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FFP Program Recommendation
After spending countless hours getting this trip ready to go i am about to book a RTW with Star for travel in July,Aug,Sep 2011.
But now comes where do i put the points. Ive maxxed out this trip to the max amount of segments so all the crazyness is unfortunately set and I can't add in anymore crazy mileage earning segments. Im currently a member of Air NZ Airpoints & BMI Diamond Club (only did it for the problems with their website). As *A doesn't have to much of a presence here in Aus (no domestic at all) what program should i put these towards. After a program that could get me *G as I may be moving to the USA in 2012 if all goes to plan (would make mileage earning o so much easier). But id also like something with easy redemptions. Willing to join any program. Please suggest away. Btw here is the itinerary with booking classes! Brisbane to Vancouver 7 Jul 11 Departure: 12:25 Brisbane, Australia - Brisbane Arrival: 17:25 Auckland, New Zealand - Auckland Flight: Air New Zealand NZ136 Aircraft: Boeing 777-200/200ER Cabin Class: Business - D Change of plane required. Time between flights = 4:05. 7 Jul 11 Departure: 21:30 Auckland, New Zealand - Auckland Arrival: 14:45 Los Angeles, USA - Los Angeles International Flight: Air New Zealand NZ2 Aircraft: Boeing 777-300 Cabin Class: Business - D Change of plane required. Time between flights = 4:10. 7 Jul 11 Departure: 18:55 Los Angeles, USA - Los Angeles International Arrival: 21:36 Vancouver, Canada - Vancouver International Flight: Air Canada AC557 Aircraft: Embraer 190 Cabin Class: Business - Z San Francisco to New York 3 Aug 11 Departure: 10:10 San Francisco, USA - San Francisco International Arrival: 16:25 Chicago, USA - O'Hare International Flight: United Airlines UA972 Aircraft: Boeing 767-300/300ER Cabin Class: Business - D Change of plane required. Time between flights = 1:05. 3 Aug 11 Departure: 17:30 Chicago, USA - O'Hare International Arrival: 20:46 New York, USA - La Guardia Flight: United Airlines UA692 Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A319 Cabin Class: First - A New York to Paris 5 Aug 11 Departure: 18:00 New York, USA - John F Kennedy Arrival: 08:05 +1 day(s) Zurich, Switzerland - Zurich Flight: Swiss LX17 Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A330-300 Cabin Class: Business - D Change of plane required. Time between flights = 1:00. 6 Aug 11 Departure: 09:05 Zurich, Switzerland - Zurich Arrival: 10:20 Paris, France - Charles De Gaulle Flight: Swiss LX634 Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A320-100/200 Cabin Class: Business - D Paris to Berlin 13 Aug 11 Departure: 09:30 Paris, France - Charles De Gaulle Arrival: 11:05 Berlin, Germany - Tegel Flight: Lufthansa LH3241 Aircraft: Boeing 737-500 Cabin Class: Business - D Berlin to London 16 Aug 11 Departure: 11:05 Berlin, Germany - Tegel Arrival: 12:00 London, United Kingdom - Heathrow Flight: BMI BD842 Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A319 Cabin Class: Business - J London to Tokyo 20 Aug 11 Departure: 19:35 London, United Kingdom - Heathrow Arrival: 15:20 +1 day(s) Tokyo, Japan - Narita Flight: All Nippon Airways NH202 Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER Cabin Class: Business - D Tokyo to Hong Kong 1 Sep 11 Departure: 13:30 Tokyo, Japan - Narita Arrival: 16:10 Seoul, Korea (Republic of) - Incheon International Flight: Asiana Airlines OZ101 Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A330-300 Cabin Class: Business - D Change of plane required. Time between flights = 3:35. 1 Sep 11 Departure: 19:45 Seoul, Korea (Republic of) - Incheon International Arrival: 22:30 Hong Kong, Hong Kong (SAR of China) - Hong Kong International Flight: Asiana Airlines OZ723 Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A330-300 Cabin Class: Business - D Hong Kong to Singapore 6 Sep 11 Departure: 15:40 Hong Kong, Hong Kong (SAR of China) - Hong Kong International Arrival: 19:20 Singapore, Singapore - Changi Flight: Singapore Airlines SQ861 Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A380-800 Cabin Class: Business - D Singapore to Brisbane 10 Sep 11 Departure: 09:55 Singapore, Singapore - Changi Arrival: 19:30 Brisbane, Australia - Brisbane Flight: Singapore Airlines SQ245 Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A330-300 Cabin Class: Business - D |
Business Class RTW and you want easy *G status? Then I would go or A3 as they have very good earning rates for C and extremely easy *G qualification (20k miles per year).
