Star Alliance FF - which is better?

[benhadi]

Hoping to gain some good insight as to what would suit me best.

A little bit of background:

Usually MH and QF loyalist. Phasing out of MH now, just gained PS on QF.

Will be taking some flights on SQ soon, and maybe NZ.

My travel on *A will mostly be in J, but will not be frequent as i would use OW airlines as much as i can. Depends on what's on offer.

I've browsed through several *A FF programmes, namely KrisFlyer, Asiana, BMI and Thai.

Can't seem to weigh up the earn/burn rates and elite privileges. Seems Asiana has the longest points "life" of 7 years, and has a better earning "window" of 48 months to get myself to elite, and benefits last another 48 months.

SQ programme - points have a life of 3 years. 1 year earning "window" towards elite. Requalification required every year.

BMI - too far from my base, don't even know whether it's worth the effort.

Thai - 48 monhs earning "window" towards elite, but don't know life of points. Not sure if benefits outweiht Asiana's.

AirNZ - can't workout the Airpoints Dollars concept. Too complicated for my simple mind.

So there you go.

It seems to me that Asiana's programme offers greatest fexibility and opportunity to reach elite status. My goal is to reach *A gold if at all possible. With QF i'm already a QC life so i am already getting most of the benefits of elite status, so i'm not really chasing status on QF. With my pattern of travel i will never make WP anyway.

Hoping the learned here can shed me some light as to which *A FF i should go for.

many thanks.

 

[serfty]

I believe the common view on the FT *A forum is that Asaina is the easiest way to earn status, while BMI (currently) offers the better redemption.

AirNZ Airpoints are not your run of the mill scheme and while *G status is not that difficult to attain via Airpoints for regular AirNZ travellers, there are generally better options. (15 TT return trips on NZ will get you Gold status, QFF takes 17½)

This FT thread may assist: Choosing a *A FFP

Also: Star Alliance Comparison Chart

 

[benhadi]

Tanks serfty, very useful info indeed. I think i will go with Asiana. The only negative element to asiana is that i can't transfer any CC points to it, unlike SQ, TG or NZ.

 

[futaris]

While I credit flights to Asiana (mainly for *G, and lifetime status), I don't really see much point in crediting CC miles into Asiana.

Miles from Credit Cards don't count towards lifetime status, and redemption rates on Asiana are generally very poor. Even ANA has better mileage based redemptions.

NB, you can credit into Asiana from SPG.

 

[benhadi]

the reason i thought about crediting CC points is so that i can actually make up the amount to redeem anything. Otherwise, it would take me a while to gather enough points to utilise anything from asiana.

But i think your plan is much better. I'll keep the CC points to use esewhere. 7 years to accumulate points on asiana is definitely going to come in handy!

 

[anat0l]

I'm in a similar bind to deciding a program just like the OP.

I've also had a look at the FT tips, e.g. how to select an FFP (which is not *A specific advice - it applies to anyone for any FFP irrespective of alliance) and the *A comparison charts (for *S and *G).

I guess I've narrowed down the questions I have (anyone has) to ask about choosing a *A program, and even though there are more programs out there, I've narrowed my selection to the range of BD, M&M (i.e. LH et al.), OZ, NZ and UA.

Here's basically a brain dump of my investigations of each program:

• BD: bmi Diamond Club
  
  • What you need
    • BD Blue Plus: 3,000 status miles in 12 months
    • BD Silver (*S): 16,000 status miles in 12 months (19,000 from standing start)
    • BD Gold (*G): 38,000 status miles in 12 months (57,000 from standing start)
  • Pros
    • Good redemption value (except for LH F, which is now surcharged), especially cash+points (i.e. half points and the balance in cash, although balance is in GBP and can be high)
    • Points last forever as long as account clocks in activity (a la QF style)
    • BD Gold status gives lounge access to VS CH in LHR
    • Generous allowances for premium class travel, e.g. 300% miles for most F travel and 200% miles for most J travel; bonus miles count for status calculation!
    • Will sometimes comp status, particularly if you are with BA or AA
    • BD Silver can access bmi lounges except when flying on cheapest Y fare
    • BD Gold get four upgrade certs
  • Cons
    • Can be slow processing administrative stuff
    • All awards must be booked through the phone via the Indian Call Centre :-|
    • Have no idea what will happen to DC given how LH have pretty much full control over BD now; more so, what happens if LH decide to sell the airline.....
• M&M: Miles & More (LH and others)
  
