alternative to TG ROP
Jan 1, 2003 | 10:24 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 13
alternative to TG ROP
Greetings and happy new year.
I have been a loyal star alliance flyer for a while. Last time I requalified for Star Gold with Thai was in Sept 2001, valid through Sept 2003.
Well... by early Fall 2002, I had ALREADY earned enough miles with TG*RP during 2002 to requalify again for Star Gold... but heard nothing back.
So I e-mailed ROP asking when they were sending me the new card (valid till 2004) and the roundtrip upgrade certificate (one prized perk!). Below is the answer I got:
"Dear Mr. ******,
Yes, the Gold renewal package as well as Gold Upgrade award certificate
will send to you again before the expiry date of your current card.
Thank you for joining with us."
BASICALLY, They will renew my card starting Sept. 2003 for two more years beyond that.
WHICH GIVES ME ZERO INCENTIVE TO EARN MILES IN THAI'S ROP PROGRAM FOR AT LEAST ALL OF 2003!!!
... or, finally, an opportunity to use Thai's gold card to get the Star Gold perks (lounges, priority waitlisting, extra baggage), while building status on an alternative, more generous star alliance mileage program (at least in terms of giving me bonus miles!).
I HAVE seen comparison tables between the programs... but am still a bit confused about which program best suits MY flying patterns, and thus would like some advice from all you experts here.
Most of my travels (for work and family) in a year are between Boston, Bangkok, Chiangmai, Kathmandu, and Zurich. My travels over the past two years (with airlines usually flown), and likely for hte next two years as well, is approximately:
2 (- 3) Boston-Bangkok roundtrips (usually UA, at times TG, NH, or SQ).
4-6 Bangkok-Kathmandu roundtrips (always TG)
8-10 Bangkok-Chiangmai roundtrips (always TG)
1 Boston-Zurich roundtrip (UA/LH)
another Boston-Zurich, or a Bangkok/Kathmandu-Zurich roundtrip (TG/LH/OS/NG)
In addition in a typical yera there is a smattering of other short trips:
1-3 short domestic roundtrips within the US (on UA).
2-4 other roundtrips within Southeast Asia (BKK-SIN, BKK-HAN, or within Thailand), usually on TG.
Typically the flown miles add up to between 65K and 80K in a year.
Until recently I would have thought that building status to UA MP PremEx would be the best goal. But perhaps that is no longer a good idea now. And am I neglecting other obvious options?
Should I be more seriously considering LH, SK, NH, SQ, or someone else's program?
AC is out of question because I would need a transit visa just to change aircraft in Canada.
I can have mailing addresses in the US, Europe,Thailand, or Nepal...
THank you VERY MUCH for your advice.
I have been a loyal star alliance flyer for a while. Last time I requalified for Star Gold with Thai was in Sept 2001, valid through Sept 2003.
Well... by early Fall 2002, I had ALREADY earned enough miles with TG*RP during 2002 to requalify again for Star Gold... but heard nothing back.
So I e-mailed ROP asking when they were sending me the new card (valid till 2004) and the roundtrip upgrade certificate (one prized perk!). Below is the answer I got:
"Dear Mr. ******,
Yes, the Gold renewal package as well as Gold Upgrade award certificate
will send to you again before the expiry date of your current card.
Thank you for joining with us."
BASICALLY, They will renew my card starting Sept. 2003 for two more years beyond that.
WHICH GIVES ME ZERO INCENTIVE TO EARN MILES IN THAI'S ROP PROGRAM FOR AT LEAST ALL OF 2003!!!
... or, finally, an opportunity to use Thai's gold card to get the Star Gold perks (lounges, priority waitlisting, extra baggage), while building status on an alternative, more generous star alliance mileage program (at least in terms of giving me bonus miles!).
I HAVE seen comparison tables between the programs... but am still a bit confused about which program best suits MY flying patterns, and thus would like some advice from all you experts here.
Most of my travels (for work and family) in a year are between Boston, Bangkok, Chiangmai, Kathmandu, and Zurich. My travels over the past two years (with airlines usually flown), and likely for hte next two years as well, is approximately:
2 (- 3) Boston-Bangkok roundtrips (usually UA, at times TG, NH, or SQ).
4-6 Bangkok-Kathmandu roundtrips (always TG)
8-10 Bangkok-Chiangmai roundtrips (always TG)
1 Boston-Zurich roundtrip (UA/LH)
another Boston-Zurich, or a Bangkok/Kathmandu-Zurich roundtrip (TG/LH/OS/NG)
In addition in a typical yera there is a smattering of other short trips:
1-3 short domestic roundtrips within the US (on UA).
2-4 other roundtrips within Southeast Asia (BKK-SIN, BKK-HAN, or within Thailand), usually on TG.
Typically the flown miles add up to between 65K and 80K in a year.
Until recently I would have thought that building status to UA MP PremEx would be the best goal. But perhaps that is no longer a good idea now. And am I neglecting other obvious options?
Should I be more seriously considering LH, SK, NH, SQ, or someone else's program?
AC is out of question because I would need a transit visa just to change aircraft in Canada.
I can have mailing addresses in the US, Europe,Thailand, or Nepal...
THank you VERY MUCH for your advice.
Jan 3, 2003 | 4:50 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: SQ PPS/Krisflyer Gold
Posts: 120
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by himalaya:
AC is out of question because I would need a transit visa just to change aircraft in Canada.</font>
AC is out of question because I would need a transit visa just to change aircraft in Canada.</font>
himalaya, in which class do you fly? One of the main differences among the FFP are factors to multiply with the flown miles (e.g. SQ give 1.25 for Business class; 1.5 for First class; some cheap fares are excluded from mileage earning).