RTW with OWE - which frequent flyer program should I join?
 

Hi,
I've purchased a RTW ticket with OWE, 4 continents, L-class (economy), 43,000 miles in total. I don't have FF points from previous flights.
I have a few questions:
1. If I join one of oneworld's airline's FF club, do I get the same credit per mile for flights I fly with other airlines in my OWE ticket?
2. BA have told me that they will give me only 25% because I fly in an economy class and the OWE is a discounted ticket. Which oneworld airline will give me the most credit for my miles?
My itinerary is:
TLV-LHR with BA
LHR-DEL with BA
DEL-HKG with CX
HKG-BKK with CX
BKK-HKG with CX
HKG-NRT with CX
NRT-SYD with QF
CNS-ASP with QF
AYQ-MEL with QF
HBA-SYD with QF
SYD-AKL with QF
AKL-SCL with QF, operated by LA
SCL-IPC with LA
IPC-SCL with LA
EZE-SCL with LA
SCL-SSA with LA
GIG-LHR with BA
LHR-AMS with BA
AMS-LHR with BA
LHR-TLV with BA
3. Can join the FF of an airline in which I don't fly with (such as AA)?
4. Can I enter lounges as soon as I start my trip or just from a certain mileage?

Thanks in advanced,
Gadi

BA/One world mileage club
 

That seems ludicrous that BA says it will only give you 25% credit. Maybe you need to talk to another customer service person at BA (although their CS can be crummy). I have FF with BA and have received full credit on discounted tickets while traveling on their partner airlines. While traveling around OZ I got full BA mile credit from flying Qantas and I had a multi-destination discounted ticket purchased through a broker (one-way tickets patched together) as well as received full credit flying on Iberia. My rule of thumb is go with the larger carrier or the one you are most likely to fly in the future. I also have FF with UA's mileage plus and have gotten full credit on partner airlines, no prob. And if I encounter ANY travel issues along the way I write a letter of complaint to the airline and in the past have gotten 125% credit for my troubles, nice upgrades, generous vouchers—all on discounted tickets. And with that RTW ticket you are likely to hit some rough spots (I had a very nasty experience with Qantas at the Ayer's Rock airport). Good luck and happy flying!

Hi,
Thanks for the fast reply.
This is what BA CS wrote me as a reply for my enquiery:
"Booking classes in First, Club World, Club Europe and World Traveller
Plus are eligible for 100% of the actual BA miles flown, plus a cabin
bonus.

Full fare and semi flexible economy classes (Y, B and H, plus UK
Domestic C class) will be eligible for 100% of the BA miles flown.
Discount economy fares (G, K, L, M, N, O, Q, R, S and V), will receive
25% of the actual BA miles flown."
I also asked by phone and they've told me the same.
Do you know if the other oneworld airlines give better terms for the OWE ticket?
Thanks again,
Gadi

1. No, each FFP is different.
2. The information you received from BA is correct.
3. Yes.
4. No, you have to earn Oneworld status first, or fly business/first, which is not your case,

It may seem ludicrous but it is correct.
Also BA will not let you join the Executive Club unless you purchase a ticket in one of the following fare classes:
UK Domestic Y,B,H or C
Euro Traveller & World Traveller (economy) Y, B, or H
World Traveller Plus(premium economy) W or T
Club Europe & Club World (business class) J,C,D or I
FIRST F or A

You may also want to consider joining CX Asia Miles. you would get 100% on CX and LA flights and 50% for the BA and QF flights (better than the 25% with BA exec club) but this is only a mileage accrual program. If you want lounge access, you'll need to join the Marco Polo Club to earn status, which requires a US$50 registration fee.

Hope this gives you more options.

But note that this itinerary is not enough in itself to earn you enough status on CX to get anything except business class lounge access when flying CX, plus use of business class check-ins on all OW (MPC Silver, OW Ruby). And you would achieve that status after you have finished flying CX, so it's of no great value.

Having said that CX seems to be the one which gives you maximum miles so I would go for AsiaMiles. http://www.asiamiles.com

Even though Qantas FF program waives registration fee to non-Australia/New Zealand residents (must use overseas address), it is not worth while join if you live outside these areas as the recent May-25 program change, most international award tickets redemption cost have increased dramatically as they try to lure pax into ticketing domestic award tickets. :td: [QF has no other competition in Aus as it is the only full service carrier domestically with affliating in a global alliance programme...hopefully this will change when SQ can fly trans-pacific routes to the US, fingers crossed]

PS: By the way, what booking class is used to ticket RTW economy, business and first travel?

Economy = L
Business = D (books in A on 2-class U.S. domestic flights on AA)
First = A (books in D on all 2-class flights except U.S. Domestic, which books in A)

What about other OW airlines?
 

LA, AA, Iberia, Finnair, Aer Lingus - Does any of them give 100% credit per each mile? Or at least better than those discussed above?

None will give you 100% per _each_ mile (on L class), and 'better' is such a relative term in this matter, because not all miles are equal. It isn't just a matter of 'Arline XX gives me more miles than YY', it's what you are entitled to do with those miles what counts. It matters very little if, say, BA gives you 10 miles and AA only 7 if later BA will charge you 15 miles for the same award that AA will let you have for 7. And then there are the bonuses, where each FFP will reward your status differently, or the 'challenges', where you earn status quickly with AA, and where you reside, or fly from,... sorry but there's just no way to give a definitive, 'better', answer.

what was nasty about your experience with Qantas at Ayers Rock? I am flying with Qantas from Adelaide to Ayers Rock and then onward to Cairns in June...

HelenP,

I'll send a private message on this to not clog the thread.

-wj

That statement most certainly is not true, Finnair Plus will give you 100% points per KILOMETER flown in L (only exeption being BA in L, that will give you 50% per km) - like Viajero pointed out, it's not just the miles/points that matter, it's the question what you can do with them.

With AY points you can have all OW awards but you can only gain OW status if you fly atleast 4 flights on their metal. I think status might not matter to you too much? Anyway, with 40k+ L miles, you are not gaining much in regard to status.

If AY sounds like an option for you, check finnair.com for details how much you'd earn and what are the awards/leves. I am also more than happy to give you more information and you can check the "Other European" forum but as search is down, it might not be that easy.

Cheers

Search has been back for a while now. :)