  • What you need
    • M&M Freq Trvlr or FTL (*S): 35,000 status miles in a calendar year
    • M&M Senator or SEN (*G): 100,000 status miles in a calendar year
    • M&M HON Circle or HON (*G): 600,000 HON Circle miles in two calendar years
    • You have 2 calendar years (i.e. two opportunities) to retain status; i.e. status you obtain lasts at least 2 years.
  • Pros
    • Fairly prestigious program with some unique benefits, e.g. ability to overdraw on miles, fixed premium of miles can be paid by SEN or HON to get an award seat irrespective of inventory
    • Many partners participate in M&M
    • Like BD, generous mileage bonuses for premium classes
    • Upgrade certs given to SEN and HON good for two short-haul or one long-haul flight (2 for SEN, 6 for HON)
  • Cons
    • Difficult to attain/retain status unless you fly plenty of premium class
    • For the amount you have to get to attain status, esp. HON, the extra mileage benefit you get is low - only 25% extra for both SEN and HON
    • Miles don't expire as long as you have any status, but once you lose status, miles will expire within 36 months
    • Awards are only so-so
• OZ: Asiana Club
  
  • What you need
    • OZ Gold (*S): 20,000 miles within 24 months of 'Reference Day' (currently start of October), or 30 OZ flights
    • OZ Diamond (*G): 40,000 miles within 24 months of 'Reference Day', or 50 OZ flights
    • OZ Diamond Plus (*G): 100,000 miles within 24 months of 'Reference Day', or 100 OZ flights
    • OZ Platinum (*G): 1,000,000 miles or 100 OZ flights
    • I am not sure whether class-of-service and status bonus points factor into the miles required for status qualification
  • Pros
    • Fairly 'simple' to get *G status, especially given 24 months to achieve the goal - just need some long haul flights
    • Points last 7 years
  • Cons
    • Awards I hear aren't all that great
    • Class of service and status bonuses are quite pedestrian
• UA: United Mileage Plus
  
  • What you need
    • UA Premier (2P) (*S): 25,000 elite qualifying miles (EQMs) or 30 segments in a calendar year
    • UA Premier Exec (1P) (*G): 50,000 EQMs or 60 segments in calendar year
    • UA 1K (*G): 100,000 EQMs or 100 segments in calendar year
  • Pros
    • UA 1Ks get system-wide upgrades (SWUs) if they maintain their status - a much beloved benefit
    • UA generally looks after their FF members well during overbooking situations
    • Upgrade certificates for all status pax good for 500 mi worth of intra-North America travel
    • UA have plenty of promotions on that award bonus EQMs (e.g. right now Australians are eligible for double EQMs on qualifying flights)
  • Cons
    • Lounge access is free for *G (i.e. 1P and 1K) members on international flights, including UA Red Carpet Clubs, but not for domestic flights (where you must have a paid RCC membership)
    • Miles expire 18 months after no activity - this is much shorter than QF (36 months)
• NZ: Air New Zealand Airpoints
  
