Best FF program for a MONE5
 

Hello everybody,

I have finally come up with an itinary that seems to be correct according to BA hotline:

1 NCE - LHR X
2 X LHR - HKG X
3 X HKG - AKL O
4 O AKL - CHC O Void
5 O CHC - SYD O
6 O SYD - NOU O
7 O NOU - BNE O
8 O BNE - ASP O Void
9 O ASP - MEL O
10 O MEL - ADL O Void
11 O ADL - PER O
12 O PER - DPS O
13 O DPS - SIN O
14 O SIN - BKK O
15 O BKK - HKG O
16 O HKG - NRT O
17 O NRT - DFW X
18 X DFW - SCL O
19 O SCL - IPC O
20 O IPC - SCL O
21 O SCL - PUQ O
22 O PUQ - PMC O
23 O PMC - LIM O Void
24 O LIM - LAX O
25 O LAX - MIA O
26 O MIA - ATL O
27 O ATL - STL O
28 O STL - ANC O
29 O ANC - YVR O Void
30 O YVR - ORD O
31 O ORD - YUL O Void
32 O YUL - JFK O
33 O JFK - HEL O
34 O HEL - DUB O
35 O DUB - LGW X
36 X LGW - MPL

(void means surface segment)

I currently do not belong in any oneworld FFP.

I am living in France.

So what do you think would be the best program for this trip.

I have looked at AAdvantage but as a french resident, I do not get miles on CX and BA (My first long segments).
In BA, I do not get any point towards elite status and only 50% miles.

Does anyone have an idea? Maybe another FFP from another company?

Thank you in advance

PS: Which one is best: CX or BA coach class

Uh ? Is that allowed to backtrack between OZ/Asia even though your first stop in Asia s not a stopover ?

I believe that providing one is transit only between Europe and SWP that that is ok.

Consider QF's program. You earn 100% miles (points) for all OW sectors, plus elite status (when you get there) on QF, AA and BA sectors. You also earn elite status credits on all M class fares.

I am not going to validate your routings against the rules (I am sure others will). But with the QF program, you would earn 570 status tier credits, which is not quite enough to reach Gold (need 700) but well truly puts you into Silver status. Unfortunately the 2 upgrade credits you will earn won't be much use since you don't get the first one until after your 15th sector HGK-BKK and you don't have any more QF sectors after that.

I am sure others who are knowledgable in the other programs can tell you all about them. But must be worth considering a AA Platinum Challenge. They are also much more generous with upgrades than QF or BA. I don't know anything about CX's program.

By my calculations, that itinerary is 64,281 flown miles. So it it does fit the rules you have one decent milage run!

[This message has been edited by NM (edited 09-18-2002).]

Routing looks OK so long as you realize you are going to have to buy an extra segment in Oz (segments 5-11, excl. 8, 10). Comes out to a little over 61,000 miles according to the Great Circle Mapper.

I would say the seats in economy class for both are similar. CX seats feel like they have a bit more padding which is nice. Service wise, CX is a little bit better than BA in economy. Service in BA economy is adequate and even sometimes good. Service in CX economy is consistently very good. The food on CX is tasty and they offer some very nice snacks during mid-flight including noodles, sandwhiches, candy bars and peanuts.

For BA economy class, you can pay a surcharge (per sector) and upgrade to "World Traveller Plus" on your long haul flights.

These are booked in "T" class.

You could join the AA scheme but just put Canada in as your country of residence. When you have got the points for the BA and CX flights, then change it to France. Sign up for the Platinum Challenge and you will get platinum (OW Sapphire) after the 1st 20,000 miles and then get lounge access and 100% mileage bonus there on

Dave

If I put Canada as country of residence, I will have to provide a valid address (which I do not have however).

Will they not try to send some mail to this address (cards, welcome package or things like that). Can it be a problem ?

However, thanks for all your responses

"I will have to provide a valid address (which I do not have however)."


Actually you won't. They do some validation of address for US but not elsewhere. Just put your normal address but put CAnada as the country.

"Will they not try to send some mail to this address (cards, welcome package or things like that). Can it be a problem ?"

You might miss out on a flimsy card if you are unlikely. Or join in advance so that you have all the joining info to your france address and just change it to Canada before you set off. Just get it changed back when you have done your CX/BA flights and your platinum card will arrive at the correct address

Changing countries for this is a doddle on AAs scheme

Dave

As you live in FRANCE:

1) QF requires you to fly in either First or Business in order to get miles. The European programme is different from the Ozzie programme. Ozzie's pay a fee but Europeans don't.

2) BA does not give you miles for M class.

3) AA gives you miles for M class only if you have a Canadian address. It's way to complicated to be someone you're not, so I wouldn't suggest this option.

Your best options for getting miles in economy class are:

1) FINNAIR PLUS
2) ASIAMILES / Marco Polo Club
3) IBERIA PLUS

Does that mean that I can change my US address to a Canadian one before my discounted Y fares on Cathay? And then change it back once I get back?

"1) QF requires you to fly in either First or Business in order to get miles. The European programme is different from the Ozzie programme. Ozzie's pay a fee but Europeans don't."


