Which Skyteam FFP?
 

Hi,

Recently I've started to fly a few Y segments in Europe with KLM & Alitalia, and occasionally domestically with DL in the USA.

Can anyone recommend which of the ST FFPs would be best suited for me. I know I'm not flying enough to earn status anytime soon, so more looking at getting the best value out of the miles earned.

Cheers,

Barella

Probably any of the FFPs is similar for this pattern. Maybe millemiglia will give you a few more miles.

You'll probably accrue the most miles on DL, as they now award SkyPesos for fare classes that don't earn full mileage on KL, AF, and AZ. However, spending SkyPesos is a challenge (if you don't have 100K to part with to do a LON-AMS r/t), and the international origination surcharge is a killer on award tickets. I've stuck with DL since moving to the UK because I will be back in the US in a year and a half. However, I probably wouldn't pick it as a long-term EU-based ST flyer.

Thanks mtkeller.

I had been looking at SkyPesos, along with some of the European FFPs.

Taking for example a flight I have next week to Rome in Alitalia 'R' class, each way I would earn:

SkyMiles (100%) - 900 miles
Flying Blue (25%) - 225 miles
MilleMiglia - 100 miles

I can't find the earning table for OK Plus.

However, whilst DL may earn more miles, if I need a lot more to redeem, it's a little pointless (pardon the pun) to earn them.

Any thoughts on the best of the European FFPs?

Both FlyingBlue and CSA OKPlus offer Silver (Skyteam Elite) status at 15 flight segments; and Gold (Skyteam Elite Plus) at 30 segments.

Each flight, regardless of the earning percentage, earns one segment. So LHR-AMS-FCO and back would earn you 4 segments at once.

*If* you are likely to reach 30 segments in a year (7.5 roundtrips like the example above), this might be a good choice. Perhaps it would not earn as many miles as the Delta program, but you would get Gold status which allows free Lounge access (+Guest) before every skyteam flight. Which is an advantage that I personally prefer over a free award flight every 1-2 years.. :)

R is a superpromo class, will you often fly such deeply discounted classes? Also, keep in mind that vice versa applies (super-discounted flights on AF or KL used to give more miles for millemiglia than for flying blue).

If you want to qualify by segments FB is much more generous.

I tend to have to fly discounted fares, due to company policy.

I assume the segments is over a year, in which case it's unlikely I'd fly enough with Skyteam to achieve that as my flights tend to be on a mixture of alliances nowadays.

It was really to a find a good program for earning & redeeming miles for a UK citizen who flys cheap tickets within Europe, and the occasional long haul to the USA.