Jan 20, 2016, 10:53 pm
Last edit by: jtet
A number of threads have been started with members asking for guidance on which mileage programme they should join. In order to help users I have started this thread to allow people to post their requests for information here and to allow people to offer assistance.
For members asking for information please help people to assist you, can you provide:
(1) What is your home airport? (SFO, LAX, MCO, etc.)
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? (C, F, Y, etc.)
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? (UA Silver, M&M Senator etc)
(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.)
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)
(7) Preferred Airlines
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?)
GENERAL INFORMATION:
If you fly less than 50k miles per year: it is almost guaranteed that your choice will be between Aegean Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and Asiana Airlines. Please look up these airlines' frequent flier programs, and make a decision as to which best suits your needs.
Some considerations to take into account:
Airlines tend to treat members of their own frequent flier program better than members of other frequent flier programs. If you fly one of these airlines, it is recommended that you choose that airline.
Some airlines have better earning/redemption charts for your pattern. For example, if you fly on cheap fares on a certain airline often, Turkish might give you miles for it, while Aegean might not. However, Turkish Airlines might charge much more for the redemption that you want to make than Aegean.
Asiana Airlines offers lifetime Star Alliance Gold for 500k miles over life. The other 2 airlines do not offer this benefit.
Asiana Airlines has a credit card in the USA and some other countries. If you are interested in credit cards, check to make sure that the program that you join has a credit card in your country.
If you still aren't sure which frequent flyer program is for you after looking these up, feel free to ask on this thread.
For members asking for information please help people to assist you, can you provide:
(1) What is your home airport? (SFO, LAX, MCO, etc.)
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? (C, F, Y, etc.)
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? (UA Silver, M&M Senator etc)
(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.)
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)
(7) Preferred Airlines
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?)
GENERAL INFORMATION:
If you fly less than 50k miles per year: it is almost guaranteed that your choice will be between Aegean Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and Asiana Airlines. Please look up these airlines' frequent flier programs, and make a decision as to which best suits your needs.
Some considerations to take into account:
Airlines tend to treat members of their own frequent flier program better than members of other frequent flier programs. If you fly one of these airlines, it is recommended that you choose that airline.
Some airlines have better earning/redemption charts for your pattern. For example, if you fly on cheap fares on a certain airline often, Turkish might give you miles for it, while Aegean might not. However, Turkish Airlines might charge much more for the redemption that you want to make than Aegean.
Asiana Airlines offers lifetime Star Alliance Gold for 500k miles over life. The other 2 airlines do not offer this benefit.
Asiana Airlines has a credit card in the USA and some other countries. If you are interested in credit cards, check to make sure that the program that you join has a credit card in your country.
If you still aren't sure which frequent flyer program is for you after looking these up, feel free to ask on this thread.
Need advice on which *A FF scheme to join? - please post here
Apr 9, 2013 | 8:40 am
#1156
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 24
Canada based *A
(1) What is your home airport?
YUL (Montreal)
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ?
Y
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year?
roughly 25K on average, but quite variable, only about 10K this year and probably 35K last year
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it?
none. I have never been strategic in my FF collecting so far, I usually go with my cheapest options (excluding charter) when I am searching. So I am going to have around 13000 with SkyTeam now. I have recently emptied my M&M account and just opened a Oneoworld (BA) account.
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Good redemption rates/options from YUL to anywhere in the world or the occasional domestic flight, or the occasional upgrade. I have figured that I am not going to gain status as long as I am at my current job with no travel and not enough vacation for travel for pleasure
(6) Which routes do you fly most often
Transatlantic (mostly to Turkey) and within North America / domestic Canada
(7) Preferred Airlines
I really love Lufthansa!
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure?
Pleasure
I am a Canadian resident but have family in Turkey, so I feel like both AC and Turkish make sense, but I don't like AC that much.
i don't fly enough to accrue status points but I can get reward miles through Amex in canada or other CC for points transferable to Aeoroplan. I may also be able to get a Turkish CC since I am a citizen but would probably have to find a way around residency address.
PS: I think after reading through these forums and some websites, I decided to start collecting at Oneworld even though I almost have never flown with them, but my current credit card offers 1:1 to AA and avios so I'd like to take advantage of that. However I am still considering *A because I just think it makes sense given my connections to Canada and Turkey.
YUL (Montreal)
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ?
Y
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year?
roughly 25K on average, but quite variable, only about 10K this year and probably 35K last year
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it?
none. I have never been strategic in my FF collecting so far, I usually go with my cheapest options (excluding charter) when I am searching. So I am going to have around 13000 with SkyTeam now. I have recently emptied my M&M account and just opened a Oneoworld (BA) account.
