Which FFP for me? Master Discussion

[YK@HKG]

Thing is - I always try to spend my LH/UA miles on SQ flights.

Is the burning rate more worthwhile for LH miles on SQ flights? If that's the case, I will try to credit my next SQ flights on M&M.

[KeithMEL]

Is the burning rate more worthwhile for LH miles on SQ flights? If that's the case, I will try to credit my next SQ flights on M&M.

That would depend. M+M classifies awards into regions and if you can a direct flight from ** zone of origin to the zone ** destination falls into - it can be quite worthwhile. As with all Star Alliance awards you also get the 1 enroute stop for free. M+M also limits you to no more than 6 coupons for a return journey - you're allowed more for the RTW awards.

I ran into an issue with regions when I last spent my miles. I was trying to redeem an award to PVG. An Australia/NZ/Oceania to North Asia award costs 90 000 miles in Business, rather good value IMO. Now of course there aren't any direct flights since SQ hubs at SIN, which falls into South East Asia. If I'd insisted on such an award on SQ, it'd become a 3 region award (Australia/NZ/Oceania-SEA-North Asia), which means I'd need 160 000 miles for virtually the same award. I ended up redeeming Air NZ Business Premier MEL-AKL-PVG return for 90 000 miles.

On the other hand you could do quite well if your award originates in South East Asia, and you wanted to get to Australia/NZ/Oceania - you could get a very nice trip out of redeeming an SQ flight to NZ, use ** enroute stop to check out NZ, then continue on an Air NZ flight to any South Pacific destination including Fiji, Tahiti, Noumea etc. And the cost of all that would be 90 000 miles in business.

[YK@HKG]

I ran into an issue with regions when I last spent my miles. I was trying to redeem an award to PVG. An Australia/NZ/Oceania to North Asia award costs 90 000 miles in Business, rather good value IMO. Now of course there aren't any direct flights since SQ hubs at SIN, which falls into South East Asia. If I'd insisted on such an award on SQ, it'd become a 3 region award (Australia/NZ/Oceania-SEA-North Asia), which means I'd need 160 000 miles for virtually the same award. I ended up redeeming Air NZ Business Premier MEL-AKL-PVG return for 90 000 miles.

On the other hand you could do quite well if your award originates in South East Asia, and you wanted to get to Australia/NZ/Oceania - you could get a very nice trip out of redeeming an SQ flight to NZ, use ** enroute stop to check out NZ, then continue on an Air NZ flight to any South Pacific destination including Fiji, Tahiti, Noumea etc. And the cost of all that would be 90 000 miles in business.

Thanks for the explanations....looks like quite a bargain....
It seems like it's gonna be bye bye KF....

[KeithMEL]

Thanks for the explanations....looks like quite a bargain....
It seems like it's gonna be bye bye KF....

KF is not totally devoid of advantages - you can use KF miles to upgrade on SQ flight for instance. You'd need a lot more LH miles for upgrades on SQ and not all fare buckets are eligible. So all depends on what you want out of the program/s.

And as this is a completely different topic - I thought it best to start a new thread in the interest of keeping things on topic.

[acey]

Interesting discussion, especially useful for people like myself who are not familar with M&M.

Other advantages of KF I would think, is earning AMEX credit card points (from the KF Amex card). In 2006, I earned about 30,000 points just based on credit card spending.

What about others ? 15% discount for award redemption, priority for SQ bookings (?)

KF is not totally devoid of advantages - you can use KF miles to upgrade on SQ flight for instance. You'd need a lot more LH miles for upgrades on SQ and not all fare buckets are eligible. So all depends on what you want out of the program/s.

[taipeiflyer]

hi keith- so if i bank my miles with LH, how many miles will it take for a redemption on sq (north-east asia to western U.S.) in first? Do i use lufthansa's award chart or do i use sq's? I'm so confused about this double-dipping thing, it's making my head spin. also, who would i contact to do a redemption of LH miles on a SQ flight, since you can't online book the flight on either airline's website. Finally, if you bank with LH, do you still get 25% PPS mileage bonus in KF? thanks so much almighty mielage guru.

[jjpb3]

Let me pinch-hit for Keith while he's away.

Double-dipping means you accumulate a partner's award miles, while PPS keeps tabs of your PPS status. To use the M&M example, you're accumulating LH miles towards SQ redemptions, so you have to use LH award charts and also contact LH to redeem those miles. The ability to redeem on SQ flights depends on the availability of seats to partners like LH; SQ tends to free up more seats for KrisFlyer members than for partner FFers.

The PPS bonus is only available to you when you bank with KrisFlyer.

[taipeiflyer]

Let me pinch-hit for Keith while he's away.

Double-dipping means you accumulate a partner's award miles, while PPS keeps tabs of your PPS status. To use the M&M example, you're accumulating LH miles towards SQ redemptions, so you have to use LH award charts and also contact LH to redeem those miles. The ability to redeem on SQ flights depends on the availability of seats to partners like LH; SQ tends to free up more seats for KrisFlyer members than for partner FFers.

The PPS bonus is only available to you when you bank with KrisFlyer.

thanks julio, you're the best! you explained in 3 sentences what i couldn't find in countless paragraphs on each airline's website.

[KeithMEL]

What about others ? 15% discount for award redemption, priority for SQ bookings (?)

You do get expanded availability on SQ being a KF elite. Someone explained to me how this worked a while ago but I don't really remember - something about having access to an extra award bucket or two. I've generally found good availability for SQ flights using M+M miles though.

Oh and also you get access to the non-saver awards (albeit those require a lot more miles) whereas people on other *A FFPs only get the I and O class seats. This means you get access to 77W and A380 seats whereas the rest of us don't, with rare exceptions.

[9V-JKL]

To double-dip when you book, tell your TA to put these in:
FQTV: LHxxxxxxxxxxx
FQTS: SQxxxxxxxxxx

That way, miles go into LH account and PPS sector/miles/value will also be counted

[KeithMEL]

To double-dip when you book, tell your TA to put these in:
FQTV: LHxxxxxxxxxxx
FQTS: SQxxxxxxxxxx

That way, miles go into LH account and PPS sector/miles/value will also be counted

And after the first time the SQ number will appear automatically under FQTS whenever the LH number is entered in the FQTV field.

[SQflyergirl]

YK@HKG,

You do need to do an indepth analysis on the various *A FFP's before committing. LH is only decent for banking miles to if you're a habitual FACJDZYB booker.

Not so fab if your bookings have other alphabets

Try searching around at BD, UA and AC too - their programs have some neat tricks as well.

[KeithMEL]

Try searching around at BD, UA and AC too - their programs have some neat tricks as well.

Yeah do check out BD - similar earn rate to M+M. Plus they're now open to membership worldwide.
Also seems to be the flavour of the month for some of our SQTalkers.

[YK@HKG]

You do need to do an indepth analysis on the various *A FFP's before committing. LH is only decent for banking miles to if you're a habitual FACJDZYB booker.

Not so fab if your bookings have other alphabets

Thanks for the tips
Indeed...the twice and triple miles for Business and First class bookings make it an attractive option.

[CGK]

Yeah do check out BD - similar earn rate to M+M. Plus they're now open to membership worldwide.
Also seems to be the flavour of the month for some of our SQTalkers.

It is not similar earn rate. Flying SQ C will get 1.5x on BD FFP, and SQ F will get only 2x (compare to 3x on LH M&M).
I have secured my SEN status in January 2007. That's why I moved my SQ to BD mostly. But my UA flights are still going to UA. And my AC flights are going to LH. Well, now I am looking forward in keeping my BA Silver and DL or NW Gold.