If moving to North America you might also want to consider UA or AC. More difficult to get *G but (35k and 50k respectively) but still possible in one RTW. Also, your RTW is not maxed out at all. You are waisting segments for land segments, short flights and co terminals. 31196 miles is also not a great number since you are waisting almost 4000. So if you wanted to maximise things you can still do quite a bit. |
Originally Posted by DownUnderFlyer
(Post 14955540)
Business Class RTW and you want easy *G status? Then I would go or A3 as they have very good earning rates for C and extremely easy *G qualification (20k miles per year).
If moving to North America you might also want to consider UA or AC. More difficult to get *G but (35k and 50k respectively) but still possible in one RTW. Also, your RTW is not maxed out at all. You are waisting segments for land segments, short flights and co terminals. 31196 miles is also not a great number since you are waisting almost 4000. So if you wanted to maximise things you can still do quite a bit. |
If moving to North America, I would suggest you look at the AC program, I think it is very good, but I would consider where I would be flying once I am there. If you think you will be doing the European runs, I would stay with BD, so that when they fold into LH, you are already involved. The key to your American program will be decided by your choice of American credit card IMO, so do a little homework before you go, picking the right cc and getting bonuses, can mean a big difference
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If you are moving to USA, then I think AC may be your best bet.
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Originally Posted by soy
(Post 14958295)
If you are moving to USA, then I think AC may be your best bet.
LAX |
Originally Posted by `X'
(Post 14957635)
the segments are maxxed, as the locations i need to get to are set. Mileage isnt maxxed i know that, but the one land segment is also set.
Its FT after all so we all like crazy routing. Just saying you could streamline things if you don't have to go this exact routing. For example NZ flies AKL-YVR direct but only a day later or earlier than what you want to do. Or flying UA SFO-JFK direct saves two segments compared to what you currently do. |
Originally Posted by DownUnderFlyer
(Post 14959797)
So you need to go to YVR via LAX? And to NYC via ORD? And you have to fly into LGA and depart from JFK (one segment). And fly from NRT to HKG via ICN?
Its FT after all so we all like crazy routing. Just saying you could streamline things if you don't have to go this exact routing. For example NZ flies AKL-YVR direct but only a day later or earlier than what you want to do. Or flying UA SFO-JFK direct saves two segments compared to what you currently do. YVR via LAX The AKL-LAX segment is being opp'd by Air NZ's new 777-300ER. So the plane spotter side in me wants new aircraft & new product. I can then meet up with AC who i havent flown with either and also get a first flight on an E190. As for SFO-ORD-LGA i was originally going to go direct and use the extra segments doing some crazy routing/mileage running in asia but unforutnately as i needed to rework some other stops couldn't do that so with one spare segment i managed to find the one flight from SFO-ORD on that day opp'd by international config UA 763. I havent flown United Business before and getting it in their international seat just seemed like the thing to do. Plus ive never flown in a seat facing backwards so that was also an opportunity. Their is reasonings behind most of those flights and stem down to one of the following: New Product New Aircraft New Aircraft Type i havent flown New Airline i havent flown New Airport I havent flown to For the hell of it Miles |
I fail to see why someone moving to North America should seek status in AC unless they are actually going to be flying a lot of AC. If you're not going to be flying on the program you accrue with then it doesn't really matter where the points accrue.
The down-side of accruing on CO/UA/US is that the Biz fares don't get nearly as good bonus multipliers for the premium cabins as the European and Asian programs do. But you'd get upgrades and such when you're flying domestically once you do move. Win some, lose some. |
Originally Posted by `X'
(Post 14959812)
Their is reasonings behind most of those flights and stem down to one of the following:
New Product New Aircraft New Aircraft Type i havent flown New Airline i havent flown New Airport I havent flown to For the hell of it Miles Very FT way to plan things!
Originally Posted by sbm12
(Post 14960999)
I fail to see why someone moving to North America should seek status in AC unless they are actually going to be flying a lot of AC. If you're not going to be flying on the program you accrue with then it doesn't really matter where the points accrue.
The down-side of accruing on CO/UA/US is that the Biz fares don't get nearly as good bonus multipliers for the premium cabins as the European and Asian programs do. But you'd get upgrades and such when you're flying domestically once you do move. Win some, lose some. |
Originally Posted by DownUnderFlyer
(Post 14963451)
The other downside is that you have to pay extra for lounge access.
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