Moving from OneWorld to *A - Which FF programme should I go for
Aug 14, 2007 | 7:07 am
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SYD
Programs: Shangri-La GC Exec, QF Silver, HH gold, SPG gold, BMI DC Gold, Amex Plat
Posts: 55
Aug 14, 2007 | 7:35 am
#19
Join Date: Feb 2007
Programs: IC Royal Ambassador, SPG Platinum, HH Gold, BA Gold, Flying Blue Platinum
Posts: 767
Does anyone know about the best options for Status Matching from Star Alliance or Sky Team to OneWorld. I may be flying business class with Qantus Q1 2008 and may as well get whatever benefits I can.
I am gold with bmi Diamond Club and AF/KL Flying Blue.
Thanks for your feedback.
I am gold with bmi Diamond Club and AF/KL Flying Blue.
Thanks for your feedback.
Aug 14, 2007 | 9:37 am
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SYD
Programs: Shangri-La GC Exec, QF Silver, HH gold, SPG gold, BMI DC Gold, Amex Plat
Posts: 55
Does anyone know about the best options for Status Matching from Star Alliance or Sky Team to OneWorld. I may be flying business class with Qantus Q1 2008 and may as well get whatever benefits I can.
I am gold with bmi Diamond Club and AF/KL Flying Blue.
Thanks for your feedback.
I am gold with bmi Diamond Club and AF/KL Flying Blue.
Thanks for your feedback.
Aug 14, 2007 | 2:50 pm
#21
Moderator, Hilton Honors
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,445
Flying Qantas business class you get almost all of the benefits of OW sapphire status (and I'm not aware of any OW FFP that comps to emerald status). Lounge access, priority check in & boarding all come with business class, as well as extra baggage.
Aug 15, 2007 | 7:16 pm
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SYD
Programs: Shangri-La GC Exec, QF Silver, HH gold, SPG gold, BMI DC Gold, Amex Plat
Posts: 55
With the opening of the new International pier in Terminal 1 at YYZ earlier this year, International->International connections are now much easier. You will still have to pass through a passport check, but it is a special line that feeds back into the international pier. I haven't read any comments on the process since it started, but presumably it should be much less painful than going through the normal customs/immigration line. (Plus your checked baggage will be checked through -- no need to reclaim it at YYZ).
Excellent,
this presumably means I will be protected from this kind of treatment.
If I do not leave the transit lounge, they will probably just check my passport to see that a) I have one b) my name is not on a watch list and c) I have visa for the next port on my itinerary.
They wouldn't want or need to scan the files on my laptop and interview me for two hours because I am not actually entering Canada.
I do want to hang out in YYZ and YVR at some point, but then it will be OK if they grill me for hours because I am not going to miss a connecting flight. My concern was that I have to fly ANU - YYZ and then do the whole customs / immigration thing before I get to the next terminal for my connection to Europe. In that scenario I would find it extremely stressful to find myself wasting time with a secondary interview.
Aug 16, 2007 | 12:46 pm
#23
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: UA, DL
Posts: 550
I'd join the FFP of the airline who's metal I fly most often. In case of irrops it is usually far more valuable to be top tier on the airline you actually fly rather than *G on some other *alliance airline. if you tend to fly multiple airlines for the long hauls you might even see if you can qualify for top and mid tier on two *alliance airlines - with all flights being business or first that might not be as hard as it sounds.
Sep 3, 2007 | 3:26 pm
#24
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: LAX
Programs: Alaska 75K
Posts: 489
AC is updating its cabins on international J so you likely will be happy with that choice. UA offers more upgrades than AC now (AC used to give out 2 System wides every 10K qualifying miles, now it is more like every 20K, only good on higher fares, Special system wides, good on low fares, are harder to come by--you get two instead of the regular SWU certificates at 45 (if you are in top tier SuperElite only), 75 K, 120K qualifying miles. Since you don't want to connect through UK or US, it does limit you pretty much to AC and SQ and LH if you want to maximize benefits.
As others have noted, decide what you want out of the program. If you are not in top tier Super elite, rewards on AC metal can be hard to come by at regular mileage award levels (but you have access to other Star Alliance reward inventory like you would with their respective programs).
If you fly in business or first, Miles and More is a very attractive program. If you are not interested in upgrades, BMI's program also offers some interesting advantages even if you don't fly BMI much. Check out the comparison chart below.
As others have noted, decide what you want out of the program. If you are not in top tier Super elite, rewards on AC metal can be hard to come by at regular mileage award levels (but you have access to other Star Alliance reward inventory like you would with their respective programs).
If you fly in business or first, Miles and More is a very attractive program. If you are not interested in upgrades, BMI's program also offers some interesting advantages even if you don't fly BMI much. Check out the comparison chart below.
WOW - just found your download page - this is one of the most valuable/powerful collection of resources I have ever seen ^^^^^
Sep 3, 2007 | 3:50 pm
#25
Join Date: May 2005
Location: YOW
Programs: AC-SE100K MM, AF-Plat, BA-S, HH-D, MB-G LT Sil, IHG-Dia, Nexus, Global Entry
Posts: 3,997
I do think AC will be a good choice for you, but you might want to verify this premise, if you are basing your decision on it. In the summer, YYX-ANU is once per week. In the winter, frequencies increase to 3x weekly. There are daily flights to BGI, 4x weekly to POS, weekly to SXM (winter) so there are alternative routings.
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13F
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Sep 6, 2007 | 5:37 am
#26
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: BRU
Programs: LH SEN, SN Gold, Eurostar Carte Blanche, BA, QF, AF
Posts: 6,854
Aeroplan is not really a good program if you fly paid business class.
Agree to go for M&M. You only need 35,000 status miles for FTL (1.5 roundtrips ANU-YYZ-ZRH in paid business), and this will get you lounge access at all airports with a LH, LX or OS lounge when you fly within Europe in economy class.
Senator status needs 100,000 status miles, but the 25% status bonus counts for status; and you only need to fly 100k miles every second year.
So, to get to *G with M&M flying ANU-YYZ-ZRH, you get to 36,900 miles (and hence FTL status) after 1.5 roundtrips. Then you need another 2.5 roundtrips to get to 106,000 miles (and hence SEN status). This is a total of 4 roundtrips from Antigua to Zurich in paid business class for *G.
To get to *G with Aeroplan, you probably need slightly less. I assume that the COS bonus count towards status. You earn 150% on ANU-YYZ, and 125% on YYZ-ZRH. You would need 2.5 round trips to earn *G. However, for redemptions, you accumulate much less miles than on M&M.
SmilingBoy.
Agree to go for M&M. You only need 35,000 status miles for FTL (1.5 roundtrips ANU-YYZ-ZRH in paid business), and this will get you lounge access at all airports with a LH, LX or OS lounge when you fly within Europe in economy class.
Senator status needs 100,000 status miles, but the 25% status bonus counts for status; and you only need to fly 100k miles every second year.
So, to get to *G with M&M flying ANU-YYZ-ZRH, you get to 36,900 miles (and hence FTL status) after 1.5 roundtrips. Then you need another 2.5 roundtrips to get to 106,000 miles (and hence SEN status). This is a total of 4 roundtrips from Antigua to Zurich in paid business class for *G.
To get to *G with Aeroplan, you probably need slightly less. I assume that the COS bonus count towards status. You earn 150% on ANU-YYZ, and 125% on YYZ-ZRH. You would need 2.5 round trips to earn *G. However, for redemptions, you accumulate much less miles than on M&M.
SmilingBoy.