Which FFP for me? Master Discussion

[Saracen]

BD DC to SQ KF switch?

Following on from this thread, I am now in Singapore and managed to meet my BD*G re-qualification requirement just last week. However, again, I'm thinking of switching to KF. I have around 280k miles in my BD account, enough for some good flying, however, since I usually fly just enough to qualify for *G, I don't make nearly enough use of them. My worry is that if I fly on a redemption ticket, my mileage earning for the year will see me drop from *G. Hence, they are somewhat useless.

For me, I think the key value in miles would be for upgrading. I could book my (typically Y or E) tickets on SQ and try my chance at an upgrade, still earning miles for the flight. Looking at the redemption tables, I see that KF isn't as generous as DC, but still not outlandish. And if I'm only ever upgrading, it's not as bad.

I have a SG Amex Plat, so that can be linked to my KF account (is it still worth getting the KF Amex?), and I could find other opportunities for earning perhaps. (Recommendations?) The 50k *G requirement is a little daunting as my flying has been averaging near 40-50k recently. (Mileage runs?) My Hhonors earnings of 1000 miles per night on BD would only be 500 miles per stay on KF, which again seems tight.

Overall, it could all be solved if BD would just join the Star Alliance upgrades program. Alas.

Any ideas? Save somehow turning those BD miles into Amex MR Points?

[jjpb3]

Unfortunately, AFAIK, BD miles can't be reversed back into Amex MR points. (Also, I think BD's relationship is with UK Amex cards.)

Like you, I found the best use of KF miles to be upgrades, but that value dissipated with the changes to KF. I'm afraid you do face a tradeoff between *G status and redemption possibilities. If it's *G status that's relatively more valuable for you and you don't mind redeeming on regional routes so the opportunity costs are lower, you could consider AC. KF gets you miles and status recognition on MI, with decent regional burn rates, but the higher threshold for *G means award flights are more expensive in terms of the status miles forgone.

At least your healthy cache of BD miles will still be of some value when DC gets folded into M&M by 2011/2012.

[Saracen]

Just spotted the M&M news. That might actually be great news for me, since M&M is part of the *A wide upgrades programme. I might stick with BD for the next year in the hope that those miles all get transferred over and I get comped to LH SEN, then let the upgrading begin. I could then switch to KF for the lower (than LH) *G requirements.

Am I right in understanding that MI flights cannot be credited to other *A FFPs?

[MAN Flyer]

Am I right in understanding that MI flights cannot be credited to other *A FFPs?

Correct, which is a real PITA.

As for your wider question. As you are based in Singapore and would have access to KF earning cards then KF is probably worth looking at. However, I would stick with BD's DC right to the end and enjoy the great redemption opportunities while you still can.

KF is now crap imho unless you have a KF earning card (I don't so I haven't put any *A mileage to KF in 18 months), and even then the redemption opportunities are dwindling with the no longer new products replacing SpaceBeds and SkySuites.

TG are rumoured to be introducing a Platinum tier and the rumour is *A Gold could be for 5 years. I can't see that myself, but you never know with TG!.

[Kyo]

I know TG has an Amex Plat card, but didn't know they were considering a Plat tier... *G for 5 years sounds... very odd indeed. I'd more likely believe an Asiana-like Lifetime *G for some ridiculous amount of TG flying (in which case I'd be very interested in switching from BD after flirting with M&M redemptions on KF Savers or LH 388 F flights )

KF is quite content to 'beat the system' and play with their own rules by upgrading as many aircraft as it makes sense to do, but allow a few to remain un-upgraded so that they can still say they offer Saver redemptions. It's a rort and nobody's calling them out for it. I'll vote with my wallet and although it means nothing to SQ, I'll continue to try other carriers before them as a sign of protest.

[eriond]

Hi all, I will be making at least 4 long-haul round trips (equal mix of J and Y) every year for the next few years at least and after reading this thread, I am considering between BD's DC and AC's Aeroplan.

I will be flying SIN-BKK-LHR-BKK-SIN by TG J this coming Oct and I'm leaning to BD as it gives 2x miles compares to AC's 1.25x. However, would it be a wasted effort once DC is taken over by M&M and would I be better off with another FFP considering M&M's relatively less attractive redemption rates?

I'm intending to make round trips out of UK (to Asia and America) instead of originating from SIN as prices for premium classes are more attractive originating from UK.

Thanks!

[SQDoubter]

I am with Kyo on this one.

Voting with my wallet. I am in the midst of an attempt to stop all flights on SQ. Instead I am switching over to TG ROP and flying TG as much as possible. Granted that TG has its fair share of problems and the Burning rates are high but SQ's arrogance and ridiculous rules on saver awards have driven me away.
Even when I fly SIN-MEL I will fly TG at the same price but take an extra 6-7 hours! This is just a flat out protest and it helps with my requalification a little too. Haha.
Once i get TG gold, i'll use the upgrade on a SIN-LAX route to get the full use out of it. This already makes up for the loss in miles from their higher burn rates. The other thing that makes up for higher burn rates is that we can upgrade discounted tix to J. This kind of justifies a higher burn I guess.
I can still choose to credit my FF miles from Citi Premier to either SQ or TG depending on who has the better redemption options.
Not that they care about a measly KFEG, but thats as much as I can do to not support SQ. So sad that it had to come to this. I expected SAVERS to be available by 2010 but alas, its bye bye SQ for me.

