FFP ACC: Trying to get the best setup. SQ/TG PER - BKK

[Deuces]

Hey guys first time poster, would like to thank you for all of the great info on here its helped a lot over the past 3 years.

So I am looking for advice on which FF program to put my points into and which CC would give me the best bang for buck in my situation. I have been researching this for about a week now and think I have my answers but would really appreciate some input for a expert.

Scenario:

1 week in every 3 weeks I need to be in Bangkok. I will be doing the PER- BKK route 17 times in one year. I will be leaving on Thursday afternoons 1400hr on wards and returning Thursday early morning before 0800hr. Two airlines fit these times frames in one way or another those being Thai Airways(TG) and Singapore Airlines(SQ), for the most part TG482 and TG483 service this perfectly with the odd 1-4 trips where I would need to reroute and go PER - SIN - BKK depending on TG having service or not.

So to get to the heart of the matter which is to find out which FFP suites this scenario best (note that this math is basically for me to show what I am doing)

Krisflyer:

Route = 6620 miles return
ES status = 25000 Elite miles
EG status = 50000 Elite miles
ES 25% bonus = 1655 miles per return


So after 4 TG flights I will achieve ES after 8 TG flights I will be *A G member(please correct me if I am wrong).

17 flights = 112540 Elite miles

Award fare

TG Y Award = 65000
TG J Award = 110000

Upgrade award

Y to J = 50000

TG Y to J = 110000

So if I was flying purely TG with no 25% teir bonus for flying SQ I would get 1.9x Y or 1x J awarded each year. 2x SQ Y to J upgrades or 1x TG Y to J upgrade.



ROP:

SS = 10000
GS = 50000/80000
PS = Invite

Award fares

Y = 45000
J = 75000

Upgrade award

Y to J = 24000

SQ Y to J = 48000

Total redeemable points earn = 120540

I would obtain Silver Status after 2 flights and then GS after my 8th flight or 12th flight depending when I start flying.
With ROP GS I get 1 return 1 one-way free upgrade, and 3x Y awarded 1.6x J awarded or 5x TG Y to J upgrades.

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So as I want to fly with TG unless they do not service in that month I see that I am probably better off with ROP then Kris if my math is correct. What I don't really know are the other factors involved with a FFP such as how hard it is to get upgrades via points, customer service, amount of free bump ups, etc etc.

The 2nd factor of my question is what CC would be best for me.

I make 140k a year so I qualify for most CCs, I will not spend more then 30k a year on a CC at the moment. So I am open for suggestions the 2 CC that I have found so far are Amex Plat, Amex Plat Edge and Citibank Select

Amex Plate for 900pa

80,000 bonus +
40,000 from 2:1 on airfare spending
10,000 from 1:1 other spending
4:3 transfer ratio to ROP

97,500 ROP points or 4x Y to J upgrades

Citibank Select for 700pa

60,000 bonus
60,000 from 30k spending.
1.5:1 Transfer to Kris

80000 Kris points or .5x Y to J upgrade on TG

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My conculsion is that I go with ROP and Amex Plat to get the most out of this situation.

1. Is my math correct if not where did I stuff it up?
2. Is there are factors I need to consider?
3. Is there other FFP or CC I should look at?

Ps. Sorry if it jumps all over the place took me a while to write it up.

Thanks

 

[travelislife]

You have done a good summary. One thing though is that I would forget about the upgrade awards. Unless you are buying the most expensive economy tickets (sometimes discount business class is cheaper!) your fare won't be valid for upgrades. You can check the fare classes on TG website, they have a tiered table and it is never good value from the cheaper fare classes, may as well just get the award seat outright. Also be careful that Thai and Singapores cheapest economy fares often won't earn any FF points. Also Thais cheapest seats on their website are not usually through the booking engine on the main page you have to use their archaic website to click through to the sale fares which is a whole different booking engine.

 

[Deuces]

Thanks for the input mate, I will look into the fare class and weigh up those options. Even if upgrades are a waste I can still get more out of ROP+Amex I believe.