Potential new traveller
 

I have been a devoted OW FF for some years.

I am going to be starting to fly regularly (once-twice a month LAX-Europe) starting in Feb, in F or J. Main destination initially is FCO. So it looks like my best Skyteam option will be AF via CDG.

What would be the best FF program to join in terms of earning, redemption, elite attainability and benefits?

Would any of them comp my OW status? Do they have any fast track to elite status (eg AAdv Plat Challenge)? Or is it not even worth it if travelling in F/J (usually elite level provides elite bonus eg 100% of miles flown).

Thanks for your help.

If you fly within the US, it's worth joining DL's programme for the upgrades elites get. With the Euro Skyteam partners (AF and OK more than AZ and KL), you'll only need 2 or maximum 3 longhaul premium class roundtrips to become top-level elite. It's probably a good idea to enrol to F+ for the extra luggage allowance and the occasional J->F comp u/g ...And if you have a non-French address (which you will), I think you get 100% flown miles bonus!
but the bad thing about AF's FFP is that you won't earn miles for some booking classes on partner airlines. These sometimes are excluded because they're cheap fares (KE Q-class), but other times it seems like somebody designated them just for fun- for example D on AM and AZ (business class with minimal restrictions). Thankfully these classes aren't too many. Redemption varies by route, of course, while benefits are similar across the alliance (dont know a lot about AM; and KE has a weird FFP so I wouldn't be able to help with either) apart from metal-specific elite upgrades (domestic in the US partners, systemwide on OK's Europe-focused system; AF, KL, AZ don't offer them), which I don't think you'll care much about as you're fortunate enough to be flying up front already.

[QUOTE=graraps]
but the bad thing about AF's FFP is that you won't earn miles for some booking classes on partner airlines. These sometimes are excluded because they're cheap fares (KE Q-class), but other times it seems like somebody designated them just for fun- for example D on AM and AZ (business class with minimal restrictions). Thankfully these classes aren't too many. [QUOTE]

Are you saying that I do not earn FFP miles flying Z (discount business) on AZ, let alone business class miles?

That does not show up on their website(not much does show up on their website). Do they have similar restrictions for D & Z on AF?

AF, AZ, and NW frequently sell Z tickets IAD-Europe, which I use.

[QUOTE=slawecki]Z is fine, you get your biz class miles. D, which is significantly more expensive, earns a big fat ZERO! And D on AF is fine as well as far as I understand it.
There 's a 3-page-long sticky on top of the F+ board that will explain things a bit better.

Of course it doesn't show up on their website - there is no such restriction. All paid fares earn 100% miles according to their class of service on AZ. Given that Z class is business class, you'll earn double flown miles with AZ for your trip, subject to a minimum of 1,200 miles for international itineraries. i.e. LHR-MXP round-trip in Z is 4,800 miles (2 sectors x 100% + 100% class of service bonus x 1200 miles).

Alitalia is, without doubt, one of the best SkyTeam airlines for accumulating miles, since there are no tricky fare class issues to worry about. I regularly fly T class on AZ for leisure, and get my full miles.

That's correct WRT 1000migla. But F+ has different rules!

KE Q Class does NOT accru either award miles or qualification miles on any of SkyTeam partners' frequent flyer programs, not just Frequence Plus. Only KE members themselves can earn 70% mileage of such booking class. I learned a good lesson on this without realizing it when buying the KE tickets back in 2003 and lost my Gold Medallion status for 2004 because of KE Q Class.

Anyway, back to the OP's question,..here are my comments.
1. If you can achieve 75K MQMs for sure in 2005, do with DL Skymiles because you will earn 100% mileage bonus on all SkyTeam flights once you reach Gold Medallion at 50K miles) plus Crown Room Club Member (once you reach Platinum at 75K). Especially, if you are still based in the US, DL is a very good option. Plus, if you can reach 1 Million MQMs, you will become LifeTime Medallion (start with Silver).
2. Frequence Plus easily gives you Elite Plus Status once you achieve only 40K miles but you will get only 50% mileage bonus. Over the long run, you do the math for that 50% difference.

Frequence Plus gives you mileage upgrade option (when you fly Economy Y or K fare). But you mentioned you will likely to fly business class only, then upgrade is no longer an issue.

Last but not least, AF website functionality is really way behind comparing to other SkyTeam Partners (e.g. Delta, CO or NW).

Strictly based on my opinion, I will pick the Delta program to get that 100% bonus (at Gold status) plus Crown Room Club Membership along with 6 Upgrade Coupons (on Y, B and M Fare) at Platinum Status.

Regarding Comp Match, contact Delta or go to this thread.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9558

You may want to double check but I believe I saw something about Delta matching status from non-SkyTeam airlines. AF does NOT match for sure from what I know. If you can gel Delta to match even up to Gold, you will start enjoy 100% mileage bonus right away.

Thank you all for the advice. My initial instinct was to go for DL but their ongoing viability worried me.

The status matching does sound attractive as does the lounge access. My only question is that I thought Skyteam was similar to OW and *A - ie US airline FF elite members don't get lounge access on US domestic sectors, while elites from non-US airlines in the alliance do (eg AAdv members v. QF members flying US domestic segments). Hence my inclination for AF.

If that comment from graraps about AF F+ members with non-US addresses getting 100% miles bonus is correct then I see little advnatage of going with DL - I am unlikely to be flying DL domestically.

One additional question, how is availability of awards on alliance partners? are the redemption levels the same from any airline's program or are some better value?

Once you become Platinum Status on DL, you will be given a Crown Room Club Membership which allows you to use CO's President Club and NW WorldClub and it does NOT matter whether you are flying domestic or international (economy). Crown Room Club gives access to any of the 3 clubs as long as you are flying with one of them at the time of using the club.

Regarding Non-US Frequence Plus Red members earning 100% bonus instead of 50%, I am double checking with Frequence Plus Thailand and I will let you know if that is correct....Thanks,... I just moved from the US, so the 50% bonus deal was kind of stick in my head.

For award availability, I have not had much problems so far as long as you plan in advance.

Not true. It accrues 70% for OK+ members.

graraps, thanks for correction. Looks like it is special for OK+ members because DL, AF, NW and CO do not credit KE Q class for sure. Man, I wish they did !! :cool:

[QUOTE=kiam]
Regarding Non-US Frequence Plus Red members earning 100% bonus instead of 50%, I am double checking with Frequence Plus Thailand and I will let you know if that is correct....Thanks,... I just moved from the US, so the 50% bonus deal was kind of stick in my head.

[QUOTE]


Non-FRENCH Frequency Plus Red members earn 100% bonus, according to AF F+ monitor.

Certainly not noted on what is called the AF website.

I betcha it accrues 100% for AZ Millemiglia ;)

On the other hand, I'm never going to find out because it sounds like a cheap economy bucket and there's no way I'm going to Korea in the back of the bus.

But you could travel intra-Asia! :)

So the major benefits of DL membership is lounge membership and elite bonus and SWUs?


If I was F+ rouge and teavelling within US on DL/CO/NW could i not gain access to a lounge based on being a Skyteam elite?