No, there is no segment rule on A3 - it is completely miles based. if you fly UA, you get a 500 mile minimum per flight (so if you connect, you would get 1000), so in a sense you have to fly 40 segments.

A3 operates does not operate on a calendar year basis - if you qualify for blue on November 12, you have to get 16k miles before Nov 12 2012...

US airways credits 100% to all fare classes, including discount ones, but they don't have a 500 mile minimum. COUA have a 500 mile minimum, but lots of 50% fares. Therefore, it's best to fly COUA on short hops, and US on transcons...

I did inquire about this issue in a separate topic in the AC forum, but now I realized it's a broader question that relates to Star Alliance in general. (please delete the question in AP forum if you see fit; I'm actually more interested in a general miles pushing, in case anyone ever needs to switch programs WITHIN a year)

So, to keep the question short and to the larger point:

If one realizes that another program within the *A would serve him better, is it possible to cancel all the credits from the last six months and move them to another program with no penalties (i.e. M&M to AeroPlan in my case)? If so, what kind of penalties one is looking into? Is it worth it, if one can get *G with mileage on the "new" program, but would stay *S with mileage on the "old" program?

No, you cannot cancel miles that were already credited, unless it was caused by a technology malfunction, in which case you can beg and plead and they might make an exception...

Thank you, I've had a look at both and you're right in that they give you better status after much lower mileage thresholds. I may try the TK way, for my Central Asia routes they don't usually offer good connections (5 hours + in IST) but it's worth having a look.

The IST lounge is incredible (check out the TK forum for pics), and the city is nice to visit too...

Advice sought
 

Trying to focus on * Alliance carriers:

(1) What is your home airport? (SFO, LAX, MCO, etc.)
SFO and/or STS (AS flys out of STS, F9 may in the future, I know those are not *A)
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? (C, F, Y, etc.)
Y
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)
25K-35K
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? (UA Premier, M&M Senator etc)
None
(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.)
good award redemption rates; free lounge access
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)
SFO-MSY 5 x/year. Plus myself & spouse going from SFO to Nice, France in fall 2012 and would like to use miles for at least one passenger. My *A balances are 55K on US, 40K COUA.
(7) Preferred Airlines
WN, AS, CO
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you choose your airlines, class of service?)
Work for myself can choose; like a great deal & not very loyal; would like to focus on one or two other airlines besides WN

Suggestions? Just got the CO Onepass MC, just got the US Premier MC. Open to other FF card offers to boost miles.

Since you don't fly much, crediting to A3 is your best choice.

@PVDtoDEL
What do you mean crediting to A3? I could not find it in the glossary.

If you plan to definitely fly 35k this year and if you go to Canada at least a couple of times, AC is a decent option although bear in mind that there are no unlimited free upgrades like on American carriers. A3 is the easiest, but TK and OZ are also good ways to get *G easily. I think I would favour OZ as you can build towards million-miler status with them in case your travel picks up in the future. I would have actually suggested you pick UA or CO as your FFP up to this year for UDU and E+ but 2P/Silver will be such a worthless status next year that it's not worth it with your amount of travel.

He means crediting your flights to the A3 (Aegean Airlines) FFP.

The reason I suggest A3 (Aegean Airlines) is because it is the easiest to get and retain status. The list of carriers they partner with and the accrual rates are here: http://en.aegeanair.com/milesandbonu...on/earn-miles/

Air Canada requires you to fly them a certain amount of times, so it is a bad option if you want flexibility.

Turkish and Asiana also work, but Turkish has a shorter status period, and Asiana has ridiculously high redemption rates...

(1) What is your home airport? BHX, MAN or LHR
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? C longhaul, Y in EU.
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? >100k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? DC Gold.
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? priority services when flying the airline, good award redemption rates
(6) Which routes do you fly most often Atlantic & Asian intercontinental
(7) Preferred Airlines-LH,LX,AC,
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? mainly work, and I have full choice of airlines, price dependant.

If you are flying 100k+ miles a year and fly LH group, then SEN is undoubtedly the best status for you.

More precisely you need at first get 3000 miles in any 365 day period and then 16000 miles in any 365 day period (but 3000 miles for your silver are excluded). Also Y fare on UA/CO would lead to 150%, 750 minimum

No, CO Y fares only earn 100%.

That said, OP said that they use cheap fares (definetely not Y)..

The rest of what you posted is right on..

Remember, 2012 is a leap year, so you have 1 day less than you think ;)

Need advice
 

Now i'm looking for changing FF program, need help for suggestion

(1) What is your home airport? PVG, SHA

(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? D for cross continental, discount Y for domestic or flight in Asia

(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? 50-60k.

(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? UA Gold

(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? Lounge access and good award redemption program

(6) Which routes do you fly most often Usually I may have 1-2 trips to Europe, 2-3 trips PVG-SIN, 1 trip to Australia and several domestic trips in China annually.

(7) Preferred Airlines
LH for most of the flight to Europe, SQ and TG for most of the flight in Asia and try to fly CA in China.

(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you choose your airlines, class of service?)
Both, for work can choose the airlines but usually need to have cheaper freight.

I used to use UA MP for many years, but according to the latest UA/CO new program the premier membership has to fly at least 4 or more UA/CO flights annualy, i normally fly to US once for 2-3 years, so I have to look for a new FF program. Now is reviewing the one for OZ, easy to achieve *G, but no idea about the redeem award.