Thanks Plusflyer for the useful advice and quick reply :)

I've been checking out A3, OZ and TK as you suggested. As far as I can tell, Asiana and Turkish airlines don't award any miles for discounted economy LH fares so I'm likely to fall just short of *G, in which case I'm probably better off staying with M&M.

For Aegean I'm a little confused. Am I right in thinking that you only need 19,000 miles to get *G (4,000 for Blue + 16,000 for Gold - 1,000 welcome)? Does this mean that with a single journey to NZ and back I could already have *G, or am I missing something?

Also, I see that M&M Frequent Traveller status is valid "for at least two years" while Aegean talks about tier miles being "successively deleted 1 year from the day of each respective flight event". How does that work exactly and how long do you get to keep your status once you've hit the required number of miles?

Edit: Thanks PVDtoDEL, you've just answered all my questions!

You're right. Getting *G on Aegean is relatively simple, however you won't get much other benefits, no exec. bonus like on M&M, for many cheap booking classes on other carriers, you won't get miles. Aegean cards are apparently valid for 3 years, it's not entirely clear how to renew once you've gotten them, but apparently one flight is doing the trick. The qualification for *S/*G on Aegean is rolling, not a calendar year, so it's easier to qualify there than on M&M, as you can have a flight in December and then one in November next year, and they'll both help to get status, while on M&M, only flights in the same calendar year count for status. (It used to be different many years ago on M&M too..)

Good thing about Aegean is that your miles (apart from the status to qualify) don't expire, so for less-frequent flyer, it's a good program too, as they can easily get *S and maybe even *G without milage expiration. However, for free upgrade vouchers, additional milage etc. other programs are better.

(1) What is your home airport? NYC
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? Economy
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? Anticipate 30-50,000 this year
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? E with Aeroplan (*G) expiring end of February. Then will have Prestige.
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? Lounge access, priority checkin, occasional upgrade.
(6) Which routes do you fly most often: Will have perhaps two NYC to Middle East and a lot of US domestic.
(7) Preferred Airlines:
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure?

I am starting work as an independent consultant in NYC. I will be doing a lot of domestic travel in the US and maybe two or three longer international flights. I have been Aeroplan for years and have a lot of miles, but they have changed qualification, including minimum number of Air Canada flights, which is annoying. I also have a Aeroplan CC.

I am looking primarily for *G. I have one international flight coming up (Around 12000 miles) which will get me on my way. Don't really think keeping my Aeroplan makes sense.

I am thinking that Aegean makes most sense. Get my *G most quickly (seriously only 16000 miles??!! :) I have also flown Turkish a bit lately and it is quite nice, so not sure if this is a relevant consideration.

I also need to get a US CC, so maybe this is a consideration??

Thanks so much to all!!

If you want a credit card, I suggest Asiana. Sure, it isn't as good of a deal as Aegean or Turkish, and their award redemption table is worse than Aegean and Turkish, but if you have their credit card, you will be able to rack up miles much faster for redemption.

Thanks for the reply. You can get an Asiana card for the US??

Also, don't really care that much about redemption, as I have around 400,000 unused miles. Really about making travel a bit less painful (lounges, priority check-in, free baggage, etc..).

(1) What is your home airport? LHR

(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? Economy/Prem Eco, Discount business

(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? Anticipate 30-50,000 this year.

(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it?
BD *G, just made A3 blue last week, prob one long distance flight from *G with them. Basic with the other alliances.

(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? Lounge access followed by redemptions

(6) Which routes do you fly most often: This year probably 2 far east, 2 north america, several in europe and asia

(7) Preferred Airlines: any

(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure?
Both

Current BD * G but have started work on alternatives. Will use one more Z/J class flight this year to complete and get my A3 Gold in the bag which will sort out lounge access. Looking for where to park rest of miles to get maximum redemption value, esp one way bookings, miles and cash esp intra Asia C redemptions.

Thanks guys

(1) What is your home airport? JFK

(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? Business

(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? 60-80K, could be more this year

(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: miles to go home to India (MAA). Transferable miles to get a family member to travel


(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc): Transatlantic to S. and SE. Asia

(7) Preferred Airlines: Liked TK service, flew a few months ago but didn't sign up. Would avoid routings through Heathrow. Made the error of flying Delta to Manila a few years ago..

