Paid Business on SQ- best FFP to credit?
Apr 6, 2008, 10:29 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
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Paid Business on SQ- best FFP to credit?
My dad is CO platinum, and has been CO platinum for years, but is sick of flying IAH-ATL-SVO on DL. He flies paid business on all his trips. Switching to SQ's IAH-DME flight is a no-brainer at this point. The only question is where do the miles go?
His last *A FFP was on AC, but we burned off those miles when AC started instituting huge booking fees. So he's open to any of them. IAH-DME is probably going to be the only *A flight he books (maybe an occasional IAH-YYC/YYZ). Redemptions are generally either US domestic or IAH-FRA-MAA on LH.
My suggestion at the moment is LH, because of the 100% bonus to paid J fares. My only worry is the rapid mileage expiry provision- 3 years? Is that enforced/is there any way around that? Would there be a benefit to crediting SQ flights to the SQ program? Since he flies paid business, I don't really see any benefit to him picking up status, so it's more where the best earn/burn ratios are.
His last *A FFP was on AC, but we burned off those miles when AC started instituting huge booking fees. So he's open to any of them. IAH-DME is probably going to be the only *A flight he books (maybe an occasional IAH-YYC/YYZ). Redemptions are generally either US domestic or IAH-FRA-MAA on LH.
My suggestion at the moment is LH, because of the 100% bonus to paid J fares. My only worry is the rapid mileage expiry provision- 3 years? Is that enforced/is there any way around that? Would there be a benefit to crediting SQ flights to the SQ program? Since he flies paid business, I don't really see any benefit to him picking up status, so it's more where the best earn/burn ratios are.
Apr 6, 2008, 9:51 pm
#2
Moderator, Hilton Honors
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,422
Once have status on LH mileage does not expire. FTL (*S) requires 35k miles. 1 or 2 round trips in business would do it.
If he expects to spend more than S$25k per annum on paid SQ business then taking out a Kris Flyer membership (but crediting miles elsewhere) makes sense. By qualifying PPS there is a chance of op-up, and waitlists clear more easily than without the status. PPS allows double-dip - you can credit miles to another program at the same time as earning PPS status. With regular paid business travel, LH is an obvious candidate. BD is also good (has much better awards than LH and also generous earning) - but earning rate is less when flying SQ compared with other *A airlines.
If he expects to spend more than S$25k per annum on paid SQ business then taking out a Kris Flyer membership (but crediting miles elsewhere) makes sense. By qualifying PPS there is a chance of op-up, and waitlists clear more easily than without the status. PPS allows double-dip - you can credit miles to another program at the same time as earning PPS status. With regular paid business travel, LH is an obvious candidate. BD is also good (has much better awards than LH and also generous earning) - but earning rate is less when flying SQ compared with other *A airlines.
Apr 7, 2008, 12:53 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: AMS
Programs: BA Gold; FB Gold; IHG Plat AMB
Posts: 46
Miles & More Credit Card
With LH, award miles will not expire as long as you hold a Miles & More Credit Card with the provision that you make a purchase once a month.
Apr 9, 2008, 9:45 pm
#5
Moderator: Asiana & Qantas Frequent Flyer
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Example:
US to Europe in business needs 80k miles on UA and 90k miles on LH
US domestic in business is 45k miles for both.
However, UA gives you 125% miles for paid business and LH gives you 200% for paid business (sometimes even 225%). So rule of thumb is, if you are flying in paid business than the earn/burn ratio is better on LH.
To the OP: I would recommend LH or BD, too. As the previous posters have mentioned, miles do not expire on LH if you have status or if you hold a LH credit card and use it according to the rules.
By the way, the LH fees for award tickets are extremely high as well, but you have the good earn/burn ratio.
Apr 10, 2008, 2:25 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2006
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The way this is done properly is by crediting to your choice of BD or LH, and crediting PPS sectors to SQ. Two trips in Biz (maybe 3) should qualify him for PPS.
Apr 10, 2008, 2:53 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
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Yet with the high C fare for IAH-DME, you can qualify with two trips based on PPS Values. 
Apr 10, 2008, 3:33 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2006
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I know you're right, but I'm pretty sure I will always call them sectors, as it's pretty damn bulky to say that one can receive PPS value credit from those flights (but the implication was there when I said 2-3 flights, which would have only generated 6 or sectors the other way 
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Apr 14, 2008, 11:12 am
#9
Original Poster
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Is it easy send sectors to PPS while crediting the miles to another program? Is this a peculiarity of SQ? I'm going to go browse the SQ forum when I have a little time. Thanks for the advice!
Apr 17, 2008, 10:57 am
#10
Join Date: May 2006
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