if you are looking for really deep details you can try ITA Matrix, recently bought by google, but you can look at every fare and fare construction. but matrix is typically for expert users....it take time to learn all the great tools it offers.

A simpler option that I like for quick looks is www.google.com/flights. Good sorting, fast, accurate - they actually use some of the Matrix technology with it.

I'm not sure if anyone who can help still reads this forum but I thought I'd try a post.

I'm unsure as to which program to join for the following:

My *A flights will all be from DXB - NDJ on Ethiopian in Business Class.
I will likely make 4 or 5 of them a year.

I would save the points to redeem on internal flights in the USA (I use BA Avios and Amex 2for1 to get me to the US)

Am I best just joining Ethiopian's ShebaMiles program or is there something better out there for me?

United Mileage Plus might be worth entertaining since domestic UA tickets are usually 20 or 25k roundtrip. Sheba is going to charge you 30k (not sure how much in taxes as well). UA only charges a few dollars for a domestic US redemption.

Only problem there is that UA will only credit you 100% for Ethiopian operated biz class so that is a trade off.

Look at Aeroplan as well, they too have easy ways to redeem for USA travel.

Moving to Doha
 

(1) What is your home airport? DOH
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? Y
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? Will probably fly over 50k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? No
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? good award redemption rates
(6) Which routes do you fly most often? Doha to Atlanta
(7) Preferred Airlines: dont have one yet
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? Most travel will be for pleasure.

My employer has booked a one way ticket for me to Doha on Lufthansa business class so I am wondering which star alliance member I should redeem the miles with.

I will be moving to Doha Qatar for work. I am a travel noob but will be traveling much more now that I will be living over seas. My travel will be from Doha to the US (family is TX and near Chattanooga TN, so probably ATL, IAH, and DFW) and vacation to Europe to meet friends and family half way. I think I will probably return to the US about 2-3 times per year. I will try to go on vacations as much as my holiday time and money allow. I am most interested in redeeming points for economy flights. I dont have much interest in upgrades or perks... of course I have never flown anything but economy so maybe my tastes will change.

I have 70k AA miles, 45k avios, and 50k Chase UR points from credit cards and travel. I almost always fly AA as I live in a small town that is only serviced by AA and United and AA is always significantly cheaper.

Asia FFP
 

(1) What is your home airport? (SFO, LAX, MCO, etc.)

SIN

(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? (C, F, Y, etc.)

Y (economy fares)

(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k)

<25k

(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? (UA Premier, M&M Senator etc)

N.A

(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.)

Frequent upgrades on travel, good award redemption rates
I also would like to be able to redeem tickets on Japanese domestic routes.

(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc)

Routes within Asia, mostly SIN-HKG, SIN-BKK, HKG-HND

(7) Preferred Airlines

SQ, TG

(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?)

All pleasure. Economy class

My question:
A little background about myself, I am a college student in Singapore. I travel only a few times a year with family for leisure. Currently, I have BA membership and SQ Krisflyer. I do not fly SQ frequently and it is difficult to get award tickets. I am seeking advice on which Star Alliance program to join, preferably one that has good award redemption rates for tickets. Is it advisable to join an Asian airline FFP or European/American airline FFP?
Thanks

I keep sounding like a broken record, but UA MP would offer good redemption possibly, low fees on bookings, etc. Your not flying quite enough for strong elite benefits, but at least for redemption options UA would be attractive at first glance. Have you looked into Mileage plus yet?

@LufthansaFlyer
Thanks for your reply. I have not looked into UA MP yet. But would this program be good for me even if I don't travel to America? Just Asian routes. And I am looking at redemption options with Asian airlines on intra-asia routes.
Also, does UA require members to fly with them for any status upgrades?
Thanks

here's the link to UA MP info

To get to elite levels it looks like you'll need 4 segments on UA, but you don't have to meet the minimum spending requirements since you have a non US address.

Availability throughout Asia is typically plentiful and easy to book award travel on ANA, Thai, SQ, Air China, Asiana. Wide range of options.

You can try sample bookings here, just make sure to check off award travel at the bottom of the search window.

