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Best Lifetime *A program that accepts partners?
Hi all,
I'm trying to plan for the long game and decide which airline to stack my lifetime *A points. From what I've seen, United Airlines has the best lifetime program but I don't always fly UA. I travel a lot for work and always pay for the cheapest flight so UA is out for me, I'd need a program that accepts all *A flights. Perks that are important to me: I have a Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card which means lounge access isn't a real perk anymore thanks to Priority Pass. I'm looking more for things like complimentary seat upgrades, free flight tickets, and complimentary companion status (like the one UA has). Travel behavior: I do a lot of transpacific flights between the US, Asia and Europe. My travel agents would sometimes get me promo tickets so ticket classes are all over the place but I usually fly Premium Economy or Business. For *A I usually take: Eva, Asiana, ANA, Air Canada and Lufthansa. Considering all that, I've narrowed down the programs to either Asiana or ANA... Neither seems to be appealing to me, is there something I'm missing here? I'm also a bit confused about ANA's million miler program. If you're a million miler, do you just become a MM by itself or do you also get Diamond for life? TIA for the help! -FB |
Originally Posted by FlyBruin
(Post 31252588)
I'm trying to plan for the long game and decide which airline to stack my lifetime *A points. From what I've seen, United Airlines has the best lifetime program but I don't always fly UA. I travel a lot for work and always pay for the cheapest flight so UA is out for me, I'd need a program that accepts all *A flights.
Perks that are important to me: I have a Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card which means lounge access isn't a real perk anymore thanks to Priority Pass. I'm looking more for things like complimentary seat upgrades, free flight tickets, and complimentary companion status (like the one UA has). An increasing number of ffp's give little or nil ff miles for low priced tickets. That trend will continue. More ffp's are moving to a revenue based system. If you are flying high cost business or first class fares a little different. The days of "complimentary seat upgrades (long haul), free flight tickets", and to a lesser extent "complimentary companion status" are long gone (~ a decade ago). Some airline-ffp's have complimentary seat upgrades for short haul. USA based ffp's have been (and still are) more generous with perks than non USA based ffp's. General FFP:- Which Frequent Flyer Program to Join? Help Is Here! Star Alliance: Need advice on which Star Alliance FF scheme to join? - please post here Be mindful of expiry Miles/Points that Do and Don't Expire. Click to open the wiki. www.wheretocredit.com |
Originally Posted by Mwenenzi
(Post 31252729)
Frequent flyer programs are for the short - medium term. Trying / hoping for lifetime status from zero is a pointless exercise. In the medium - long term the ffp's will devalue and change the rules.
An increasing number of ffp's give little or nil ff miles for low priced tickets. That trend will continue. More ffp's are moving to a revenue based system. If you are flying high cost business or first class fares a little different. The days of "complimentary seat upgrades (long haul), free flight tickets", and to a lesser extent "complimentary companion status" are long gone (~ a decade ago). Some airline-ffp's have complimentary seat upgrades for short haul. USA based ffp's have been (and still are) more generous with perks than non USA based ffp's. |
The short answer is that what you want doesn’t exist. |
Originally Posted by FlyBruin
(Post 31252918)
....and Delta has unlimited complimentary seat upgrades......
Short flights, in say a B737/A320, less of a improvement.
Originally Posted by LondonElite
(Post 31252944)
The short answer is that what you want doesn’t exist. |
Originally Posted by LondonElite
(Post 31252944)
The short answer is that what you want doesn’t exist. |
I'm a little unsure why you are ruling out UA? You can credit every Star Alliance flight that's in a booking class that they give credit for. UA's program is significantly more generous than most for cheap fares, at least you usually get something, where many other *A programs have loads of 0% credit fares on partners. Your one and only negative would be the PQDs which as you have noted do not credit for *A partner flights, but are you flying enough to make status anyway if PQDs were not a thing?
The other one with a quite achievable lifetime status is OZ, however I do not believe they extend the benefit to spouses. In the end, if you really want to try for lifetime status, you should probably make a concerted effort to fly UA for your overseas flights, but even if you make Gold every year, it's a 20 year effort. Who knows what the landscape is going to look like in 20 years from now. As for PQD to reach Gold on UA, it's just a $6 annual spend which you'd easily have if you put just a few of your overseas trips on UA metal. You can also get the Chase credit card and spend enough to get the PQD waived (up to Platinum). |
where do you live??
[QUOTE=FlyBruin;31252588]Hi all,
I'm trying to plan for the long game and decide which airline to stack my lifetime *A points. From what I've seen, United Airlines has the best lifetime program but I don't always fly UA. I travel a lot for work and always pay for the cheapest flight so UA is out for me, I'd need a program that accepts all *A flights. TIA for the help!-FB[/QUOTE I do not understand your point? UA is out for you because you always pay the cheapest flight? With respect, UA has the cheapest flights to/from Asia. Where exactly do you live that this is not the case? Kalamazoo?? BTW, UA automatically gives me preferred PE seating. Does AC do that for you? |
Asiana/OZ has financial problems, and who knows if it survives independently for a decade more. I am not aiming for any additional lifetime elite status with any airline programs. I was close once with the deceased Star Alliance carrier BD, and it went. My lifetime status in other airline programs become less and less valuable over time even as my flying has stayed steady or perhaps even increased in ways. |
Originally Posted by dvs7310
(Post 31253469)
I'm a little unsure why you are ruling out UA? You can credit every Star Alliance flight that's in a booking class that they give credit for. UA's program is significantly more generous than most for cheap fares, at least you usually get something, where many other *A programs have loads of 0% credit fares on partners. Your one and only negative would be the PQDs which as you have noted do not credit for *A partner flights, but are you flying enough to make status anyway if PQDs were not a thing?
