Originally Posted by ellenWit (Post 16837807)

Hello!

In october we're leaving for an around the world trip starting in Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (our home base), which means we'll be making al lot of flying miles. We decided to see if we can collect frequent flyer miles. We're going to fly with British airways, Qantas (both Oneworld), South african airways, New zealand airways (both Sky alliance) and LACSA/TACA (AviancaTaca). For what we learned so far, we only have to become a member of one airline of an airline netword.

So we're considering to join the frequent flyer miles program of:
-British airways OR Qantas
-South african airways OR New zealand airways

Do you have any tips how to choose which program to join?

We simply have to join the frequent flyer miles program of TACA.

Thank you very much for your help,

Greets!

Originally Posted by snod08 (Post 16826374)

HI Quarryking! Long time! We still have to do the Mini-DO at MAA.
Will keep you posted,

In your case with Star Alliance, it is best of course, if AI joins.
However, that has not happened yet.

For MAA-SIN, it is easiest to fly SQ for Star miles. Cheapest SQ economy fares do not earn miles on any airline including SQ. So, be watchful of what fare class you are buying.
If you can route MAA-SIN and then SIN-CMB for work, then you can fly SQ all the way. (instead of doing MAA-SIN-MAA and MAA-CMB-MAA).

The MAA-CMB-MAA sector is a problem one with respect to Star alliance. But, its a short flight anyway...so you could continue on 9W for that one.

In terms of collecting miles, it seems that your goal is award tickets.
Some reports in this thread say Aegean (A3) does have good redemption rates.

Another program to consider collecting miles would be TK (Turkish). You need 35K miles (I believe...dont remember just now) for Star Gold. That will give you lounge access throughout your travel.

One more option to consider is TG. Actually, if you can fly MAA-BKK-SIN/CMB, you can collect way more miles quickly!! (but it will add some hours to travel) And TG seems to be a good program to collect miles in......50K for Star Gold. They give you upgrade vouchers after you reach Star Gold.

I actually liked the TG MAA-BKK-MAA flights. Nice service. Decent timing (arrival / departure).

Originally Posted by adzenith (Post 16846198)

(1) What is your home airport? (SFO, LAX, MCO, etc.)
SEA
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? (C, F, Y, etc.)
Y domestic, C transpac.
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)
Around 50k: a couple trips to HKG, a few trips to SFO/OAK, and maybe some to BOS.
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? (UA Premier, M&M Senator etc)
None at all.
(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.)
I'd most like good award redemption rates.
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)
I fly most to OAK/SFO, sometimes to BOS, and a couple times a year to HKG.
(7) Preferred Airlines
No real preference.
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you choose your airlines, class of service?)
I travel for both work and pleasure; for work I can generally choose my airline.

Thanks in advance!

Originally Posted by YuropFlyer (Post 16846444)

Given your transpacific flights in C, I would look over at M&M, 100k will give you *G/SEN, with upgrade vouchers, AND lounge access while flying domestic in the US of A.

And those 100k will only mean 44.5k actual miles flown in C, as (starting from 35k miles aquired when you gain FTL/*S) their Status costumers get another 25% extra, and C does yield 200%. So it's 225% of the distance flown. Not that many transpacific's for that, and you only need to hit it once every 2 years.

Back to lounge access, you get free lounge access with a non-domestic(usa)-*A-Gold-status when flying domestic in the usa, so this might be worth something, but I think they (each us airline) are handing out free upgrades but only for their own elites. If you'll be splitting your travels over several carriers, lounge access might be worth more than having an update once in a while. That, and the much better earning in C to M&M makes me believe that if you can make the above mentioned "100k", you should go with M&M

Originally Posted by quarryking (Post 16841326)

Thanks for the detailed reply. As you have rightly mentioned, the only downside to the cheapest SQ fares would be that one wouldn't earn any Kris flyer miles on them. But the TG suggestion is something i should probably look into.

Am up for a 'MAA FT do' anytime.. any trips to MAA for you on the cards..??

Originally Posted by Wiley (Post 16851659)

(1) What is your home airport?DCA or BWI, want to avoid IAD...don't mind multiple connections
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ?Cheapo Y Tickets
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year?60-100K depending on the year
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it?DL Gold...was NW Platinum for about 8 years until DL merger
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP?In order: Upgrades, Lounge Access, good redemption
(6) Which routes do you fly most oftenDifferent city every other week. Both domestic and intl.
(7) Preferred AirlinesTotally open
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure?Both, but flexible with airlines

What do you think folks? Thanks for the advice in advance!

Originally Posted by Wiley (Post 16851659)

(1) What is your home airport?DCA or BWI, want to avoid IAD...don't mind multiple connections
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ?Cheapo Y Tickets
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year?60-100K depending on the year
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it?DL Gold...was NW Platinum for about 8 years until DL merger
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP?In order: Upgrades, Lounge Access, good redemption
(6) Which routes do you fly most oftenDifferent city every other week. Both domestic and intl.
(7) Preferred AirlinesTotally open
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure?Both, but flexible with airlines

What do you think folks? Thanks for the advice in advance!

Originally Posted by PVDtoDEL (Post 16853200)

As I just suggested to somebody else with a similar profile on the UA board, US is the best option for you. They have been building up a solid operation on the East coast, especially out of DCA, their FFP is ok - almost all of the downsides are made up by the fact that most flights are a guarenteed UDU....

Originally Posted by Wiley (Post 16855931)

thanks y'all. i'm considering getting *G with aegean for the domestic lounges and then crediting all my miles to UA afterwards. i was going to do the status match, but it looks like only UACO metal qualifies. i have a couple of LH flights coming up and also one TK long haul...i think those flights alone should get me to *G on A3.

Originally Posted by Montacute (Post 16867397)

(1) What is your home airport? WAS--very close to DCA
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? cheap Y
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k) This year just over 25k. more like 5ok next year.
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? Nothing.
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? International upgrades especially, and international reward redemption, then lounge access
(6) Which routes do you fly most often US-EU, US-Caribbean, a few domestic flights a year.
(7) Preferred Airlines None. Probably want to pursue *A
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? Both. Work will fly me business class. Work trips are usually 2-3 domestic and 1 international a year.




I was thinking UA, but after reading about no free upgrades internationally, I'm not so sure. I need to decide in a hurry. I have 4 international flights coming up, all on *A, which will give me initial status with someone.

Many thanks for suggestions!