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Good redemption rates/options from YUL to anywhere in the world or the occasional domestic flight, or the occasional upgrade. I have figured that I am not going to gain status as long as I am at my current job with no travel and not enough vacation for travel for pleasure
(6) Which routes do you fly most often
Transatlantic (mostly to Turkey) and within North America / domestic Canada
(7) Preferred Airlines
I really love Lufthansa!
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure?
Pleasure
I am a Canadian resident but have family in Turkey, so I feel like both AC and Turkish make sense, but I don't like AC that much.
i don't fly enough to accrue status points but I can get reward miles through Amex in canada or other CC for points transferable to Aeoroplan. I may also be able to get a Turkish CC since I am a citizen but would probably have to find a way around residency address.
PS: I think after reading through these forums and some websites, I decided to start collecting at Oneworld even though I almost have never flown with them, but my current credit card offers 1:1 to AA and avios so I'd like to take advantage of that. However I am still considering *A because I just think it makes sense given my connections to Canada and Turkey.
Apr 11, 2013 | 8:08 am
#1157
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 7
Hello,
I'm new here at Flyertalk.
I hope you could help me out which Frequent flyer program is the best for me.
(1) What is your home airport?
Reply: AMS
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Reply: Economy and occasionally Business for long-haul flights.
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year?
Reply: 40k - 60k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it?
Reply: None
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Reply: Lounge access
(6) Which routes do you fly most often?
Reply: Intra-Europe, Netherlands-US and Netherlands-Australia
(7) Preferred Airlines
Reply: Singapore Airlines
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure?
Reply: Pleasure
I'm new here at Flyertalk.
I hope you could help me out which Frequent flyer program is the best for me.
(1) What is your home airport?
Reply: AMS
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Reply: Economy and occasionally Business for long-haul flights.
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year?
Reply: 40k - 60k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it?
Reply: None
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Reply: Lounge access
(6) Which routes do you fly most often?
Reply: Intra-Europe, Netherlands-US and Netherlands-Australia
(7) Preferred Airlines
Reply: Singapore Airlines
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure?
Reply: Pleasure
Apr 11, 2013 | 1:12 pm
#1158
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 4
Hi, I am new here, hope to get the experts advice.
(1) What is your home airport?
FRA, BER, WAW, PRG
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ?
Deep Discounted Economy, it's usually V,W,K,L
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year?
15-25K
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it?
I'm in M&M but no status, looking at my less frequent travel and low mileage earnings.
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP?
I'm in for award redemption Europe to far east in premium class, additional luggage.
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)
1-3 return Intra europe,
1 return Europe-SE asia in summer.
(7) Preferred Airlines
Usually fly with LH, LX, but into TK for long haul flights.
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure?
Pleasure.
My upcoming trips;
I have oneway TK J WAW-IST-KUL this summer, and would like to use it for accumulating miles for redemption and/or *AG
Also planning a holiday trip to Male/Middle East this winter.
I am thinking of
1) go for A3, but they change the earning to only 100% for TK J. Also no mileages for most of my intra Europe flight.
2) Lifemiles or UA as they have buy miles promotions in case I don't have enough miles for getting award flight in C/F.
So what's your opinion? Should I go for A3/lifemiles/United? Or any any other options?
Thanks.
(1) What is your home airport?
FRA, BER, WAW, PRG
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ?
Deep Discounted Economy, it's usually V,W,K,L
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year?
15-25K
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it?
I'm in M&M but no status, looking at my less frequent travel and low mileage earnings.
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP?
I'm in for award redemption Europe to far east in premium class, additional luggage.
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)
1-3 return Intra europe,
1 return Europe-SE asia in summer.
(7) Preferred Airlines
Usually fly with LH, LX, but into TK for long haul flights.
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure?
Pleasure.
My upcoming trips;
I have oneway TK J WAW-IST-KUL this summer, and would like to use it for accumulating miles for redemption and/or *AG
Also planning a holiday trip to Male/Middle East this winter.
I am thinking of
1) go for A3, but they change the earning to only 100% for TK J. Also no mileages for most of my intra Europe flight.
2) Lifemiles or UA as they have buy miles promotions in case I don't have enough miles for getting award flight in C/F.
So what's your opinion? Should I go for A3/lifemiles/United? Or any any other options?
Thanks.
Apr 11, 2013 | 9:06 pm
#1159
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DTW
Programs: TK E+, WY, Radisson R
Posts: 2,359
I am thinking of
1) go for A3, but they change the earning to only 100% for TK J. Also no mileages for most of my intra Europe flight.
2) Lifemiles or UA as they have buy miles promotions in case I don't have enough miles for getting award flight in C/F.
So what's your opinion? Should I go for A3/lifemiles/United? Or any any other options?
Thanks.
1) go for A3, but they change the earning to only 100% for TK J. Also no mileages for most of my intra Europe flight.
