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Need advice on which *A FF scheme to join? - please post here

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Old Jan 20, 2016, 10:53 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: jtet
A number of threads have been started with members asking for guidance on which mileage programme they should join. In order to help users I have started this thread to allow people to post their requests for information here and to allow people to offer assistance.

For members asking for information please help people to assist you, can you provide:

(1) What is your home airport? (SFO, LAX, MCO, etc.)
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? (C, F, Y, etc.)
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? (UA Silver, M&M Senator etc)
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? (Frequent upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, good award redemption rates, free lounge access, etc.)
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)
(7) Preferred Airlines
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?)


GENERAL INFORMATION:


If you fly less than 50k miles per year: it is almost guaranteed that your choice will be between Aegean Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and Asiana Airlines. Please look up these airlines' frequent flier programs, and make a decision as to which best suits your needs.

Some considerations to take into account:

Airlines tend to treat members of their own frequent flier program better than members of other frequent flier programs. If you fly one of these airlines, it is recommended that you choose that airline.

Some airlines have better earning/redemption charts for your pattern. For example, if you fly on cheap fares on a certain airline often, Turkish might give you miles for it, while Aegean might not. However, Turkish Airlines might charge much more for the redemption that you want to make than Aegean.

Asiana Airlines offers lifetime Star Alliance Gold for 500k miles over life. The other 2 airlines do not offer this benefit.

Asiana Airlines has a credit card in the USA and some other countries. If you are interested in credit cards, check to make sure that the program that you join has a credit card in your country.
If you still aren't sure which frequent flyer program is for you after looking these up, feel free to ask on this thread.
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Old Mar 1, 2011, 1:12 pm
  #151  
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Washington DC
Programs: UA 1P, BA Silver
Posts: 358
(1) What is your home airport? IAD.
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy? Discount Y.
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? 25k-50k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? UA PremierExecutive, 1P.
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? Frequent upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, good award redemption rates, free lounge access.
(6) Which routes do you fly most often? Mostly transatlantic (last year).
(7) Preferred Airlines. None.
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? Pleasure mostly.

I'm just wondering if I should stay at UA or move to OZ program where *G valid for longer terms or switch to AC where SQ redemption are possible. Or, start with OneWorld.
kan148 is offline  
Old Mar 1, 2011, 1:34 pm
  #152  
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: GRR, USA
Posts: 3,298
Originally Posted by kan148
(1) What is your home airport? IAD.
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy? Discount Y.
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? 25k-50k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? UA PremierExecutive, 1P.
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? Frequent upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, good award redemption rates, free lounge access.
(6) Which routes do you fly most often? Mostly transatlantic (last year).
(7) Preferred Airlines. None.
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? Pleasure mostly.

I'm just wondering if I should stay at UA or move to OZ program where *G valid for longer terms or switch to AC where SQ redemption are possible. Or, start with OneWorld.
Funny you should ask, I'm sitting at IAD RCC

If you switch, you can kiss away what you say is most important, which would be "frequent" upgrades. I wouldnt change programs if you want any shot at upgrades. Cheap lounge access would = joining AEGEAN since they have the lowest gold requirements of any *A and you can use USA based RCC's when flying domestic economy. Many people will split their plans. Put enough into something like AEGEAN for domestic coach lounge access and then pile the rest of the miles to you MP program. Dont know if there's much to improve on if you want upgrade ability. As they say, YMMV.
LufthansaFlyer is offline  
Old Mar 1, 2011, 2:20 pm
  #153  
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Washington DC
Programs: UA 1P, BA Silver
Posts: 358
Originally Posted by 1967cougar
Funny you should ask, I'm sitting at IAD RCC

