Which frequent flyer program is best?
Jul 26, 2013 | 6:20 pm
#31
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Mesilla, NM
Programs: DL DM 4.7 MM Marriott Lifetime Titanium AA PL Not chasing status Retired!
Posts: 2,777
Jul 26, 2013 | 6:22 pm
#32
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Programs: Household of Delta GM & PM, SWA RR CP, Bonvoy Platinum, Hertz #1 Gold, Budget RZ
Posts: 304
Jul 26, 2013 | 6:23 pm
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 34,038
My grandfather was in the airline industry for 40 years. My dad has been in it for 25. I've been flying since I was a baby. Airports have often been considered a second home for me, and I can still spend hours watching planes go by. Flying to me is more of a passion than just a mode of transportation, and I figure that there is no better goal for me than shooting for that near-impossible 10mm
). We're about 3.5 decades older than you and love this...and want to keep doing it. It's just that the goal is the flying and destinations, and not a number. Flying 100K miles in premium classes is great, and we plan to do it for many years to come. I just think that the experience should be the goal, and not the number. But it's personal and affects all of us differently. Welcome to a lifelong addiction Cheers.
Jul 26, 2013 | 6:40 pm
#34
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: Delta DM 1M, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 539
Maybe I'm guilty of profiling. What type of job would that be? Can't think of an employer paying to fly a college level employee that often, or the job itself paying enough to justify the cost of the ticket itself.
Jul 26, 2013 | 6:46 pm
#35
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: PBI / JFK, ISP, LGA
Programs: AA, AS, AV, B6, DL, F9, WN
Posts: 868
Hi all,
I am currently 17 years old and am starting to look at what airline will be the best for me to use primarily. I am starting to take more independent trips where I need to choose what airline I take and I also intend on going into a career field in business requiring a reasonably large amount of travel. Here is some information to help you help me. Thank you for your responses!!!
Nearest Airports (In order) ABE, EWR, JFK, PHL
I will likely be attending college in either Miami or Boston
I am looking primarily at Delta, United, and American
I will have 1000 DL Skymiles by the end of next week
I don't mind connecting when it will make the trip less expensive
My most important criteria are ease of gaining elite status, least expensive flights, and large network.
I really want to attain 10 million miles so I will be doing as much flying as I possibly can!
Thank you!!
I am currently 17 years old and am starting to look at what airline will be the best for me to use primarily. I am starting to take more independent trips where I need to choose what airline I take and I also intend on going into a career field in business requiring a reasonably large amount of travel. Here is some information to help you help me. Thank you for your responses!!!
Nearest Airports (In order) ABE, EWR, JFK, PHL
I will likely be attending college in either Miami or Boston
I am looking primarily at Delta, United, and American
I will have 1000 DL Skymiles by the end of next week
I don't mind connecting when it will make the trip less expensive
My most important criteria are ease of gaining elite status, least expensive flights, and large network.
I really want to attain 10 million miles so I will be doing as much flying as I possibly can!
Thank you!!
You could always join Alaska Airlines (AS) FF program. AA and DL are both partners with AS. You can fly them and credit these flights into one program. Doing this will allow you to earn status faster.
Welcome to FT.
Jul 26, 2013 | 6:54 pm
#36
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 22,919
Jul 26, 2013 | 6:58 pm
#37
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles, Luxury Hotels, TravelBuzz! and Italy
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 27,014
As this has also been cross-posted in TravelBuzz, I am going to move this thread to the TravelBuzz Forum and then merge the two threads.
Obscure2k
Delta Moderator (also TravelBuzz Mod).
Obscure2k
Delta Moderator (also TravelBuzz Mod).
Jul 26, 2013 | 7:29 pm
#39
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: JFK/LGA
Programs: DL DM, HH Gold, SPG Platinum 100, National Executive Elite
Posts: 1,687
Which frequent flyer program is best?
It is indeed possible to attain GM fairly easily. With about two Asia trips, one Europe trip, and 30ish domestic segments, and bonus MQM from Amex, it's basically in the bag. Plus with a MR to JNB this year that's puts me at 77k miles
Jul 26, 2013 | 9:11 pm
#41
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 22,919
Jul 26, 2013 | 9:32 pm
#42
Suspended
Join Date: May 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 1,961
Jul 27, 2013 | 12:07 am
#43
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,342
It's not that hard. There's a whole thread for young frequent fliers on the AA forum.
Also, I agree with brp that the experience should be the goal. In fact, I'll take it even a step further. Being relatively new to the FF world (just 2 years of status, 0.1 MM miles), suddenly being able to fly in premium cabins is really cool. But if you do this all the time (and all my travel is personal), the novelty wears off. It just starts to become a way to travel again, except you're spoiled by premium travel and will learn to dread coach. So now for me, my experience (or what I intend to accomplish) at my destination is the goal, and F/J is just a nice way to get there. And the only number I care about is the 50K at the end of the year that will let me keep my status to make my travel as painless as possible.
Also, I agree with brp that the experience should be the goal. In fact, I'll take it even a step further. Being relatively new to the FF world (just 2 years of status, 0.1 MM miles), suddenly being able to fly in premium cabins is really cool. But if you do this all the time (and all my travel is personal), the novelty wears off. It just starts to become a way to travel again, except you're spoiled by premium travel and will learn to dread coach. So now for me, my experience (or what I intend to accomplish) at my destination is the goal, and F/J is just a nice way to get there. And the only number I care about is the 50K at the end of the year that will let me keep my status to make my travel as painless as possible.
Jul 27, 2013 | 1:57 pm
#45
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: PDX
Programs: kayaker
Posts: 851
To OP:
Unfortunately, you seem to be jumping into the FF game at a bad time. Earlier this year, DL announced a revenue component to SkyMiles, UA announced a comparable change just last month, and many on this board expect AA to follow suit.
I was in your shoes a few years back, in college but doing cheap weekend trips to get miles and status. But now, you have to spend upwards of $3k annually just to get the lowest status tier, which grants you practically nil chance of an UG. The second tier (typically ~50k miles/year) is when you can start expecting some (not many) upgrades, but that's going to cost you >$6k out-of-pocket. As a college student just starting out, you might want to reconsider whether that is money well spent.
Unfortunately, you seem to be jumping into the FF game at a bad time. Earlier this year, DL announced a revenue component to SkyMiles, UA announced a comparable change just last month, and many on this board expect AA to follow suit.
I was in your shoes a few years back, in college but doing cheap weekend trips to get miles and status. But now, you have to spend upwards of $3k annually just to get the lowest status tier, which grants you practically nil chance of an UG. The second tier (typically ~50k miles/year) is when you can start expecting some (not many) upgrades, but that's going to cost you >$6k out-of-pocket. As a college student just starting out, you might want to reconsider whether that is money well spent.