Thanks - so those cheapies are no good - I'll have to look at other *A - been waiting to try TK!

So, can you help a Friday idiot!

SIN-LHR is 6761 miles, but SQ say it's 10142 earning miles.

With A3 @ 160% - what am I getting for this segment? I can actually then tie up the rest hopefully in the next month or two.

I'm calculating it out as 10,824 miles with A3.

Except for decent mileage accrual on the lowest fares, with the exception of a few airlines. OP will get *S with A3 on <25k of flying at the lowest fares (which is more than he'd get on UA) but he wouldn't have the same earn/burn potential.

The *A carriers OP mentioned are TG and SQ, both of which get 100% earnings on all mileage earning fare buckets. The buckets which don't earn miles don't earn miles with any other *A carrier either anyway.

With 10,000 miles already on the way thanks to the SIN-LHR flight, another 9,000 miles on TQ and SQ within a year will give 3 years of status. No other carrier can give a deal like that.

If OP already has TG V/W fares booked, they can contact their local ticketing office and get the ticket upfared - it's a fairly painless process which I use frequently as the TG website doesn't allow you to select fare type on one-way or multi-hop tickets.

which mileage program to chose
 

For members asking for information please help people to assist you, can you provide:

(1) What is your home airport? HKG
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? Y
(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?
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? (Frequent upgrades on travel, free lounge access
(6) Which routes do you fly most often: HKG to SIN
(7) Preferred Airlines LX and SQ
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? both

Thank you PVDtoDEL & Santander - appreciate you both taking the time to help. I've got nothing booked but imminent trips to Asia & Germany (in Y).

In an ideal world, i'd like everything for nothing, but appreciate that doesn't happen :) I can switch carries, unfortunately i'd be losing Air NZ on an Asian route, I note TK doesn't earn on lowest fare, but i've got the chance to experience new carriers like Egypt Air, ANA & OZ.

If there was a programme that earnt me much better mileage for lowest fare buckets (I do a lot of of miles!) that didn't quite give me such a headstart as A3, then i'd consider it. But I don't think there is, so I need to compromise.

I might even plan a family holiday on them, had good feedback from those who have flown them.

I actually meant your reply to flyingJAPman, who will be flying NH, UA, AC and possibly OZ/CA... Regarding Sam Bee, I agree that A3 is probably the way to go.

Hello *A colleagues. I am a BA person who has managed to keep *A silver through using mostly US domestic flights. With the new merger with AA, I am keen to switch to another *A programme. I do have a slumbering UA membership which I could reactivate. I have status through 2013, but will need to start working on 2014. Any advice you can give would be most appreciated.

(1) What is your home airport? LHR
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? Coach
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? 20k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? Silver on US
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? (Frequent upgrades on travel, free lounge access) Hmm - ego!
(6) Which routes do you fly most often: BOS-RDU or GSO
(7) Preferred Airlines US
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? both

A3, TK, OZ seem like they would suit your needs.

(1) What is your home airport? DEN
(2) Do you currently have any status? Amex Platinum and Mileageplus Club
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy economy
(4) Which airlines/routes do you usually fly? Southwest but changing as took United CC
(5) How many miles do you usually fly each year? 25-50K;
(6) Do you mainly fly for work or for leisure? Both
(7) What is most important to you in a FFP? Business reward for long distance

If you are flying 25k to 50k and you are based out of Denver, United Mileage Plus would be an obvious choice. With 25k miles per year, you will earn Premier Silver status, which doesn't have too many benefits over the United Explorer Card, but at least would give you Economy Plus at check-in, priority security/bags, and a 25% mileage award bonus. If you hit 50k, however, the benefits are much more substantial such as Star Gold lounge access, 3 checked bags, and the ability to do same-day changes for free - by far the best benefit out of any carrier.

Yes, MP has been degraded over the years, but the benefit of UA MP over other Star Alliance programs is that redeeming a mileage award do not charge taxes/fuel surcharges like non-US based carriers (for example, LH Miles & More, or BA Avios). On a Business ticket, some fuel surcharges can be over $300-500.

relocated to tampa - who to fly?
 

Hi all:

Previously, I resided in PA where I did most of my flying out of PHL. At the time (after some Flyer Talk Forum advice, most likely from this thread), I decided to go with USAir, and after gaining status I pretty reliably get upgrades, which is awesome.

I just recently moved to Tampa, FL though, and am not sure if I should continue to try using USAir, especially given the merger. Most of my flying is done up and down the east coast, with the occasional trip to LA or SF. As I understand it, there isn't really anyone hubbed out of TPA, and if I am recalling correctly, most of the flights going out of it are Southwest/AirTran. So, I'm looking for some advice. Here's the formal questions/answers:

(1) What is your home airport? TPA
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? Coach
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? 25k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? Silver on US
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? Upgrades. I'm 6'4 and a lot of leg, so first class fits my frame much better. Exit rows are clutch too, so really it's all about comfort on the plane.
(6) Which routes do you fly most often? I don't have a route that i currently fly with any regularity. PIT, BOS, NYC would probably be the closest thing to 'frequent' routes
(7) Preferred Airlines? I like the in flight entertainment on United (but hate how many people are in the rewards program). I like the ease of changing flights on Southwest (but dislike that there is no first class and there is only one or two seats on any given flight that are comfortable for me). I like USAir because I currently have status and am frequently upgraded (but I dislike the non-existent in flight entertainment and the uncertainty around the merger)
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? Mainly work.