If you switch, you can kiss away what you say is most important, which would be "frequent" upgrades. I wouldnt change programs if you want any shot at upgrades. Cheap lounge access would = joining AEGEAN since they have the lowest gold requirements of any *A and you can use USA based RCC's when flying domestic economy. Many people will split their plans. Put enough into something like AEGEAN for domestic coach lounge access and then pile the rest of the miles to you MP program. Dont know if there's much to improve on if you want upgrade ability. As they say, YMMV.
Thanks for the quick reply! I don't fly US domestic routs often so RCC access isn't really make me excited. Also, as a UA 1P, I only get upgrades while flying domestically so I'm not really taking advantage of that either. But, I do would like to have an upgrades when flying internationally. Wondering if there are any programs that gives you frequent upgrades on TATL or TPAC for someone who fly 25k-50k miles a year. Also, that program has to have a no star net blocking (even though I haven't really had bad experiences with star blocking for my last two redemptions) when it comes to award flights in premium cabins? I don't even know there's such program tho.
kan148 is offline  
Old Mar 2, 2011, 4:22 pm
  #154  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 1
My wife and I will retire in June and begin working in a Kenya orphanage this fall. We will be flying to and from Kenya once a year for as many years (goal is 25) as possible. We are very inexperiences in the frequent flyer world, and would like to stretch our mission dollars as far as possible. Thanks for any help you can give us.

(1) What is your home airport? (SFO, LAX, MCO, etc.)
Pdx.
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? (C, F, Y, etc.)
Coach.
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)
18k per person.
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? (UA Premier, M&M Senator etc)
No.
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? (Frequent upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, good award redemption rates, free lounge access, etc.)
Legroom, legroom, legroom, however I can get it (I'm 6-7).
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)
Pdx to Nairobi for two every year. Also, we must fly out of the East Africa Union and back to Kenya once every year. It could be South Africa, Europe, etc..
(7) Preferred Airlines
None. Whoever's got the most legroom!
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?)
Missions work.
threetruck is offline  
Old Mar 6, 2011, 7:55 pm
  #155  
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Programs: HGP/SPG: Apprentice Kettle; UA/AA/DL: Journeyman Kettle
Posts: 866
Switching from Delta to ... ???

(1) What is your home airport? WAS (IAD/DCA/BWI), currently

(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? Cheap, back of the bus

(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? HIGHLY variable 18K is the minimum as I always go to Asia once a year but after that it is "as needed".

(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? None

(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? good award redemption rates AND AVAILABILITY

(6) Which routes do you fly most often Transpacific

(7) Preferred Airlines Not Delta. Other than that, anythng as long as it is safe and on time

(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?) I travel for both work and pleasure. For work I have to fly whatever the TA books, for personal travel I can choose.

I occasionally travel in the USA for work but that is not frequent. I don't travel to Europe as I have no interest there yet. I travel to Asia at least once a year.

Last edited by MIT_SBM; Mar 31, 2011 at 5:29 am Reason: updated info
MIT_SBM is offline  
Old Mar 8, 2011, 7:50 pm
  #156  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,763
Originally Posted by threetruck
My wife and I will retire in June and begin working in a Kenya orphanage this fall. We will be flying to and from Kenya once a year for as many years (goal is 25) as possible. We are very inexperiences in the frequent flyer world, and would like to stretch our mission dollars as far as possible. Thanks for any help you can give us.

