I've been outa the loop for a while reconciling myself to the CP 1W->*A transition but I can't hold my counsel any more and I'm cross with *A so here we go:

Please give me the advice you can re:

1W RTW business-class LHR-SYD-LAX-YYZ(Toronto)-LHR booked in a mixture of BA(EUR-LHR-SYD), QANTAS (SYD-OZinternal-SYD-LAX),AA(LAX-ORD-YYZ-BOS-LHR-EUR).

My question, in essence, is as follows:

Where, ex-Canada, should I stash the miles, where each account is essentially virgin (no elite bonus), from this 1W RTW in D-class?:

1) AA (matching, in principle, CP ep)
2) BA Global (ex-Canada, matching???)
3) Alaska Airlines
4) none of the above (other 1W)

Winning and/or utilized/imaginative answer may claim as many CP grey/red/white stickers valid up to Dec 2000/Feb 2001 as I have left and they can use. Really good assistance may earn my undying 120-150k/annum flown miles assistance. I'm really stuck.


Thanks, guys.

...and, of course, gals.


(Gulp.)

.

Sorry, nothing imaginative here. Just boring down to earth advice.
Go with AAdvantage and do the platinum challenge. Then after 10000 Q points which is around 8000 flown miles in Business class you'll be platinum and earning 2.25 miles for every D class mile flown and 4 upgrades for every 10000 miles flown on any Oneworld partner and those upgrades can under certain conditions be converted to miles giving you an effective 3.25 miles for each flown D class mile. I don't think you'll get a better return than that with any other program. Only downer is that you won't be able to fly BA trans-atlantic and credit to AAdvantage.

Easy. Go with AA. The benefits:

(1) Simply easiest to earn maximum miles (both actual and elite-status qualifying miles) in most cases (including the unwritten benefit of E-UG exchanges which in effect gives you TRIPLE miles if Platinum or Executive Platinum). If you're travelling in the next couple months, you'll even have a chance to grab more miles with the TTBNS and EUR00 promotion going on. Jump over to the AA forum and do some quick searches using the search key on your upper left corner. I'm sure you'd be convinced.

(2) Advantage desk coverage. Since you're located in Canada, geologically you'll probably be better serviced by AA, rather than BA. And I do find AA's Platinum desk and Executive Platinum desk quite competent.

(3) AA will comp you to Platinum (second from top) with your CP Executive Platinum status. Just give Customer Services a call, fax in you CP monthly statements, and you'll be all set. No need to take the Platinum challenge. As Platinum, you'll be earning Q miles and 100% bonus miles with ALL Oneworld flights (in contrast, UA in principle only gives Q and elite status bonus miles to UA flights, and not to all *A flights).

(4) Once you reach Executive Platinum status, you will receive 4 VIP2 upgrade certificates. Probably it's the most powerful upgrade certificate currently existing because, (a) it's non-capacity controlled, where they upgrade you using full-fare inventory (J, F and P), confirmed at time of reservation, and (b) you can upgrade your whole ticket, regardless of one-way, round trip or multi segment. For example, it takes only one VIP2 to upgrade an itinerary like NRT-SEA-JFK-LHR-BOS-SJC-NRT.

Also, I'm not sure if it's immediately beneficial to you but, AA Canada members enjoy a more relaxed rule for earning miles with Cathay than members of other regions.

You will not earn miles for BA transatlantic flights, but your flight schedule shows AA for BOS-LHR so that should be okay.

Regarding other programs, I wouldn't go for Alaska, because your BA and QF flights won't count for elite status, while with AA they will, not to mention the elite status bonus miles. Alternative choices will be CX, QF and AY programs, but I think in your case AA is probably most simple and best.

By the way, a little off the subject, but is there a reason why you're starting your Oneworld Explorer from the UK? You may want to consider starting it from Canada, as the price will be considerably cheaper. The price difference is quite substantial that it might compensate to do the RTW in first.

Also, is there a reason why you're not stopping over in Asia? Since you're doing the LHR-SYD run, your RTW is a four continent OWE, regardless you stop over in Asia or not. Time permitting, you can spend a few days off in an Asian resort at no additional cost for the flights.

Have fun!

Thanks for the information. I'm actually starting it in Austria, since that happens to be where I am when the trip begins, and I'm not stopping in Asia just because I have to be in Oz 2 days after having to be in Europe.
No time to stop and smell the flowers. Charging it as a 4-continent ticket is a little underhand, I must admit, since it isn't as if you can avoid Asia going LHR-SYD
but, as the BA agent said, "that's how we generate revenue from you people"

I couldn't agree more with 3544quebec and Silver. AAdvantage is the way to go!

At this point I'll plug FewMiles' wonderful AA help site (ala PremEx's Unofficial United Desk). It explains quite a lot of the finer points of the challenge.

home.webflyer.com/fewmiles/AA/

It also has a nice glossary

Yes, AA is your only logical choice. BA is the pits for Canadians, and CX really doesn't promote their program here, opting instead to give super deals with AAdvantage. AA will comp you Platinum [equivilent to Gold] and all your miles will be doubled, as well you with earn domestic upgrades from your first flight rather than from the time you qualify after the Plat Challenge. Just call 1 800 486-7523 (from Canada), and you'll be instructed what to do.

Also, if you can route through HKG ex-SYD to Canada you will pick up some pretty signficant route bonuses on CX, and likely be eligible for upgrading to F-class: 10,000 into YVR, 20,000 into YYZ. But also remember you will have to register for these -- and most other -- bonuses on AA.

The only drawback to AAdvantage is that BA transAtlantic flights don't qualify for accumulation, but I see you will be flying AA ex-JFK so it doesn't matter.