My info
 

(1) What is your home airport? LGA/JFK
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? Coach for my personal travel, and a combination of coach and business class for work travel (B Class if its international)
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? in the past, around 20k, but as I am now traveling a bunch more for work, probably 40k+ to include international (UK mostly)
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? None worth noting, although i just started paying attention to FF programs so I should have some status at SPG soon (just got the SPG AMEX) and I have about 60K miles on US.
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? Free stays at SPG (I want to sit on them until I can get a big vacation) and the airlines, fast check in and upgrades
(6) Which routes do you fly most often LGA-DCA, LGA-ACK, EWR-BHX, JFK-SFO
(7) Preferred Airlines I would have to say US right now, but only because they fly all over the north east where I live.
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? Mostly for work, but I travel about 10 times a year for weekends or vacations.

last note: I am looking to get a Airline CC to build up more miles. I already have an AMEX, so I am looking for a Mastercard or Visa, because I think its good practive to carry both. US would make the most sense, as thats who I fly the most, but their CCs dont look all that good compared to AA and some others. Any help would be awesome, thanks!

With NZ's new Y+ product next year your routing to the US could be very pleasant via NZ, SQ or QF would provide the best routing to BOM and likewise with LHR you have a few NZ/QF options for Y+ - NZ earn/burn rate isn't great so UA's program could be better for you. TBH a lot of those routes you will mainly be travelling could be served quite well by QF + OW - Add a QF credit card in Aus and any seat redemption it may be easier to be loyal to one side or the other?

Will *A make sense for me? Which FFP?
 

(1) What is your home airport? ORD
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy? Cheap Y
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? 50k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? AA platinum
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? Long-haul upgrades, lounge access, award tickets.
(6) Which routes do you fly most often? US-Europe, US-Asia
(7) Preferred Airlines That's what I am researching here!
I can choose my airline(s).

As you can see I am with OW at present. Every year I consider if I should switch to *A as the AA prices are usually quite a bit higher on my routes than UA/CO.

From FFP point of view, will a switch to *A make sense for me, and if so, which specific program(s)?

So sounds like NZ routings/metal and UA MP membership? I had a look at the UA MP earning chart on NZ - it doesn't seem to mention earn rates for NZ Y+?

I don't fancy flying QF to BOM as it would be via SYD and connecting in SYD domestic-international is the 8th circle of hell - ie I'm not going to do it. (stopovers or connections internationa-international are fine as they are within the same terminal).

Not for me, but for my girlfriend - we're flying to London next week, and turns out she only has a DL account. I was going to sign her up for UA because I remembered reading something about a referral bonus, but turns out it was a targeted offer and I'm apparently not cool enough for it:p.

Basically, I figure it's a sin for earned miles to go uncollected, and even though she doesn't fly often, she travels enough to keep the miles from expiring. So for the infrequent traveler, which program to choose? I guess the biggest things are award redemption/earning miles for discount coach fare classes.

(1) ORD or MKE
(2) The cheapest economy fare available
(3) 1-3 trips/year
(4) None
(6) US domestic/occasional TATL

So i looked into more detail about UA & NZ. Have composed the following comparison table based on the 3 routes:

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?...thkey=CMXIoOAB

Notes:

• Earn=what I would earn on the route r/t
• Burn=what I would need for a reward on the route r/t
• Status=what I would earn in status on the route r/t
• Levels= status threshholds in the FPP (nor route related)
• MEL-LAX assumed to be on each respective carrier's metal (on UA no Y+ to buy so no idea what fare code it would be)
• MEL-BOM assumed to be on *A partners in full Y
• MEL-LHR would be on NZ or *A if UA MP

Do I have my figures correct?

So:

• does not seem to be much between them in terms of earn/burn rates - in fact NZ seems better in burn rates to NA.
• not much in status attaintment - but mid-tier on UA seems easier to get with MEL-BOM sectors
• I assume I will find it easier to get status match on UA to Prem from AAdv Gold than on NZ?

Now ofcourse if I can score a cheap C fare on UA MEL-LAX the entire equation changes. ;)

Sorry i did not account for that, i'll see if someone else can fill the blanks on Y+ crediting to UA

My LAX-LHR r/t on NZ last year credited to UA as Y miles (UA mileage is actually 5,456, so slight difference there as well). Sorry about the alignment of the columns, but I think you get the idea.

Date Description Award Miles
Oct. 03, 2009 NZ 2 Y Class LAX to LHR * 5,439
Oct. 07, 2009 NZ 1 U Class LHR to LAX * 5,439

(1) What is your home airport?
SYD

(2) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Economy/Cheap

(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year?
20k-30k

(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it?
None - Not even on a FFP as yet thus why I'm posting this

(5) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Free flights/the best deal - Upgrades don't really interest me unless they're added on top. New to this so unsure on benefit/reward structures

(6) Which routes do you fly most often?
AUS-ASIA

(7) Preferred Airlines
Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Bangkok Airways, Air Asia, Cebu Pacific Air

I had some clarification on the NZ Forum, it seems since *A don't recognize Premium Economy, it generally gets credited as Full Y on other FFP, on Air NZ Airpoints however it credits higher. I guess it comes down to how much you travel and on what metal - Get status with UA and use the upgrades MEL-SYD-LAX :D

Ok thank you, i only fly on eco class, i should move to aeroplan but i just want the silver and gols statuses as soon as possible. To be silverwith ac, i have to wait until december next year and to be gold with a3, i have to wait only until august next year. And for me, the mose important things are lounge, and different priorities, with using miles i dont care aout that much, but thats right, with aeroplan it is like miles and more... A lot of "gifts". I dont know again which ffp to choose

They key is to determine your priorities. The lounge access can be tricky because sometimes they have funny rules about the kind of itinerary you have and whether its domestic or int'l. Sometimes your economy ticket, even with *gold may not automatically grant you entry into a lounge. Lounge access is not cut and dry unfortunately. You may want to visit Aeroplan's forum, M and M forum, and perhaps mileage plus, and ask their local expert in each group.

So it would seem that A3 is the easiest *A carrier to achieve *G on (given my travel patterns I would gain that level within the first 1-2 trips).

OZ also seems like an easy one although it requires double the miles (40k v. 20k on A3) but it's status lasts for 2 years and not 1. OZ only seems to award elite bonus for travel on OZ metal?

So given my travel on NZ/UA/SQ/TG I don't see a downside in joining the A3 Miles&Bonus FFP unless there are some issues with redeeming accrued miles on partner *A airlines (as compared to any other *A FFP)? I assume if the NH tool shows flight award availability it doesn't matter whether I am a A3 or NZ FFP member I can secure that seat for an award?

Correct, if its *G you want then A3 will get you there

Should I switch my primary airline?
 

(1) What is your home airport? SJO/SJC/OAK
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy? Cheap
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? 25-50k spikes more in some years
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? gold last year on CO now have Silver on Continental but that will end early in 2011
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? upgrades, easy award travel, early boarding, no baggage fees.
(6) Which routes do you fly most often? SJC-IAH for work
(7) Preferred Airlines That's what I am researching here!
I am debating transfering to United for most things given that CO and UA are merging anyway and UA has more SFO based flights. With that in mind I am also considereding getting a UA card vs a CO card. UA card currently offering triple & double miles, on many purchases. for less in an annual fee. I am wondering though if using miles on UA is harder. i currently have 100k or so miles in my CO program that i am guessing will merge over times.

advice would be appreciated.

josh