  • What you need
    • NZ Silver (*S): 450 status points in 12 months
    • NZ Gold (*G): 900 status points in 12 months
    • NZ Gold Elite (*G): 1,500 status points in 12 months, with 900 of those status points earned on NZ operated flights
    • Retaining any status requires 10% less status points than earning it
  • Pros
    • Airpoints are equivalent to real dollars, i.e. one Airpoint dollar (slang = airbuck) is one New Zealand dollar, which you can use for any seat on any flight, except taxes (which must be paid with real cash/currency). (Of course, this doesn't quite stick for award redemptions on *A partners, which have their own inventory controls)
    • NZ GEs can invite up to 5 people into Koru Clubs! Sick benefit, probably best used if the family is coming along.
    • Discounted J awards exist for all status pax
    • NZ are pretty nice people to deal with and they will gladly embrace you (sometimes literally) if you are dumping QF in favour of them
    • Upgrade certificates are given to all status pax (1 for SLV, 2 for GLD and GE)
    • Hotel, Car Rental and Koru Valet vouchers are given to GLDs and GEs
    • GEs can give NZ GLD status to their partner and receive a gift at Christmas each year (note that "Partner NZ Gold" is not another *G! It basically is the same as NZ Gold except your partner does not get any benefits on other *A carriers. This is different to QF PG, which is a real OWS).
    • GEs are apparently well looked after on flights
    • NZ is the only program which will give any sort of credit for NZ Smart Saver and NZ Grab-a-seat fares (only status points, no airbucks, but for every other *A program you will get absolutely nothing at all).
  • Cons
    • Earning airbucks is based on geographical zones rather than mileage, for example, BNE-LAX, SYD-LAX and MEL-LAX on NZ will all earn the same airbucks (Eastern Australia - North America)
    • Airbucks on NZ (i.e. NZ operated flights) sectors or series of NZ sectors are based on journeys, not segments. There is no hard rule on a journey, but generally it is the longest sequence of NZ flights in a day that go in one general direction (gee, even that explanation is confusing). For example, travelling AKL-WLG-CHC vs. AKL-CHC directly will give you the same airbucks. This also stops status runs like AKL-WLG-AKL-repeat many times a day, i.e. will only credit as two journeys: AKL-WLG and WLG-AKL. Note that *A flights will credit to NZ and calculations are still based on zones but based on sectors, not journeys. (Still with me?)
    • There are a whole heap of airline codes across both NZ and *A that do not earn airbucks, and some are downgraded (e.g. discount Y instead of full Y airbucks). In general, NZ will not credit airbucks for discounted Y fares with little or no flexibility, which pretty much includes all Y sales fares.
    • In general, earning airbucks is a PITA and relatively stingy. Even though Amex MR allows transfers into NZ, the rate is 100 Amex points = 1 airbuck. That's the same rate as using points for Amex TravelKey.
    • Getting GE is bl**dy hard due to the 900 status points on NZ metal rule. Which means if you aren't flying NZ a lot and especially if there's no premium travel thrown into the mix, there's little hope you'll get GE. It's even harder since NZ themselves do not fly to SIN, which would work nicely with more people (including yours truly ).
    • Airbucks expire within 4 years when a member does not have any status

I haven't considered AC or TK in the mix, but they are reportedly fairly easy to (FWIW, AC only needs 35,000 miles for *G (AC Elite) - a far cry from it's highest tier Super Elite, which needs 100,000 miles).

In general from the list - one has to ask whether they are happy with *G alone or go for top tier on an airline (i.e. "beyond *G"). For *G alone, there are some easy options out there, and if one does not care for awards, then the choices are easier still.

For me, I think I will shoot for BD status. OZ looks easy as does AC, but BD has a good balance of qualification requirements and benefits. Plus, I might ask for a status match :mrgreen:...

 

[anat0l]

One resolve I thought to be "safe" is to just join every *A carrier's FFP. After all, most of them are free (some exceptions, of course, e.g. NZ :evil.

But then I think about the qualification periods of some (some are based on 12 months, some are based on calendar years; e.g. in some cases joining in December with an eligible flight a few days afterwards may have no real effect, and in others its a folly and/or unfortunate (except to garner redeemable mileage)).

Also, I'd end up with a glorified deck of cards. Well, that's not so much a negative...

 

[Keith009]

Nice summary anat0l. One more thing to note with BD - any status miles earned in excess of 55 000 status miles will be converted into destination miles. Effectively double the normal earn rate. And that's on top of the 25% (35% on the odd occassion when someone actually sets foot on a BD aircraft ) bonus miles for *S and *G.

So you could be earning up to 6.25x of the base miles flying F on most partner airlines, or 4.25x in C (4.25 in F and 3.25 in C for the less generous ones incl SQ).

There's a cap of 250k miles for this 'excess bonus' however.

 

[serfty]

Note that *G status is relatively easier to earn on NZ Airpoints iwhen flying NZ domestic alot when compared to QFF SG and flying around Oz. This is only since they started awarding status points for basically any revenue flight on AirNZ.

Interestingly, if you are a NZ based airpoints member, Amex MR from an OZ based cc account will be converted from OZ air-bucks to NZ air-bucks on the transfer. (22,000 Amex MR points arrived as $275 in Airbucks)

 

[anat0l]

Note that *G status is relatively easier to earn on NZ Airpoints iwhen flying NZ domestic alot when compared to QFF SG and flying around Oz. This is only since they started awarding status points for basically any revenue flight on AirNZ.

Earning SG status when QFNZ used to exist, or with the current JQNZ promo, is similarly cheap. I think there was little point comparing that with flying around Oz in any capacity. The best one can do earning SCs with QF in AU domestic is about AUD 4 per SC, and that's optimistic (fares are going up now). Point: there was never any real comparison and there never will be.

Also, you can do some runs for QF. A run for NZ is almost impossible - you need to invest days to "run" up status points. But of course if your job often takes you travelling in NZ then not a big deal.

