(1) What is your home airport? DUB
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? C
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? 25k-50k,
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? (BA S, BD S, EK G, QF S
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? (Want to regain G in *A - just dropped down in BD because too many flights on EK & BA)
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (mainly Far East, now also SAfrica (Emirates) and Caribbean (BA good fares in C from Dublin)
(7) Preferred Airlines EK A380 otherwise good value C class in *A
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? Work - my choice

With A3 you'll get 200% for most C booking classes and very quick *G

If you're flying less than 50k miles, and splitting the miles you fly too, then I suggest A3.

(1) What is your home airport? ZRH / FRA
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? Y, all flights over 4h: C
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? 80k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? bmi DC Silver, AF Flyblue Silver
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? Lounge Access, Upgrades and Award Redemption
(6) Which routes do you fly most often? A lot in central europe and europe <> USA
(7) Preferred Airlines? LX, LH, TG (*A)
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? 80% work

Any idea to which (*A) programm to switch to when bmi will be taken over by BA in Jan 2012? :-/

If flying 80k, of which at least 20k is in C, then go for Miles & More. SEN status is treated well on LH/LX.

@snod08

Thanks that was finally really good advise!!

Well, this is about *A FF schemes, not FF schemes in total, so I won't comment about EK and other programs..

For *A FF, and your liking of A380 combined with flying in C and your routes, I would suggest M&M: SEN can be had for 100k, which is actually just around 45k miles flown in C (a bit less if you have some hops in Europe) given you'll earn 225% when flying with LH&friends..

South Africa is also serviced by A380 from LH, as are several places in the far east (PEK, SIN, maybe NRT..)

As a SEN, you'll have only to requalify every second year, so as you're able to choose, you might even be better able to figure out your flying patterns in the way you like them. If you fly 25k-50k in C, SEN definitely should be doable and renewable..

Does anyone know which FFP besides UA/CO & US does not have a fixed mileage expiration (ie: life of miles can be extended with activity other than flights)? I am trying to help a friend who doesn't fly too often earn some miles. It's better earning slowly rather than letting them go to waste. TIA.

LAX

A3. Assuming your friend maintains Blue Status (4k miles per 3 years).

(1) What is your home airport?
ACC (WORK 70%) NRT (HOME 20%) IAH (PARENT/FAMILY 10%)
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Y
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year?
<80K
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present?
TK E+ (for lounge access 4 years, good service, good food etc)
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Comp Upgrades to J for intra-Asia and Domestic US
(6) Which routes do you fly most often?
ACC-NRT-IAH ACC-BKK-HKG-NRT
(7) Preferred Airlines.
NH or other Asian carriers- I hate UA- but route structure is good
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure?
60% work 40% pleasure

I generally fly to Japan 3 times a year to visit family. From Japan we then go on holiday in Asia/Pacific (GUM, HNL, HKG, TPE, BKK etc). Before I was Continental silver and we would get upgrades to business in intra-Asia. My mom is aging and I would like to visit her in IAH more often- TK was rumored to start flying IST-IAH but it hasn't happened yet. I need second FFP that will get me upgrades from Y to J in US domestic and intra- Asia. Any help would be great...I will split my miles between TK and my secondary *A FFP account maintaining my E+ with TK and earning at least gold on the other program. Any help appreciated....

I'd suggest US for this purpose.

It's really hard to get upgrades on COUA, with the massive amount of elites that they have today. US by comparison has a decent shot at getting comp upgrades at both Silver and Gold level.

I'm not aware of any intra-asia airline which does comp upgrades.

Thanks for the comment. I am looking at US. They seem to have a good network which compliments my travel. But the mileage accrual in the various booking codes doesn't look to promising when I fly other *A carriers. I was planning on continuing the majority of my flights on international carriers and using my US account for the miles.

If I used M&M would Lufthansa get free upgrades in the US when flying UA/CO?

No. Those "free" upgrade stuff they're running in the US is for their own elites only.

Regardless of any other rules/requirements, which *A offers the best value for money when redeeming award flights?
I'm thinking: lowest fuel surcharges and "fees"?

Lounge access is one thing, award tickets is another important thing to my eyes.

Any inputs?

I feel UA Mileage Plus is best - its easy to get mileage upgrades and awards within USA if you are vigilant and use something like KVS tool. Had 13 flights with United last week - all my UDUs came through (4 out of 4), they recognize your elite status and the staff are great, despite what else you may read here. The other major advantage is that its dead easy to book mileage awards through the UA website with Lufthansa using your United miles, with low low low taxes. Fancy a trip to TLV in C or F ex MUC or FRA? Tryout United
If your not flying so many miles and would like Star Gold then A3 is great - their network is good within EU, their lounges are fantastic, and the Star Gold lounge access and additional baggage are available for little cost in terms of flying if you choose your fares well
LH Senator is great - they block seats next to you (IME with 20 flights with LH the past summer travelling in Y and C), allow access to exit rows at checkin and generally superior service onboard