS excel) what status you could get. But not easy to do.

Debating IP or BAEC
 

We live in Tel Aviv and until now we have not flown much on OW planes. As it turns out we will be flying to MAD for a weekend in May - cheapest fare possible and on IB business to JFK in July. We are members of LY Matmid (mainly credit card points), LH M&M and United Mileage Plus and KLM flying blue. What do you think is the best bet for future bonus tickets.


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

Point redemption for bonus flights. I would love to upgrade but I don't want to pay full Y fare to be eligible.

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

It's hard to say that there is a "usual" as we fly to attend professional conferences and mix in vacations. I would say 3-4 flights a year. Last year we did TLV-LAX (KLM C) and TLV-JFK (Bonus LY + points for economy plus). This year we have scheduled TLV-MAD, TLV-JFK and TLV-MEL.

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

Since my wife has a research fund that covers C I will splurge if we can find a good business price on any carrier. Otherwise I'll go LY "cattle class" and use points for economy plus or pay to upgrade to C

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

All open. As I said we mix business with pleasure or pleasure.

(5) Which routes do you fly most often?

TLV-USA, Europe, Far East, Australia

(6) What is your home airport?

Tel Aviv

(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. We are members of LY Matmid (mainly credit card points), LH M&M (credit card bonus) and United Mileage Plus (left overs from Continental) and KLM flying blue.

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

LY for the direct long haul flights and Turkish for the price.

I would definitely say AA, especially now that the merger with US Airways means you'll have nonstop service from TLV to PHL. AA's "earn/burn" numbers are superior to other airlines', and while TLV has been a difficult place for eastward travel on Oneworld, it's less an issue now that Royal Jordanian is in the alliance, with easy connections through AMM to SE Asia, thence Oz. AAdvantage membership will get you decent mileage earning on Oneworld routes with all carriers, and okay earning on LY flights (or full miles on AA codeshares with LY) http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/ea...lines/elAl.jsp

One other thing, maybe significant, maybe not... For the time being Israel is one of the "cheaper" origin points for Oneworld round-the-world (RTW) tickets. Don't know if you could coordinate some of your trips to the US and to Oz to take place sequentially, but if so you might find that the RTW products can save a lot of money, particularly in business class.

If you haven't, read some of the "sticky" threads in this forum regarding the Oneworld Explorer RTW product and have a look at the RTW ticketing tool on the Oneworld website, just to see the possibilities and limitations. AA's general sales agent in Israel, Tal Aviation, is a seriously competent group who can handle a lot of problems that would send other travel agents screaming; if you get addicted to the RTW game (which is easy to do) you'd have a great resource just across town.

briana Welcome to the forum

If "IP or BAEC" was meant to be "IB Iberia or BA" there is little difference. Both use avois as freq flyer currency. Subject to terms & conditions you can move avois from/to IB/BA. Both are owned by IAG

Agree AA is a good choice, especially with US Airways merging/taking over AA and joining OW

Alaska is a good FFP due to its many partners, including some you now fly with. http://www.alaskaair.com/content/mil...ePlan-partners

Be careful about having too many FFP's with a low balance of miles that will expire. You have 2 FFP's in Star Alliance (LH & UA)

Debate between Iberia and BA
 

Thanks for the advice. The 2 star alliance memberships happened when Continental miles were transferred to United. Everytime we travel on a carrier that is a member of a new alliance we open a new account. I actually prefer to fly El Al, despite their inferior product, but when I am going to splurge on business class I can't justify $4000 to the US on El Al and $2300 on Iberia. I'll change planes!