(1) What is your home airport? (SFO, LAX, MCO, etc.)
Pdx.
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? (C, F, Y, etc.)
Coach.
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)
18k per person.
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? (UA Premier, M&M Senator etc)
No.
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? (Frequent upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, good award redemption rates, free lounge access, etc.)
Legroom, legroom, legroom, however I can get it (I'm 6-7).
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)
Pdx to Nairobi for two every year. Also, we must fly out of the East Africa Union and back to Kenya once every year. It could be South Africa, Europe, etc..
(7) Preferred Airlines
None. Whoever's got the most legroom!
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?)
Missions work.
With that kind of mileage, you're best off trying A3. You won't get extra legroom, but you'll get star silver (maybe star gold) status, which tends to get you better service, and the occasional upgrade.
PVDtoDEL is offline  
Old Mar 11, 2011, 12:15 pm
  #157  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 3
(1) What is your home airport? (SFO, LAX, MCO, etc.)
OTP (Bucharest, Romania)
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? (C, F, Y, etc.)
Always Y (charity projects)
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)
25-50k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? (UA Premier, M&M Senator etc)
CO Silver (narrowly missed Gold), FB still showing up as Platinum (last year's status not updated yet - based on mileage flown last year I should get Silver but hopefully they'll do a soft downgrade to Gold)
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? (Frequent upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, good award redemption rates, free lounge access, etc.)
Er.. all in order of preference: free lounge access, upgrades, good award availability and (as a special) extra baggage allowance on transatlantic flights (US)
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)
OTP to US (DEN) and Africa (eg KGL,MPM,LLW,ACC,DAR)
(7) Preferred Airlines
Anything, really, whatever gives more benefits at (5).
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?)
Work. Can only do coach but have some flexibility when choosing the fare (as long as it stays under $2k/trip).

Since most of my trips were to Africa I used to fly ST because of the great connections in "lovely" NBO (been plat with AF/KL for a few years until the dreaded April 1st). I switched to CO when they left ST and am now happy with them, given the good connections to DEN and the use of JNB when going to Africa (which also works better for miles).

Am wondering though if there's a better choice, particularly for achieving/retaining *A Gold (for less than 50k). I was considering TK but after reading some reviews I'm seriously doubting this would be a good choice, after also going through my own nightmare with them last year (IST and CAI).

Since I reside in Eastern Europe I'm also considering connecting through the Middle East, if there are any decent options (like DXB).

Any help please?
lucianf is offline  
Old Mar 11, 2011, 4:57 pm
  #158  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Jakarta, Indonesia
Programs: Garuda Indonesia Frequent Flyer, Singapore Airlines Solitaire PPS Club, Hilton HHonors Diamond
Posts: 12
(1) JKT
(2) Regularly F, Occasionally J
(3) 25k - 50k
(4) Singapore Airlines PPS Club
(5) Frequent Upgrades, Good Award Redemption Rates
(6) Transpacific and Within Asia
(7) Singapore Airlines, United Airlines, Lufthansa
(8) Pleasure
Geogoreya is offline  
Old Mar 13, 2011, 6:55 am
  #159  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Singapore
Posts: 1
FFP advise needed

1) What is your home airport? SIN, Singapore
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? full Y
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? depends on assignment from 10 to 25K
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? No
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? redemption and status
(6) Which routes do you fly most often? Asia, SE asia and australia
(7) Preferred Airlines
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? work

Krisflyer is the last option as points expire in three years
casino is offline  
Old Mar 14, 2011, 10:00 am
  #160  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 1
(1) DUB
(2) Y, except on very rare occasions where I go J/C
(3) 25k - 50k
(4) No.
(5) Redemption and upgrades.
(6) DUB - NYC (JFK or EWR); DUB - LHR - SFO
(7) None.
(8) Work; can choose airlines and COS, but limited budget.

I should add that I'll be making around 50k miles in the coming two months in *A, so I'm looking for which program to join to take advantage of this. It might be hard to maintain this sort of mileage in future years, though, as I usually do between 25k and 50k.
sgomes is offline  
Old Mar 17, 2011, 9:33 pm
  #161  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 3
What to do with my LH SEN (*A G) in US?

Hi,

I am trying to find a new FFP in *A that will let me do the most with my LH SEN status and my new travel routes. I really like having the status and booking award tickets, and in my previous job where I commuted on NY-Germany routes LH was great. Now I will be doing mainly domestic travel, maybe some Caribbean as well, and think I need a new FFP.

here are the details:

(1) What is your home airport? -- NYC, either JFK, EWR or LGA
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? -- Y and lower coach
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? 50 - 100K (varies depending on my client)
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? LH SEN / *A Gold
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? good award redemption, lounge and upgrades secondary
(6) Which routes do you fly most often US domestic (SFO), UK, continental Europe
(7) Preferred Airlines -- could care less who I travel, like LH and CO
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?) -- travel for both work (consulting) and pleasure, do have some flexibility with fare, could squeeze a Y fare but not business.