Yes Earn to burn is what is important

You will not get high status with any airline as you currently do not fly enough

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...help-here.html

Sorry, but I forgot to mention that I usually travel with family. Does UA have a family account to combine miles like BA's Household Account?
Is it still advisable to sign up with UA still? Or would OZ or NH be better and still offer wide availability on Asia.

Thanks a lot for all the help

(1) What is your home airport? (SFO, LAX, MCO, etc.) TUL
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? (C, F, Y, etc.) Usually Y if spending my own money and upgrade with miles domestically on AA; internationally either buy C or use miles for C or F
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? (<25K, 25k-50k, >50k) 50K or more
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? (UA Premier, M&M Senator etc) AA lifetime platinum
(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.) Being able to use miles for C or F internationally; lounge access
(6) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific etc) US Domestic but fly internationally about 4 roundtrips per year
(7) Preferred Airlines AA, BA
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? (Can you chooose your airlines, class of service?) Both. Can choose my airlines and class of service

The reason I am asking this question is because my husband and I are going to Istanbul next year. We have been there several times before, and I have always used miles, either on AA/BA which involves a lot of connections and time, or Delta. Always fly business class or F internationally. I have some Delta miles, but not enough for both of us to get award tickets in business. So I was looking around, and found very reasonable business class fares from ORD to IST on Turkish Airlines. Getting to ORD is not a problem.

Since I want to join some Star Alliance FF program to earn miles on this trip, my question is whether it is just best to join the Turkish Airlines program or some other. I have absolutely no intention of flying on United on any regular basis. My inclination is to go with the Turkish Airlines FF program, but is there something I don't know or am missing?

Why not just use United and sign up for the explorer card and sapphire cards for you and your husband. Get all the miles over to UA and redeem for travel. Excellent UA availability for award travel. Either TK or LH will get you to IST very easily.

No they don't. You can transfer miles from one acct to another but its a fairly expensive transaction. One thing that UA does offer is that you can buy miles and when they go on sale its about 3.2 cents per mile. If you book travel on united.com or have your reservation visible on ua.com, you can buy miles based on your reservation for about 1.8-2.0 cents per mile.

Who should I join? What will I earn this year?
 

(1) What is your home airport? Right now YYC. Possibly MCI or LAX in the future

(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? Near cheapest possible, or will stretch it a bit to earn miles
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? <25K or 25k-50K max

(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? Delta Silver, should be getting *A silver through aegean in the mail soon

(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? Really trying to get the *A free lounge access, priority boarding and upgrades

(6) Which routes do you fly most often? Probably in this order: US Domestic, Canada/US, Transatlantic, Transpacific

(7) Preferred Airlines - none
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? Pleasure

I have a round the world trip coming up here and I can't figure out what miles I'll earn with all the codeshare confusion. Does this expression UA Metal mean the actual physical plane?
Here is an example itinerary and I'm trying to figure out if I should join Asiana Club to try to earn gold (because of the 2 years accrual factor, and that I don't travel a ton of miles each year).
What would I earn with Asiana Club with these flights? I tried to figure out on their site. Or should I just use AC? Much appreciated

Flight: UA8458
Operated by AIR CANADA EXPRESS - JAZZ.
Aircraft: Canadair Regional Jet 705
Fare Class: Economy (T)
1,747 miles

Flight:NH858
Operated by ANA All Nippon Airways.
Aircraft: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
Fare Class: Economy (K)
2,277 miles

Flight: UA9722
Operated by Air Japan.
Aircraft: Boeing 767-300
Fare Class: Economy (K)
3,854 miles

Flight: UA7809
Operated by Hawaiian Airlines.
Aircraft: Boeing 717-200
Fare Class: Economy (K)
500 miles

UA Metal means that United will be airline operating your flight / their aircraft. I'm not very familiar with ASIANA's program but a 2 year accrual period is attractive (Similar to LH MM). For this specific trip, the best thing to do is to look up the earnings chart for both AC and Asiana and see what miles you would earn for each program. Programs can range widely. there can be instances where you earn 100% miles in one plan, and another plan would only give you 25 or 50% credit.

Is the above itinerary a typical trip for you?