I've now past the EXP re-qual point on AA and have also past the re-qual point for 1K on UA (it's been a busy year...).

So, I'm thinking it's time to diversify again and build status on a further OW carrier. BA is appealing, because I'd like to be able to fly SFO-LHR on BA and earning an upgrade certificate or two wouldn't be a bad thing. CX has occurred to me too-- I fly CX a couple of times a year in paid J for a client and have always credited that to AA, but this would hopefully allow for J->F upgrade and building MPC Diamond status.

This leaves me with some questions: do I lose the benefit of free EXP upgrades on AA? I was thinking I'd leave my EXP number in the reservation until just before boarding and then swap it for the new program's number. Is that allowed?

And, Executive Club seems to be pretty restricted, and from what I've read over the past year or so it's been highly devalued. MPC looks good except top tier is 120k miles-- a lot to hit.

If I stick it out with AA and just keep crediting to that, I do get my 100% bonus on flight miles-- so at least I'll rack up miles faster that way.

Ideas? Thank you!

For swapping the numbers - yes that is possible, although you may irritate AA gate agents by doing it.

For CX remember that:
- the qualification year is 12 months from whenever you join or last changed status
- when you go up a level your Club (status) Points & Miles get reset to zero, so you need 210,000 miles to get to Diamond from nothing
- if you don't keep status up you can drop all the way back immediately, not just one tier per year.
- no status bonuses
- the benefits on CX as a Diamond are good (guaranteed seat at cheapest published fare in Y; guaranteed seat in full-J, lots of upgrades - although generally only if the booked class is full, lots of recognition).

So it's hard to get, quite an exclusive club, and IMO worth it if you fly CX a lot. But you have to fly a huge amount to keep EXP and get to Diamond in less than 2 or 3 years.

Personally I use them the other way round - CX Diamond as my primary status, and then putting whatever is left over into AA, this being enough at the moment to be either Plat or EXP most years. AA has the advantage of lifetime status, which CX no longer has, so there is no real reason to keep putting flights on CX once Diamond requalification is achieved.

1K-SFO you beat me to the post by an hour or two.

My flights this week TPA-MIA-LHR to pick up a DONE4 ex_LHR will take me passed 100K EQP on AA. So I was also thinking of starting to log some points with someone else. Over 10 days I'll fly through Asia and the SWP and back to the US (The ticket actually started in IST last month).

I'd miss that 100% mileage bonus from AA, but since I'm flying a LOT more non-AA OW product this year using RTW tickets, the prospect of being able to do a J to F upgrade on BA sometimes seems very appealing. And those D and A class flights are perfect for building status from what I understand (and that isn't much - the BA program seems very, very complicated).

I'm just reluctant to start unless I'm sure I can reach some sort of ueful tier/point level on the new program.

BTW, it is frightening that you have managed to log enough UA flights on the side for 1K in the same time frame. You must need to check in for some vacation time at home!

I have been doing a lot of research into BA's programme (as I now live in the UK) and it really doesn't stand up to much scrutiny.
You need far more miles to fly to other places, e.g 120,000 from LHR - MEL in J using AA or 200,000 using BA miles on the same carriers.
Also the top status benefits only give you 1 upgrade certificate for 2 people. You get further "pairs" of upgrades as you clock up more miles.

I have heard however, that they do op-up people in their 'club'.

Having said all that I was op-upped to A seat when flying J as an AA EXP on a flight from YYZ - LHR last year. It wasn't a real op-up, just the seat, not the service. Still J class service but bigger seat.

Of course if you do the pond trip often, the BA J class seat vs. AA J - no contest.

I have had the exact "dilemma" and have decided to do retain my QF plat status for one more year as well as go for the Platinum Elite level of CO program as the partners it has are quite good....also great discount J fares which earn elite qualifying miles....

You lose the AA upgrade if you remove the AA number from the booking -- there is no way around that. The only real value of other OW status is the AC/FL access for domestic US flights. Otherwise EXP is still worth more for opups than BA Silver (know that for a fact -- despite all the hints that BA takes care of its own BAEC members first, it just isn't true, they follow the OW status). If you fly F/J fares then QF Emerald status is the easiest to obtain, also a few of QF's routes are ones where QF status comes in useful. BA has less of those routes and generally more flights, so BA Gold is less useful than QF Platinum. But AAdvantage is generally the highest yielding program to use, in terms of value for miles earned, so switching to a 2nd program is strictly for special purposes. I think Asiamiles are the most valuable of the programs (but also earn the fewest miles, as CX has smaller status bonuses). Overall CX Diamond is absolutely the most valuable Emerald, but the biggest value is if you fly CX a lot in non-premium classes. I'm happy with QF despite their problems and recent devaluation, but I credit much of my flying to EXP (now if only they had a double or triple EXP status).

Actually I would disagree. BA Gold is the easiest to get due to the way that the credit full tier points 120 per sector in J and 60 in H class or above economy for flights over 2000 miles! Also flying a short haul CW sector also gets you the same full tier points (e.g. DOH-BAH). I don't think any other the other OW programmes are so generous! A corresponding flight on QF will net 20-80 credits which is a considerable difference. The only downside to the BA programme is the way that tier credits can be lost when moving from one status to another and also the fact that they give you zip when your on a very cheap economy fare. When travelling in higher classes of economy however the tables are turned very quickly and far exceed anything that QF offers. Travel around the globe in a H or above fare and you will see what I mean.

I requalified EXP by March this year, right now I'm just under the 200k+ mark for the year, and on current plans expect to make around 300k by year end, so in theory I could go for three Emerald cards, yet I put every single mile into AA for two reasons: the 100% bonus and, to a lesser extent, a future MM mark that gives me [theoretical] lifetime status. Upgrades, lounges, etc., are, in my very own personal case, not nearly as important as being able to get several substantial OW awards for travel with Viajera every year, and for that I need a truckload of miles.