Anyone got any advice? Thanks in advance.

Based in YUL
 

(1) What is your home airport? YUL
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? Economy
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? <25K but, could go around 25k-50k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? None.
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? Free lounge access
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc) I usually only fly Domestic (Canada & US)
(7) Preferred Airlines Air Canada
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? Both, I can choose airlines, and class of service.

Thanks for the help!

Best program for status match from AA Platinum
 

I am AA PLAT and I want to have options so I would also like to have a *A elite level that will give me lounge access on international *A flights.

Which *A airline would be my best shot at getting a *A Gold match for my AA PLAT? Is it true that you can use the *A lounges on international flights even if your ticket is not from the airline (not even codeshare) you have your *Gold card from?

(used to be US Airways Chairman's but moved to OW and lost that... I still have a bunch of miles with US Airways but want to consider all options. My main interest is lounges, but SWUs are also a plus - e.g. AA EXP gives you 8, US Airways CH only gets you 2...)

(1) What is your home airport? BUD
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy? On short flights, I don't really care. On overseas trips, I always fly Business but pay for Ecomony most of the time due to available miles from many overseas trips - I usually buy upgradeable Economy (and upgrade it with miles or SWUs) or if I have to, I pay for Business
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? Often more than 100k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? AA PLT
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? International upgrades to business first, Lounge access second
(6) Which routes do you fly most often? Between EU and US
(7) Preferred Airlines I'm not picky - any one with a good Biz seat
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?) I own my own business so I decide what I buy

A (somewhat urgent) advice request: stick with UA MP or switch?
 

I have read the sticky basic info on the *A FF programs and I know that I am borderline for the base <50k recommendations. I also have a slightly odd travel pattern, so I'm hopping some of the FT regulars will have some sage advice. (Apologies in advance if this is long.) First the basics:

(1) What is your home airport?
LIS (Lisbon, PT)

(2) What types of fares do you usually buy?
All economy discount, with some flexibility over the exact class (e.g., I can usually request and get economy tickets with classes that earn miles so long as they price jump isn't too great. However, normally full Y is not available.)

(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year?
For the last two years I have flown 35k-45k each year. This year I was about 5k short of 50k (*A gold for me on UA). My patterns will likely keep me in the just shy of 50K range for the next few years, but I might cross the boundary.

(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it?
I have been *A silver on CO/UA for the last three years.

(5) What is most important to you in a FFP?
I would like to be able to spend miles for TATL or long-haul upgrades and redemption for regional travel in Europe and the East, extra luggage allowances (especially ski/snowboard equip) and lounge access (in that order of importance).

(6) Which routes do you fly most often?
I fly approximately 2-3 TATL trips a year to the US, 1-2 TPAC trips to china/Japan and a few regional flights around the EU. There is usually one long-haul odd-ball. Most of my miles earned are on the long-haul trips, especially as some of the EU regional flights don't earn miles on any class below Y.

(7) Preferred Airlines?
I have enjoyed AC, LH, LX in the past (and originally, I found CO reasonable, but the post-merger experience, except for the E+, hasn't impressed me). A good quality economy service is the most important, plus easy flights ex-LIS. UA and TP (and US, with a limited schedule) have the only directs to the US.

(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure?
I am an academic, and my travel is a combination of work and pleasure. I often dovetail trips to maximize the benefit of a TATL or TPAC flight. However, I travel within the EU for pleasure and am mixing low-cost carriers with my the majors depending on benefits (e.g. luggage allowances) and routes.

My three big questions are":
Should I abandon UA MP for one of the three recommended FPs for flyers who don't cross 50k a year or a EU program or a different FP? If I should switch, would getting miles on the EU carriers that I'm likely to fly (LH,LX) be better or getting more status on one of the three recommended for <50k. Finally, based on my review of the <50k programs, the Miles&Smiles seemed likely to be the best for my pattern, but I am concerned that I may have missed something regarding either the qualifying miles or redemption availability so any advice would be appreciated.

I was told in the past (here) that based on my travel patterns the US carriers benefits and redemption policies might make up for the lower achievable status. However, the reduction in benefits for UA MP silver (especially the TATL bag allowance) has made be reconsider. One last question, which I realize isn't necessarily for this forum, is is there any chance that One World or Skyteam would be better for my flight patterns? This year I think I'm already committed to *A but I could consider changing for next year if the FT community recommended it.

Thanks in advance for you time and advice.