Should I join a Frequent Flyer Program?

[tash79]

My partner and I are going for a trip this year before moving to Vancouver which includes a fair bit of flying (for me at least, I'm not a regular flyer)
We are going from Perth to LA, LA to Salt Lake City, SLC to Mexico, Mexico back to SLC, SLC to Vancouver, Van to Montreal, Montreal to New York, New York back to Vancouver.

I'm wondering if we should join a frequent flyer program and if so which one?
Sorry if I sound ignorant this is all new to me!

 

[GCS]

On which airlines will you be flying?

 

[tash79]

Singapore (Perth to US), Delta, American, Air Canada & possibly Mexicana

 

[GCS]

Two of your airlines (and the majority of your travel) are Star Alliance carriers. I would therefore suggest that you join a frequent flyer program of a Star Alliance carrier.

As you don't fly very much, I suggest bmi's Diamond Club frequent flyers club | bmi

It is probably not worth joining different programs for your other flights.

If you search the forum, you will find threads discussing the merits of other programs.

 

[tash79]

Fantastic...thanks GCS!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Building on the above advice I would suggest that you need to consider ALL the ways that FF points can be earned by you.

In particular points from a Credit Card Program such as from Amex or Citibank.

Both of these programs allow points to go to an airline like Singapore Airlines.

For many people such as myself we earn far far more points from non-flying earn than flying earn (or at least I do now. Ina past career I used to earn oodles of flight points).

Depending on what you earn and how much you can earn (as well as where you might want to fly to as different FF programs are more generous for some destinations)may be it might make sense to:

* pool all the points in the one program.
* gain points in different programs (for example I have enough points to fly internationally with BMI (mainly through bonuses which have probably now dried up), SQ's Krisflyer (from credit card earn) and Qantas (from CC sign-on bonuses, hotel stays, car stays, Fletcher Jones and some CC earn on bonus rates when available...and and yes some flight earn. i also have points with Amex, Citibank and Altitude which can be moved to various programs.).


With BMI..it is a generous FF program no doubt. However it's big flaw for Australian based members is that it is difficult to earn extra points on it besides by flying.


With your flights...check what they will actually credit to different airlines.

If they could credit to SQ at a reasonable rate...then putting them there might make sense if you can get an Amex and/or Citibank card (or both).

An example I will give is that there are quite a number of people on this forum that rarely fly American Airlines, but it is their FF program of choice (It's earn to burn rates are very attractive and you can also transfer credit card points there via SPG). However AA does not maximise things for me as I do have enough paid flights per year.

In conclusion.

There is not one right answer. Look at your potential earn from various sources over say the next three years.

From this you will be able to estimate what is best for you. ie pooling in just one program (as it may be too slow otherwise)...or maximising your earn rate by being in several.

Unfortunately yes this is complex task, and this is why probably the majority of people just dump points into whatever is easiest.. But you can get the hang of it quite quickly if you are willing to spend some hours reading old threads. It will be worth it.

Good luck with working out what is best for you.

 

[dajop]

With BMI..it is a generous FF program no doubt. However it's big flaw for Australian based members is that it is difficult to earn extra points on it besides by flying.

All of your advice not withstanding, tash79 has mentioned a move to Vancouver, so advice relating to Australian credit cards may be somewhat irrelevant, depending on when the move is and the duration of the move. My advice for tash79 - if credit cards earning is important and the move is for considerable time, to investigate the best earning options for star alliance on Canadian based cards. Air Canada's aeroplan may indeed be a good option, but I am not familiar with that. Perhaps some research on flyertalk may come in handy.

However, the suggestion for Singapore airlines Krisflyer may also be good, as in addition to Air Canada as a star alliance partner, it partners with Delta and Mexicana.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

All of your advice not withstanding, tash79 has mentioned a move to Vancouver, so advice relating to Australian credit cards may be somewhat irrelevant, depending on when the move is and the duration of the move. My advice for tash79 - if credit cards earning is important and the move is for considerable time, to investigate the best earning options for star alliance on Canadian based cards. Air Canada's aeroplan may indeed be a good option, but I am not familiar with that. Perhaps some research on flyertalk may come in handy.

However, the suggestion for Singapore airlines Krisflyer may also be good, as in addition to Air Canada as a star alliance partner, it partners with Delta and Mexicana.

My examples were illustrative..

The central advice was to not just look to Airlines for earning points but to also look at other opportunities for point earn......... and for the OP to work out what is best for their circumstances most of which are unknown to us.
As you say if they are going to be based in Canada fora while they need to tailor their earn/burn maximisation to living in Canada.

But that may or may not be a Canadian Program. For example some Australians living in Australia favour AA, others Krisflyer, other QF..others a coughtail.

Is there a Canadian FF Forum??? If not Flyertalk may be of some use.:idea:

 

[dajop]

Is there a Canadian FF Forum??? If not Flyertalk may be of some use.:idea:

Nah ...click on www.frequentflyer.ca not quite the same although it does they do have something in common with Qantas .......

A premium boutique travel company specializing in discounted international first class and business class travel.

And yes, I agree you were being illustrative and all good advice. ANd I am not saying a Canadian frequent flyer program is necessarily the way to go, just that unless flying a lot (such as those on here who use AA as the program of their choice) , having an airline linked to a Canadian credit card could be extremely useful. As here there are quite a few non-Australian airlines who link to Australian credit cards, I guess it may be the same in Canada, especially given its proximity to the US (for eg a quick glance at Canadian Amex reveals Air Canada, Delta, Continental and Cathay as partners)