(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? Work usually, try to combine a vacation leg if work takes to home country. Limited flexibility on work routings: can signal preferred alliance and then have to take the lowest cost business fare.

Wondering if Jet Airways will be allowed on board Star (works perfectly for me).

Less keen on UA given I hear their rules are tighter.

LH seems the best so far, but open to whatever gets to * Gold soonest.

Thanks much.

FF program
 

(1) What is your home airport? NYC
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? Don't know... usually the cheapest
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? 25k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? TAM Blue / Star Alliance Silver
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? Priority service and upgrades
(6) Which routes do you fly most often? NYC-GRU, NYC-Europe and US Domestic
(7) Preferred Airlines: Continental
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? Pleasure

Actually my question is how to achieve Gold status quicker... I can change program if needed. Continental and TAM asks too many miles to achieve Gold!
I just want to have priority on checkin, boarding and get upgrades when possible.

Welcome to FT!

Fastest Star Gold is Aegean (20K miles; they already give you 1K miles for joining). However, the cheapest Continental fares will earn only 50% on Aegean. See if you can switch to flying US Airways. All the cheap fares generally give 100% miles on Aegean.

Welcome to FT! And someone from MAA, my hometown!

If you do fly 60-80K, mostly in Business: Then LH will get you SENator Status (100 K elite miles; you will reach 100 K easily if you just fly 80K in business class...as you get class of service bonus).

LH SEN is a very good status to have if LH works for your needs.

Considering that you are from MAA, LH, TG and SQ serve that market (with Star Alliance).
LH is probably the best with respect to connecting to the USA (or you could connect on other options as well with Star alliance from FRA).

If you dont like the LH option, then go for UA option. You will probably reach 1K status....and if you really buy expensive business class fares on UA-metal, you could reach GS (Global Services) status.
1K is not bad to have if you have lots of US Domestic travel.

If most of your travel is international, then consider LH.

Thank you, this is very helpful!

Hey guys! I'm new here, and to FFP, so hopefully you can offer me a little advice:

(1) What is your home airport? Sydney
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? Cheapest economy airfare I can find.
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? I'll be flying return to Berlin at least once a year, maybe twice, as well as to Aspen Colorado once a year.
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? Not yet :)
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? Access to lounges would be nice, upgrades and award flights if possible.
(6) Which routes do you fly most often Sydney to Berlin mostly, occasionally Sydney to Aspen.
(7) Preferred Airlines Thai airways, Singapore, Asiana. Something with a bit of leg room in economy (I'm six foot four).
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? Pleasure

Any help would be appreciated!

Aegean, Asiana, Turkish Airlines.

Look them up, take your pick.

(1) What is your home airport? NYC and LHR
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? Cheapest Possible
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? 25-45K
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? Will hit LH FT
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? No co-pay on intl upgrades from most fare classes, frequent upgrades. Good award redemptions and free lounge access (do I get lounge access at 15?) would be nice, but I don't see them as priorities
(6) Which routes do you fly most often?

• LON-NYC
• LON-DYU
• LON-SVO
• NYC-SVO
• NYC-DYU

(7) Preferred Airlines
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? Pleasure but I usually buy cheapest tickets possible.

Need advice towards *G
 

(1) What is your home airport? Singapore

(2) What types of fares do you usually buy? Cheapest economy I can find. If I can splurge, then business sometimes.

(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? Currently, I don't fly much. This year I have 2 trips to Europe - might fly SIN-BCN and SIN-FRA. I fly at least twice a year regionally - like SIN-BKK, SIN-HKG.

(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? I do have LH's FrequentFlyer, which is *S I guess. This is quite a funny story actually. I didn't fly anything to get that. It came as a form of gift/award from LH. I only have 2,000 award miles on it.
Then I have SQ's Krisflyer with 17,000 miles at the lowest tier.

(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? Access to lounges, luggage and upgrade options would be nice.

(6) Which routes do you fly most often? Singapore to Bangkok, Hong Kong usually. I "try" to visit Europe, US once a year.

(7) Preferred Airlines SQ, TG, LH.

(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? Pleasure