[love2travel]

Where to credit my miles: Krisflyer vs. others

hi there!

i travel a lot, but i travel different airlines all the time! i've created accounts with Krisflyer & Royal Orchid Plus, but i really need advice on where i should credit my miles to!

can someone please give me some pointers? my main travel destinations for the next several months are singapore, india, china, indonesia and/or malaysia!

cheers!

[jjpb3]

love2travel, welcome to SQTalk.

To give a meaningful reply, we need more details about your travel patterns. Can you give us more information about:

(1) Where you're based,
(2) What class you typically travel in,
(3) The amount of travel in your typical year,
(4) Whether you care more about your redemption possibilities vs. status privileges,
(5) What you aim to redeem for (e.g., economy vs. business vs. first),
and
(6) Which routes you aim to redeem for?

[HUGE AL]

love2travel, welcome to SQTalk.

+1 And many thanks for taking the time to read and post in an appropriate thread before starting a duplicate one someplace else. MANY can learn from you!

[love2travel]

love2travel, welcome to SQTalk.

To give a meaningful reply, we need more details about your travel patterns. Can you give us more information about:

(1) Where you're based,
(2) What class you typically travel in,
(3) The amount of travel in your typical year,
(4) Whether you care more about your redemption possibilities vs. status privileges,
(5) What you aim to redeem for (e.g., economy vs. business vs. first),
and
(6) Which routes you aim to redeem for?

Thanks for your quick response!

1. I'm based in Bangladesh
2. Typically travel in economy - mostly Y I believe
3. 1/2 times a year for holidays, & then 1/2 times for official
4. Redemption - the more the better, but then again, status offers more mileage, right?
5. Undecided - depends on mileage I guess
6. Undecided - depends on mileage I guess

I'm going to Singapore later this month & am also looking to earn some points with hotel stay as well (will spend 14 nights min)!

Good chance of doing some long haul flights to Europe next year.

Thanks again for your help!

[love2travel]

+1 And many thanks for taking the time to read and post in an appropriate thread before starting a duplicate one someplace else. MANY can learn from you!

Cheers Al!

[fone]

Thanks for your quick response!

1. I'm based in Bangladesh
2. Typically travel in economy - mostly Y I believe
3. 1/2 times a year for holidays, & then 1/2 times for official
4. Redemption - the more the better, but then again, status offers more mileage, right?
5. Undecided - depends on mileage I guess
6. Undecided - depends on mileage I guess

I'm going to Singapore later this month & am also looking to earn some points with hotel stay as well (will spend 14 nights min)!

Good chance of doing some long haul flights to Europe next year.

Thanks again for your help!

1) Where do you go mostly and to those places, which alliance offers the best flights. (best flight as in the one you prefer most).
2 & 3) Economy means cheapest possible fare? or do you get to choose or will choose the mileage accruing fare?
4) Status does not mean more miles. Most of the time, you only get bonus miles if you have status on that airline you are flying (ie 50% bonus for Krisflyer Gold flying SQ but no bonus if flying UA). So what airline do you fly the most?
Also, tally up the miles for your flights this year as well as for the end of the year (or take any 12 months period) to estimate what kind of status you get, so as to be able to decide if you can get any elite status.
For holidays, are you flying alone or with family (some programs allow usage of miles from family accounts to get flights)?

[love2travel]

1) Where do you go mostly and to those places, which alliance offers the best flights. (best flight as in the one you prefer most).
2 & 3) Economy means cheapest possible fare? or do you get to choose or will choose the mileage accruing fare?
4) Status does not mean more miles. Most of the time, you only get bonus miles if you have status on that airline you are flying (ie 50% bonus for Krisflyer Gold flying SQ but no bonus if flying UA). So what airline do you fly the most?
Also, tally up the miles for your flights this year as well as for the end of the year (or take any 12 months period) to estimate what kind of status you get, so as to be able to decide if you can get any elite status.
For holidays, are you flying alone or with family (some programs allow usage of miles from family accounts to get flights)?

There's no specific place per se actually! For the past couple of years, it's been mainly South & South-East Asia.

Economy - not absolutely cheap ones - ones that'll get me 100% mileage at the very least!

I fly lots of airlines...since there's no specific place I go to! Over the past year & half, I've been on Thai Airways, Bangladesh Biman, AirAsia, Malaysian Airlines, this month I'll be travelling on Singapore Airlines, in January I'll go to India on Jet Air/Kingfisher/Air India (depending on my FFP). Given this varied trend I have, what would be the best in terms of longevity (i.e., it would no doubt take me a while to build up the miles!)

[fone]

Looks like you will not hit any status this way. There are two major types of expiry for miles.

1) All miles expire Y years from last activity. (typically american programs)
2) Miles expire X years from date accrued.

typically, Y is 1.5 years or more and X is 3 years or more.
If you have confidence of you flying that alliance at least once per year, look for programs in each alliance that has miles that only expiry 1.5 years from last expiry. Otherwise, look for the one with the longest fixed expiry date.