2) Lifemiles or UA as they have buy miles promotions in case I don't have enough miles for getting award flight in C/F.
So what's your opinion? Should I go for A3/lifemiles/United? Or any any other options?
Thanks.
To reach *AG, you need 40,000 miles within 24 months from join date and you get 125% of miles from TK J. I'd join few days before TK's J flight.
http://us.flyasiana.com/Global/US/en...?fid=CLUB15200
In LX, you earn 70% to 100% of miles from your aforementioned fare buckets but 0 miles for LH's L and K fares. If you get 40,000 miles within less than 24 months you get Diamond for the remaining months plus another 24 months.
Apr 11, 2013 | 9:31 pm
#1160
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DTW
Programs: TK E+, WY, Radisson R
Posts: 2,359
Even flying SQ you get 100% miles on Flexi Saver (W - lowest fare class to receive miles, double check the fare class by expanding the itineraries when you review it at check-out). AMS-SIN-SYD RT alone you're halfway toward *AG.
http://www.turkishairlines.com/en-in...apore-airlines
Apr 16, 2013 | 3:21 am
#1161
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: HHonors Diamond
Posts: 26
Any advices ?
(1) What is your home airport? KTW KRK
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy? economy / coach
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? ~30-40k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? *A MM basic (have like 120K miles in total gathered)
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? Lounge access/op-ups/cheap awards
(6) Which routes do you fly most often? EU-USA 2 times a year.. intra-EU 2-3 times a year
(7) Preferred Airlines? LO/LH
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? 100-0
I am M&M from several years, but this program is getting less&less.. I actually have 120K miles, that I am not able to spend much, since for upgrades, I am on last position (on US route, anyway bussines is usually fully booked), so I wanted to switch to something, that can give me ANYTHING greater that ZERO, that M&M gives
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy? economy / coach
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? ~30-40k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? *A MM basic (have like 120K miles in total gathered)
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? Lounge access/op-ups/cheap awards
(6) Which routes do you fly most often? EU-USA 2 times a year.. intra-EU 2-3 times a year
(7) Preferred Airlines? LO/LH
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? 100-0
I am M&M from several years, but this program is getting less&less.. I actually have 120K miles, that I am not able to spend much, since for upgrades, I am on last position (on US route, anyway bussines is usually fully booked), so I wanted to switch to something, that can give me ANYTHING greater that ZERO, that M&M gives
Apr 18, 2013 | 8:00 pm
#1162
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 2,086
Apr 19, 2013 | 9:51 pm
#1163
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DTW
Programs: TK E+, WY, Radisson R
Posts: 2,359
This is tricky, since you're based in KRK, if you're in WAW or can re-position to WAW easily I might have recommended TK. Even so, you need to plan your trips to US carefully so at least 3 trips with TK within 12 months along with intra-Europe trips in between with LO (these earn 100% of miles). If the above scenario gives you nearly 40000 miles within 12 months, perhaps take TK Comfort Class to help boost your miles and status.
Apr 27, 2013 | 8:51 pm
#1164
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: LAX
Posts: 383
SkyTeam is my #1 choice, then oneworld, but I fly about 10k miles every year on staralliance carriers:
1. lax-icn rt economy w/ asiana once a year (company)
2. various destinations to the ME from the EU with turkish airlines
So staralliance being my last alliance of choice, I'd like a program where I can park my miles without fear of expiration. Turkish airlines seems like an obvious choice at first but i don't like their points expiration policy. Is there an alternative to miles & smiles?
International redemptions are most important to me in this case
1. lax-icn rt economy w/ asiana once a year (company)
2. various destinations to the ME from the EU with turkish airlines
So staralliance being my last alliance of choice, I'd like a program where I can park my miles without fear of expiration. Turkish airlines seems like an obvious choice at first but i don't like their points expiration policy. Is there an alternative to miles & smiles?
International redemptions are most important to me in this case
Apr 28, 2013 | 8:23 am
#1165
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,774
SkyTeam is my #1 choice, then oneworld, but I fly about 10k miles every year on staralliance carriers:
1. lax-icn rt economy w/ asiana once a year (company)
2. various destinations to the ME from the EU with turkish airlines
So staralliance being my last alliance of choice, I'd like a program where I can park my miles without fear of expiration. Turkish airlines seems like an obvious choice at first but i don't like their points expiration policy. Is there an alternative to miles & smiles?
International redemptions are most important to me in this case
1. lax-icn rt economy w/ asiana once a year (company)
2. various destinations to the ME from the EU with turkish airlines
So staralliance being my last alliance of choice, I'd like a program where I can park my miles without fear of expiration. Turkish airlines seems like an obvious choice at first but i don't like their points expiration policy. Is there an alternative to miles & smiles?
