What best FF programs should I join?

[Zulaiha]

I am seriously considering moving my loyalty out of Etihad (currently Platinum)

I am based in Dhahran, closest airports are Dammam and Bahrain; frequent flying destination Australia (Melb); NZ (AKL and WTG), Asia (CGK).

I had considered moving to Qatar before however now that Qatar is out of DMM and BAH, I had not much other choice than staying with Etihad.

Any recommendation would greatly appreciate it.

 

[jase05]

I am seriously considering moving my loyalty out of Etihad (currently Platinum)

I am based in Dhahran, closest airports are Dammam and Bahrain; frequent flying destination Australia (Melb); NZ (AKL and WTG), Asia (CGK).

I had considered moving to Qatar before however now that Qatar is out of DMM and BAH, I had not much other choice than staying with Etihad.

Any recommendation would greatly appreciate it.

I suppose it depends on which airline you would use the most and which one appeals to you.

 

[Mattg]

What are you looking for in a frequent flyer program?

Emirates is an obvious alternative but I'm not sure the Skywards program is much better (if at all) than Etihad Guest.

Would crediting your Etihad flights to Velocity be an option? Or is it the airline (rather than the Etihad Guest program) that you want to switch?

 

[Zulaiha]

I suppose it depends on which airline you would use the most and which one appeals to you.

Well right up to now I almost exclusively fly Etihad. I has yet to look at other, I was looking closely to Qatar just before it was banned into Saudi, so I stop doing comparison since.

 

[Zulaiha]

What are you looking for in a frequent flyer program?

Emirates is an obvious alternative but I'm not sure the Skywards program is much better (if at all) than Etihad Guest.

Would crediting your Etihad flights to Velocity be an option? Or is it the airline (rather than the Etihad Guest program) that you want to switch?

That is a good question! Got to think of what actually bothered me more, the program or the airlines. I suspect right now I am more annoyed to the airlines and the direction they are seems to go to than the program in itself. The ff program can't complain much as I knew when I started that it does not affiliated with other.

I have to think and consider moving it to Virgin but where do I start in finding the benefit of moving it from Etihad to Virgin if at all. I do have my Velocity membership but hardly ever using them.

PS: I think I am more looking for perks came with status, things like extra help given when thing gone pear shapes, hence I always try to achieve their highest status as I can.

 

[Mattg]

That is a good question! Got to think of what actually bothered me more, the program or the airlines. I suspect right now I am more annoyed to the airlines and the direction they are seems to go to than the program in itself. The ff program can't complain much as I knew when I started that it does not affiliated with other.

I have to think and consider moving it to Virgin but where do I start in finding the benefit of moving it from Etihad to Virgin if at all. I do have my Velocity membership but hardly ever using them.

PS: I think I am more looking for perks came with status, things like extra help given when thing gone pear shapes, hence I always try to achieve their highest status as I can.

If the airline is your main annoyance, moving over to Emirates is the logical move. The Skywards program is not that great, but they look after their frequent flyers well and you can easily use Skywards miles for awards and upgrades on Emirates flights. If you're mainly going to fly Emirates going forward - and enough to earn and maintain status - this could be a good alternative to Etihad. Emirates is also quite generous with upgrading its frequent flyers (especially if you're purchasing more expensive flexible fares).

 

[jase05]

Have you considered one of the SkyTeam or Star Alliance FF programs?
Would just be a matter of working out which routes you fly the most or your preferred airlines

 

[Zulaiha]

If the airline is your main annoyance, moving over to Emirates is the logical move. The Skywards program is not that great, but they look after their frequent flyers well and you can easily use Skywards miles for awards and upgrades on Emirates flights. If you're mainly going to fly Emirates going forward - and enough to earn and maintain status - this could be a good alternative to Etihad. Emirates is also quite generous with upgrading its frequent flyers (especially if you're purchasing more expensive flexible fares).

Hmmmmm I stopped flying Emirates 10 yrs ago Never look back into them.They had the worse costumer service I had ever encountered with (that was 11 yrs ago, some friends told me that they've changed now, but I have difficulty to look back).

PS: but I might have to start looking again, seeing I can get to Auckland with Emirates and not Etihad.

 

[Mattg]

Hmmmmm I stopped flying Emirates 10 yrs ago Never look back into them.They had the worse costumer service I had ever encountered with (that was 11 yrs ago, some friends told me that they've changed now, but I have difficulty to look back).

Unfortunately the reality is, for the routes you're most often flying, Emirates and Etihad both offer by far the best flight connections.

What other airline/s would you be looking at flying with?

 

[Zulaiha]

Have you considered one of the SkyTeam or Star Alliance FF programs?
Would just be a matter of working out which routes you fly the most or your preferred airlines

I'd love to be able to move to the Star Alliance, as I used to work for TG and still love TG, too bad TG does not fly into Saudi

Only Saudia that I can see from SkyTeam that I can get benefit from, I honestly has yet to see this and think about it.

 

[Zulaiha]

Unfortunately the reality is, for the routes you're most often flying, Emirates and Etihad both offer by far the best flight connections.

What other airline/s would you be looking at flying with?

True that, hence, I really need to look back into Emirates again. other than that I might want to start looking into Saudia.
I wish Qatar is back :'(

Other option is taking longer route flying out of Riyadh or Jeddah and see what are there to offer. I think SQ and Cathay fly into Riyadh? Will have to check this option too.


PS: wonder if anybody has any experience being Saudia FF member, and how is it?

 

[jase05]

I'd love to be able to move to the Star Alliance, as I used to work for TG and still love TG, too bad TG does not fly into Saudi

Only Saudia that I can see from SkyTeam that I can get benefit from, I honestly has yet to see this and think about it.

For SkyTeam Garuda has direct flights from JED-CGK so a short connection from your base via Saudia. For Star Alliance have you looked at TK who would fly from DMM or BAH into IST?

 

[serfty]

PS: wonder if anybody has any experience being Saudia FF member, and how is it?

There's likely little information on Saudia here (other than on how to get more detail on an e-ticket).

Look for references to their FF program "ALFURSAN" on Flyertalk here:

Other Middle Eastern and African Airlines - FlyerTalk Forums

 

[Zulaiha]

For SkyTeam Garuda has direct flights from JED-CGK so a short connection from your base via Saudia. For Star Alliance have you looked at TK who would fly from DMM or BAH into IST?

thanks @jase05 Once all the madness of helping my daughter moving from Durham to London finished, I might seat and start looking into different possibilities.

It is hard being in Dhahran for very limited airlines coming in compared to JED or RUH. The only thing good out of being in my base now is that we are close to BAH.

 

[Zulaiha]

There's likely little information on Saudia here (other than on how to get more detail on an e-ticket).

Look for references to their FF program "ALFURSAN" on Flyertalk here:

Other Middle Eastern and African Airlines - FlyerTalk Forums

Thanks @serfty.

Will look into it when all this moving madness subsided.