The other one with a quite achievable lifetime status is OZ, however I do not believe they extend the benefit to spouses. In the end, if you really want to try for lifetime status, you should probably make a concerted effort to fly UA for your overseas flights, but even if you make Gold every year, it's a 20 year effort. Who knows what the landscape is going to look like in 20 years from now. As for PQD to reach Gold on UA, it's just a $6 annual spend which you'd easily have if you put just a few of your overseas trips on UA metal. You can also get the Chase credit card and spend enough to get the PQD waived (up to Platinum). In the past I always considered the most direct flight and cheapest flight, never really focused on the FFP aspect so this is all a bit new to me. Thanks. |
Originally Posted by FlyBruin
(Post 31254096)
I fly enough to make *A Gold, usually on Lufthansa or Eva. You're right I can stack the miles in UA and go for the tiers there even if I wasn't flying UA. I was just considering the "wasted" PQDs that won't get credited into the lifetime program but I guess it's a give and take. Oz lifetime program doesn't appeal to me at all.
In the past I always considered the most direct flight and cheapest flight, never really focused on the FFP aspect so this is all a bit new to me. Thanks. PQD = Premier Qualifying Dollars - you need a minimum as a US resident depending upon the level you wish to achieve. Only earned on UA flights OR flights ticketed by UA on 016 ticket stock (you can get LH and NH flights ticketed this way as well as several other *A carriers but this does assume you can book yourself and get reimbursement rather than being forced to use the corporate travel agent, as they'll more likely take the simplest route and ticket on the other carrier's stock) PQM = Premier Qualifying Miles - These are awarded for all qualifying Star Alliance travel, regardless of carrier, as long as it's a qualifying fare class. See UA's award charts for various airlines for details. for example all LH fares earn 100% or more PQMs - These are the miles that qualify you for various UA status levels, 25k Silver, 50k, Gold, 75k Platinum, and 100k 1K (together with the appropriate PQD for each level) RDM = Redeemable Miles - these are the miles you seen in your mileage balance that you can spend on award flights for UA or other Star Alliance carriers. So United may be a fine program for you and I'd say if anyone is still going to have a lifetime status in a decade, it's as likely to be them as anyone else. |
Originally Posted by dvs7310
(Post 31254452)
In the current United program, you have 3 important numbers (for US residents, foreign residents don't have PQDs).
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Sorry for late response, I got hit with the 5 posts per 24 hr limit....
Originally Posted by Antonio8069
(Post 31253497)
I do not understand your point? UA is out for you because you always pay the cheapest flight? With respect, UA has the cheapest flights to/from Asia. Where exactly do you live that this is not the case? Kalamazoo?? BTW, UA automatically gives me preferred PE seating. Does AC do that for you?
Originally Posted by GUWonder
(Post 31253581)
Asiana/OZ has financial problems, and who knows if it survives independently for a decade more.
I am not aiming for any additional lifetime elite status with any airline programs. I was close once with the deceased Star Alliance carrier BD, and it went. My lifetime status in other airline programs become less and less valuable over time even as my flying has stayed steady or perhaps even increased in ways.
Originally Posted by dvs7310
(Post 31254452)
PQDs are irrelevant for lifetime status only your annual status, so don't worry about that. In the current United program, you have 3 important numbers (for US residents, foreign residents don't have PQDs).
PQD = Premier Qualifying Dollars - you need a minimum as a US resident depending upon the level you wish to achieve. Only earned on UA flights OR flights ticketed by UA on 016 ticket stock (you can get LH and NH flights ticketed this way as well as several other *A carriers but this does assume you can book yourself and get reimbursement rather than being forced to use the corporate travel agent, as they'll more likely take the simplest route and ticket on the other carrier's stock) PQM = Premier Qualifying Miles - These are awarded for all qualifying Star Alliance travel, regardless of carrier, as long as it's a qualifying fare class. See UA's award charts for various airlines for details. for example all LH fares earn 100% or more PQMs - These are the miles that qualify you for various UA status levels, 25k Silver, 50k, Gold, 75k Platinum, and 100k 1K (together with the appropriate PQD for each level) RDM = Redeemable Miles - these are the miles you seen in your mileage balance that you can spend on award flights for UA or other Star Alliance carriers. So United may be a fine program for you and I'd say if anyone is still going to have a lifetime status in a decade, it's as likely to be them as anyone else. |
Originally Posted by FlyBruin
(Post 31256054)
Sorry for late response, I got hit with the 5 posts per 24 hr limit....
... Yeah it looks like UA is the program to focus on for now. Thanks so much for the detailed explanation!
Originally Posted by mahasamatman
(Post 31255199)
You forgot about BiS, which are the "butt-in-seat" miles that count for lifetime status.
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly.../lifetime.html So for lifetime counter you'll only see your actual flight distance rather than 150% for the business fares which earn the multiplier. I used to be similar like you, mostly on *A partners so for several years even though I had the annual status, my lifetime balance was barely moving, but for the last 2-3 years I've been probably 90% on UA metal. |
UA only counts BIS (butt in seat) on United metal for lifetime miles
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly.../lifetime.html Lifetime miles are earned based on the flight distance* of United- and United Express®-operated flights |
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