Not true. Since 15 September last year when the programme changed there are no residency restrictions on mileage earning on QF. It doesnt matter whether you live in France or Australia. The only difference between being based in Australia/NZ and the rest of the world is that rest of the world has no joining fee.

"3) AA gives you miles for M class only if you have a Canadian address. It's way to complicated to be someone you're not, so I wouldn't suggest this option."

It's absolutely a doddle. Log in on aa.com and go to your details and change your country of residence in your details to Canada. That's all that is needed. Change it back when the flights have credited

Dave

Yup. Easy isn't it

Dave

For AA, from what I read on fewmiles, AA does not give miles for M class only on CX and BA flights. Am I wrong ?

" For AA, from what I read on fewmiles, AA does not give miles for M class only on CX and BA flights. Am I wrong "

It depends on where you set you residency. Have a look on aa.com and in advantage you will see the residency mile earning restrictions. They will give you miles from CX and BA if you set your country of residence as Canada. If you set it as Australia then you will get miles on BA but not CX , any other country will earn no miles for BA/CX in M class iirc.

Dave

Thank you for all this information

I cannot find the residency mile earning restrictions on aa.com. Do you have a direct link to the document?

One more question: is there any residency restrictions for AA challenges ?

Can we sign up for the challenge from anywhere.
Is a phone call the only possibility?

As my trip will span over 8 or so months, I cannot sign up at the beginning as I will not get enough points within the first 3 months

"Can we sign up for the challenge from anywhere."

yup

Is a phone call the only possibility?

Its the only way I know of

"As my trip will span over 8 or so months, I cannot sign up at the beginning as I will not get enough points within the first 3 months"

Would you get enough to complete the gold challenge early on ( 10,000 miles ) and then be able to sign up for the platinum one after that?

You cazn sign up for it at any time. You could do the 1st bit without any challenge of course.

to see restrictions on mileage accrual , go to http://www.aa.com/apps/AAdvantage/Vi...artnerType=Air
(aa.com , advantage, partners & mileage programs, airlines ) and then just look at the details of each airline

Dave

Thanks for the link

err.. I'm afraid I must be stupid, I cannot figure what means:

B, G, H, K, L, M, N, V, W, Y, S, S2, S3

and such...
Do these guys know what a legend is ?

The AAdvantage section is huge and filled with sooo much information that I cannot find anything. Must be readable for someone who knows the stuff but not me.

Searching mode activated...

Aren't those the economy class fare codes on BA that are elligble for mileage accrual for AAdvantage members based in US/Canada/Mexico/Australia?

It's very likely they are but I could not find 'easily' the references to all these, that makes the table totally greek/chinese to me.

"err.. I'm afraid I must be stupid, I cannot figure what means:

B, G, H, K, L, M, N, V, W, Y, S, S2, S3"

They indicate the valid booking classes for mileage accrual. For Advantage members based in the US/Canada/Mexico and Australia these are valid for mileage earning on BA.

The 1st character of the Fare Basis will indicate the booking class. For a MONE5, the booking class is M which would be eligable for miles. For members based elsewhere, the MONE5 will not be valid for mileage accrual on BA flights.

Dave

Another small personal question:

I am currently Star Gold (LH Senator).
Do you think I can get a Gold or Plat comp with AA FF program.

Thanks

Probably not, but you can undertake their gold and/or platinum challenge. Fly 10,000 miles in 3 months and they will give you gold status. Fly 20,000 for Platinum. On you itinery you should easily meet the platinum challenge .

Dave

Have they just changed that as well? When I did it recently it was 5000 in 3 months for AA Gold and 10000 for AA Platinum. (Q-miles that is)

They haven't changed it. It is 5,000 / 10,000 Q-points which when travelling on an M class ticket requires 10,000/20,000 miles given that 1 mile accrues 0.5 q point. I was just simplifying it based on the ticket type being discussed


Dave

[This message has been edited by Dave Noble (edited 10-01-2002).]

Well yes, but it looks to me that some of the sectors (including a long haul) are on AY (Finnair). M on Finnair counts as full fare, so it gets 100% Q-points

Is it true ?

Where can I find this kind of specific information about Q-Points on OW carriers ?
Also, when I fly on Qantas on M, I only get 70% Q-miles. Do I get the normal 50 % Q-points or 70%*50% ?

Thanks

Well, for mileage earning to the AA scheme have a look at aa.com ( Select AAdvantage-Partners and mileage programs - airlines and then looking at the terms for each airline )

On QF you will get 70% of actual miles and 50% of actual miles for q-points ,both with a minimum of 500

QF flight 300 miles
Miles earned will be 500, qpoints will be 500

QF Flight 700 miles
Miles earned will be 500, qpoints will be 500

QF Flight 1000+ miles
Miles earned will be 70% of actual distance, qpoints will be 50% of actual distance so for a flight of 10000 miles for example,
Miles Earned will be 7000, Q-Points will be 5000

They do not penalise you by only crediting 50% of the 70%

Dave

Thanks