Getting NZ GLD is pretty easy - I'll concede that. You can fly lots of days in NZ domestic, throw in some Trans-Tasmans on NZ and maybe a Trans-Pacific or Asia flight in there somewhere. You could also try UA/US runs to rack it up a bit quicker (but possibly more expensive). But unless you travel outside of NZ domestic and Trans-Tasmans, you won't earn a single airbuck on cheapest Y fares? Status pax on NZ also do not get any extra airbucks due to their status. Once again, not a big deal if all you want is the *G (although you do get 2 upgrade vouchers for qualifying GLD).

Interestingly, if you are a NZ based airpoints member, Amex MR from an OZ based cc account will be converted from OZ air-bucks to NZ air-bucks on the transfer. (22,000 Amex MR points arrived as $275 in Airbucks)

That is interesting :!: Just gotta work out whether it's still worth sweeping Amex points to Airpoints, and what is worth redeeming airbucks for (upgrades?)

 

[serfty]

I swept 22,000 MR to Airbucks, expecting to earn 220 for a Y to PE upgrade AKL-LAX*, but received the figure I quoted.

This so enthused me that I transferred another 14,000 to make up to 220 for the return.

I have booked a UA "YUP" MR that should earn 330 Status points for AUD670. If I had more time to travel I think I could have gleaned at least another 90 or so.

*Note you can request an upgrade on NZ flights (number & metal) from any revenue fare class.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Wow; thanks for the detail Anat0l; and thanks to serfty who goes and puts it into practice. :shock:

You really need to earn the status with the one you are flying with the most, so I chose Air NZ as I fly to NZ every so often and so can use the Airpoints on flights to NZ.

 

[serfty]

... You really need to earn the status with the one you are flying with the most, so I chose Air NZ as I fly to NZ every so often and so can use the Airpoints on flights to NZ.

What "airpoints"? Most cheap fares on NZ do not earn any. They do earn Status Points though.

 

[anat0l]

Wow; thanks for the detail Anat0l; and thanks to serfty who goes and puts it into practice. :shock:

You really need to earn the status with the one you are flying with the most, so I chose Air NZ as I fly to NZ every so often and so can use the Airpoints on flights to NZ.

What "airpoints"? Most cheap fares on NZ do not earn any. They do earn Status Points though.

I would love to keep my status with NZ, but there's something about earning airbucks even through Amex MR sweeping that doesn't give me a lot of comfort. Sure, not bad if you burn off some Y awards, but there are better options out there.

NZ are nice people and there are plenty of reports around that they value their high-status members more than QF do their SGs let alone WPs. (I guess if you're going to be NZ GE with 900 status points worth of NZ-metal travel, there's a very good reason why you should be valued by the airline!) And it probably stands to reason that you will always get the most out of your elite status if you are dealing with your "host" carrier rather than an alliance partner, i.e. comparing a NZ GLD vs a BD GLD - both are *G but it's going to be pretty obvious that NZ will show more love for their own elite breathren compared to the BD guy. Just as much as you'd expect QF to take care of their WPs first before say AA EXPs, even though both are ow Emeralds (and the AA guy probably had a harder time getting his status ).

Besides, for the Star Mega DO later this year, there are no rewards on the charter for NZ Airpoints members, but there are for M&M, CO and just recently BD. OK that's not a great choosing reason (circumstantial), but it's enough for me! Plus BD have some good rates on awards and hopefully LH aren't going to stuff that up any time soon (of course, I could very well eat my words on that one....)

I was also thinking of a USA-based YUP run (e.g. on UA's BUAUP fares), which is hard enough to find let alone for NZ there's one strategy for maximising airbucks and status points, where as for others like BD there's another strategy. In saying that, though, BD has the easier strategy

 

[openseat]

For anyone thinking of LH Miles & More there is a double status mile promotion on for flights within Europe. It ends 31 October.
Miles & More – Double Statusmiles

Great summary anat0l

Just one question: Status miles on BD - are they equivalent to destination miles earned, eg. J/C earns 200% status miles?

 

[Keith009]

Just one question: Status miles on BD - are they equivalent to destination miles earned, eg. J/C earns 200% status miles?

Yep. The 25-35% bonus for *S and *G credits only as destination miles though.

 

[anat0l]

For anyone thinking of LH Miles & More there is a double status mile promotion on for flights within Europe. It ends 31 October.

BD have a similar promotion right now for new members.