moretsky99

Sorry for my ignorance and please have patience with me. I was under the impression that I could get one Star Alliance Frequent Flier number and use it on any member airline and collect mileage points. After researching it seems my basic assumption was wrong. I fly to the Philippines on the cheapest airlines available from Florida or whatever departing airport has the best price (Houston). Eva Air. Air China. China Air. etc.... Correct me if I am wrong, but it appears that there is no way to consolidate different (Asian) airlines mileage under one umbrella.

Is Star Alliance of more benefit to the airlines than to passengers? I don't qualify for lounge usage on any ONE carrier because I spread out my mileage for price of ticket. Other than Delta which seems to allow multi-year collection of mileage is there another way to benefit from accruing mileage?

Thanks for your patience here and for your comments.

lhrsfo

Your basic assumption was wrong. You earn miles in a Star Alliance member's program. However, you can earn miles in your chosen airline's program, even when you are flying with another *A member airline - how many depends upon a number of factors, but it is all spelt out on the website of your chosen program. For example, I'm a member of the UA program, but I can earn miles (depending upon the ticket class) when I fly LH or TK or BR, or any other member. Next week I'm flying AC and expect to earn miles for those flights.

Again, depending upon your program, if you consolidate on one program, you are far more likely to gain lounge access, even if you rarely or never fly that airline.

sbm12

This is mostly correct. You can get a FF number from a participating program member (e.g. United MileagePlus, Turkish Smiles & Miles, etc.) and then use that number on all member flights. But *A does not operate a program itself. It doesn't issue frequent flyer numbers or benefits.

Putting aside that China Air is not *A, what part do you find to be incorrect??

If they are a *A member you can give the frequent flyer number of your preferred program and collect points. Maybe not a lot of points and maybe even none if too cheap a fare class, but the ability to earn across all programs remains.

Did you not credit all the flights to the same program??

Delta doesn't do anything different with respect to accruing status points than the other programs you've described. All are year-based, not multi-year, for status.

sol95

I suspect the OP unwittingly purchased fare classes that accrue 0% on their FFP program.

dvs7310

Flying on any of the Asian carriers with exception of NH, this is quite likely. The cheapest fares on all the others do not accrue mileage. (actually maybe CA also doesn't have any zero earning classes, can't remember 100% on that one).