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.