International redemptions are most important to me in this case
Apr 28, 2013 | 9:24 am
#1166
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: DL SkyMiles PM/2MM, AA Plat, IC Diam. Amb., Peninsula regular, amanjunkie
Posts: 5,849
I'm a SkyTeam hub captive, though I'm fairly happy with Delta, with a few exceptions. I fly about 125,000 MQM's on Delta or SkyTeam carriers each year, mostly domestic and TPAC, though occasionally elsewhere. Outside the US, my travel within regions is usually within Asia, with Bangkok as sort of my base of operations. Since SkyTeam is fairly weak in Asia, some of my destination or routing needs have forced me onto * carriers, mostly TG and SQ. I prefer SQ. Most of this kind of flying is in paid Business Class, at my personal expense.
For the last couple of years, I've been putting my orphan * miles into a TG ROP account. But my pace of earning on * is very slow, rarely more than a few thousand miles a year. The problem with TG is that the miles expire after two years, so they're expired before I've built up enough credit in the account to actually redeem the miles. I'm tired of this, so now I'm looking for another program to put my orphan miles into. The miles not expiring is the most important consideration, followed by ability to redeem for Business Class or First Class tickets within Asia.
FT's advice on where I should turn would be much appreciated.
Here are the answers to the current form questions:
(1) What is your home airport? ATL, secondarily BKK.
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? On *, Business.
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? On *, fewer than 10,000 miles per year.
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? DL DM. Nothing on *.
(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.) Miles not expiring, at least if I keep posting account activity yearly. Secondarily, redemption of F and J awards within Asia.
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc) On *, intra-Asia.
(7) Preferred Airlines? SQ, secondarily TG. Never flown by willing to try NH, OZ.
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you choose your airlines, class of service?) On *, basically all for pleasure. Can choose airlines, subject to operating the needed routes. Can choose class, want Business, First is nice when available.
Thanks, FT * fliers.
For the last couple of years, I've been putting my orphan * miles into a TG ROP account. But my pace of earning on * is very slow, rarely more than a few thousand miles a year. The problem with TG is that the miles expire after two years, so they're expired before I've built up enough credit in the account to actually redeem the miles. I'm tired of this, so now I'm looking for another program to put my orphan miles into. The miles not expiring is the most important consideration, followed by ability to redeem for Business Class or First Class tickets within Asia.
FT's advice on where I should turn would be much appreciated.
Here are the answers to the current form questions:
(1) What is your home airport? ATL, secondarily BKK.
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? On *, Business.
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? On *, fewer than 10,000 miles per year.
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? DL DM. Nothing on *.
(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.) Miles not expiring, at least if I keep posting account activity yearly. Secondarily, redemption of F and J awards within Asia.
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc) On *, intra-Asia.
(7) Preferred Airlines? SQ, secondarily TG. Never flown by willing to try NH, OZ.
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you choose your airlines, class of service?) On *, basically all for pleasure. Can choose airlines, subject to operating the needed routes. Can choose class, want Business, First is nice when available.
Thanks, FT * fliers.
Apr 28, 2013 | 8:34 pm
#1168
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,774
You need to fly 16k miles within 1 year (after flying 3k miles within 1 year). But that year isn't necessarily a calendar year. If you flew 10k miles in 08/2013 and another 10k miles in 07/2014, you have Gold.
May 1, 2013 | 11:08 am
#1170
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 6
Thinking of switching from Aeroplan
(1) What is your home airport? YOW and HRE (Harare)
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? Cheapest fare within *
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year?>50K
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? I have AC Elite 50K
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? Extra luggage, lounge access & redemption for travel.
(6) Which routes do you fly most often? HRE-JNB-LHR(or some other Europian airport)-YOW; HRE-JNB-IAD-YOW
(7) Preferred Airlines - Anything but Ethiopian. They are hand luggage Nazis. The choices are between SAA, EgyptAir, Luftansa or possibly switch to BA & join OneWorld.
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? Work but I pay my own way
AC was OK but making the 10K miles is tough esp with 50% award for long haul like YOW-LHR. This is the only flight that allowed me to earn status with AC.
Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? Cheapest fare within *
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year?>50K
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? I have AC Elite 50K
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? Extra luggage, lounge access & redemption for travel.
(6) Which routes do you fly most often? HRE-JNB-LHR(or some other Europian airport)-YOW; HRE-JNB-IAD-YOW
(7) Preferred Airlines - Anything but Ethiopian. They are hand luggage Nazis. The choices are between SAA, EgyptAir, Luftansa or possibly switch to BA & join OneWorld.
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? Work but I pay my own way
AC was OK but making the 10K miles is tough esp with 50% award for long haul like YOW-LHR. This is the only flight that allowed me to earn status with AC.
Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!