Please my fellow FTers, your sage advise is apprecaited!

I have now earned my long-awaited goal: Million Mile Flyer status on UA. Just qualified on a NRT-SEA flight last week.

Now that I have Lifetime PremEx and Star Gold status, I'm beginning to think about what other airlines I should focus on.

I will continue to fly UA as they are convenient from my SEA base, but I am looking forward to trying other airlines as well. Alaska will remain my other main airline in the west.

Here's what I'm thinking...

My main destinations:
Tokyo
UA and AA both fly this route, plus NW, but I'm not really considering them. I could fly AA on this route, or UA's First Suite.

Europe
I'm actually thinking about DL and US and CO on this. All three are said to offer exceptional premium cabin service.

USA
A mixture of AK and US in the west, DL, CO, US, in the east, and AA and UA in the midwest should cover the country.

Living in the corner and doing mostly long-haul/int'l trips, miles are easy to come by. I'm thinking I can rack up 250,000 miles, going by past experience.

What do you think my best bet is? How are AA, CO, DL, and US?

Thanks,
peter

What about BA for Europe, no one does a better job transatlantic in any class? As a one world partner it should be fairly easy to accumulate the miles.

Good point. I'd choose BA's nonstop to London, but I can't stand connecting in London. I personally would much rather connect in the states. I know other people feel differently, but that's how I feel.

So I would connect in ORD or the east coast to destinations other than London.

I will prefix by saying that most of my flying to/in the USA is done on Delta.... Business Elite on Delta is very good and I believe they serve more destinations in Europe than any other US airline. However, ATL and CVG are not always convenient as hubs (ATL is a long way from Seattle). DL does offer quite a few flights to Europe from JFK. On the domestics, CVG is a great airport for connections and ATL can be tough because of its layout and because it is so busy.

I don't blame you for not enjoying that London connection, can be pretty nasty especially if you have to transfer to between Heathrow and Gatwick, though the BA lounge's are pretty nice there, especially the showers.

By the way, congratulations on achieving the Million miles

[This message has been edited by Mvic (edited 08-21-2000).]

Congratulations!

If I were you I think I would now concentrate on AA, you already have access to the *A at gold status so why not double your options with 1 world?

I personally tend to earn miles(business)on UA or AA and then take my award trips on their partner airlines as it gives me many more alternatives.