I am thinking of going the route of matching my status in CO as I think their rewards program is very good. Then I would merge and carry over the status to UA (as they have that PS service to SFO and i do think you get a better chance at an updgrade with native FFP, also higher per flight miles rewards). Is there a flaw in my thinking here?
I am totally open to another idea, LH has a good reward program, in my opinion, so could also stay there.

thank you
zvlada is offline  
Old Mar 18, 2011, 4:23 pm
  #162  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,763
Originally Posted by zvlada
Hi,

I am trying to find a new FFP in *A that will let me do the most with my LH SEN status and my new travel routes. I really like having the status and booking award tickets, and in my previous job where I commuted on NY-Germany routes LH was great. Now I will be doing mainly domestic travel, maybe some Caribbean as well, and think I need a new FFP.

here are the details:

(1) What is your home airport? -- NYC, either JFK, EWR or LGA
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? -- Y and lower coach
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? 50 - 100K (varies depending on my client)
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? LH SEN / *A Gold
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? good award redemption, lounge and upgrades secondary
(6) Which routes do you fly most often US domestic (SFO), UK, continental Europe
(7) Preferred Airlines -- could care less who I travel, like LH and CO
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?) -- travel for both work (consulting) and pleasure, do have some flexibility with fare, could squeeze a Y fare but not business.

I am thinking of going the route of matching my status in CO as I think their rewards program is very good. Then I would merge and carry over the status to UA (as they have that PS service to SFO and i do think you get a better chance at an updgrade with native FFP, also higher per flight miles rewards). Is there a flaw in my thinking here?
I am totally open to another idea, LH has a good reward program, in my opinion, so could also stay there.

thank you
I think you have a good idea.

The only possible flaw in your thinking that comes to mind is that NYC has a very high concentration of elites, so it's hard to score an upgrade.

That means that if you're willing to fly with a stop, you're probably better off with US or DL
PVDtoDEL is offline  
Old Mar 22, 2011, 5:30 am
  #163  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: M&M Sen PC Plat HH Silver
Posts: 1
What about Brussels

Hi, great post, thank you
(1) BRU
(2) Y or lower coach
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? just over 100K
(4) M&M Senator/Star alliance Gold
(5) Frequent upgrades on travel, good award redemption rates then priority services when flying the airline
(6) across EMEA, but mostly in Continental Europe
(7) LH, brussels airlines,
(8) mostly for work.

What i am looking for is an easy way to get evouchers, and upgrades, as LH only offers 2 M&M evouchers per 2 year ...

thank you
sd77ds is offline  
Old Mar 23, 2011, 12:52 am
  #164  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 1
I currently have AAdvantage and Krisflyer FFP. Most of my points is in Krisflyer, which comes from a credit card points redemption so I'm not eligible for FFP status. I can choose between Krisflyer and Asia miles for credit card redemption but I chose Krisflyer at that time since I used to fly a lot with Star Alliance carriers for my business trip (BKK - Europe), but that's no longer apply not any more so I'm looking for a new FFP.

Here's my details.
(1) What is your home airport?
BKK
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Y
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year?
<25k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present?
None.
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Good award redemption rates
(6) Which routes do you fly most often?
Intercontinental
(7) Preferred Airlines.
None
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure?
Pleasure
athipi is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2011, 1:23 pm
  #165  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 3
Turns out that CO will not match a status from an in-alliance airline. Spoke with several people in there, all they would offer me is a challenge program to get a Silver status. a real bummer.
am going to call UA but expect a similar response.
Delta might be the next step.
zvlada is offline  


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