Best oneworld FFP for me
 

Hi,
I wanted your help in choosing a oneworld FFP for me. I generally travel by *A carriers (LH, TG, SQ) and for that have a LH Miles and More membership, but I might need to take some infrequent J class flights on oneworld carriers. These would generally be on CX, AY, BA, JAL, RJ and QF. I live in Delhi, but am also in SIN frequently.
Since these would be infrequent but may be long haul flights (eg DEL-HEL-JFK), I am looking at:
- good returns
- easy tier advancements
Thanks for all your help

It depends on what you want

Purely earn-burn ratios and lower fuel fines - probably can't beat AA
Gaining status - AA under a Challenge
Quickest way to top-tier status - given J class flying, probably QF
Want to upgrade your flights - in OW can only do this on the metal of the program you are on, so most likely CX

choices... choices

I can second that but would like to add two things.

The OP might have difficulties getting AA status through a challenge as he needs to fly on AA or an AA codeshare. Oneworld points do not count anymore.

If your goal is lifetime status (and you fly J), then QF is also the easiest program to achieve this.

Summary: AA is the program for easy award travel (but not that easy to qualify), QF for easy status (when traveling on $$$ tickets) but the worst earn/burn ratio on the planet.

If OW pts don't count on AA, it is a major disadvantage. But since I won't be flying on OW frequently, I don't think I'll get to the highest level.
If QF gives very low earn/burn ratio, then I think that I won't consider it.
Another thing I found on most of the OW member websites was that certain no. of sectors need to be flown on them to gain a higher tier. I don't think that I'll ever be flying LAN, IB or malev.
How are other FFP's (JAL, RJ etc.)?
Thanks for all your replies

Its not that ow partner flights don't count on AA, they do, but the ow partner flights don't count for the purpose of a gold or platinum challenge on AA, which is a shortcut procedure for achieving tier status on AA.

AA grants miles/points for virtually all OW-operated flights (depending on fare class in some) however for the Gold or Platinum "challenges" (elite fast-track scheme) only flights using AA flight numbers are counted.

However given your travel patterns (heavy J, much intra-Asia and India-Asia travel) I'd look first at CX/Asiamiles - http://www.asiamiles.com. All the OW members are participants, but also some key regional players, notably Jet, which flies DEL-SIN (one of your frequent trips it sounds.) Asiamiles is used by CX to obtain status in the Marco Polo club (i.e. CX's elite plan is separate from its FF plan.)

One good thing about Asiamiles is the ability to upgrade on partner metal, including AA and BA. I think that's unique to Asiamiles among OW-affiliated plans.

OW points DO count on AA. So if you fly 50,000 eligible miles on OW flights and have the miles credited to AA then you will earn Platinum status.

HOWEVER, miles on OW flights do NOT count toward the Platinum or Gold Challenge quallifying requirements (status fast track 10K Elite Qualifying Points (EQP) in 90 days gives you Plat, 5000 EQP for Gold - read sticky in AAdvantage forum for more info); For the Plat or Gold status fast track challenges, you need to fly flights with AA flight numbers or codeshare flights that have AA flight numbers, other ow flights no longer count toward the status Challenges.

I hope that clears things up for you.

The others have cleared up the misunderstanding I caused with my post. Sorry for that.
Regarding minimum numbers of sectors which need to be flown on some airlines for status: The rule is there, but it is a question of whether this rule is enforced. AFAIK AA has the rule but is not enforcing it. QF and BA are enforcing the rule, not sure about CX.