Which Star Alliance FF program would be best to join?

[bree477]

Hi,

First time poster after recently discovering the treasure trove of information on this site.

I was hoping to get some advice on which Star Alliance FF program would be best to join. I've had a look around the site on other threads, but am getting a bit confused!

I'm about to book a Star Alliance RTW economy fare (26,000miles) & was thinking of joining a FF program as it seems like a waste not to earn some points from the trip.

I'm based in Perth & really only interested in earning points for a free flight somewhere.

Any opinions? I was thinking SQ just because there would be more options from Perth flying with them, but if anyone else has some thoughts I would love to hear them!

Cheers

 

[dajop]

I was hoping to get some advice on which Star Alliance FF program would be best to join. I've had a look around the site on other threads, but am getting a bit confused!

Welcome to AFF. Yes there is a lot of information around and I am not surprised that you are confused.

I was going to suggest looking the BMI "Diamond Club" as an option , but first will ask you a few questions:

- Which airlines will you be using, particularly for the longer (transcontinental) sectors?
- Do you have a credit card, or are you interested in getting a credit card to supplement your points
- Would you be willing to make a copayment (say $300 aud + taxes) to use your points?
- Are you interested in using your points to visit a pacific island (say Fiji, Tahiti, Samoa etc)?

The reason I ask, is on Singapore Airlines your 25,500 miles will get you a oneway fare to Beijing, Seoul or India - but not back). Although your best value option would be a return to a Pacific Island via Auckland for 25,000 miles. BMI expands those options - with a copayment of 170 GBP, you could get return tickets to China, Japan, Korea, South East Asia, Uzbekistan or Turmenistan !. But some airlines don't earn full miles on BMI (mainly Lufthansa & Austrian).

 

[bree477]

- Which airlines will you be using, particularly for the longer (transcontinental) sectors?
- Do you have a credit card, or are you interested in getting a credit card to supplement your points
- Would you be willing to make a copayment (say $300 aud + taxes) to use your points?
- Are you interested in using your points to visit a pacific island (say Fiji, Tahiti, Samoa etc)?

Thanks for your reply

My intinerary is:
PER-BKK (Thai)
BKK-LHR (Thai)
LHR-Newark (Continental)
Newark-Las Vegas (Continental) own way to LA
LAX-Auckland (Air NZ)
Auckland-PER (Air NZ)

I have a credit card which is linked to QF FF points and pretty happy to stay that way.
Happy to make a co-payment if need be, anything to get a cheap flight!
Never thought about a Pacific Island, but would definitely be interested as always up for seeing new places

I love to travel and explore new places so open to any of the FF programs if I can get a free/cheaper flight

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I have a credit card which is linked to QF FF points and pretty happy to stay that way.

For many of us who are Auatralia based directing CC spend thru to Singapore Airlines for redemption on SQ or *A airlines achieves more flights per CC spent. This is especially true if you wish to fly Buisness Class. ie Saver J Award to Erope from MEL for 127K vs 280K on QF!!!

However QF point life is easily extended by any activity including shoppint at Woolwoths etc. If your CC spend is low this may be importnant.

Once points are in SQ (from flights or CC) you have 3 years to use them.

However if you have an Amex direct from Amex you can store points there and just transfer to SQ when required.

However the Westpac Krisflyer card has the advantage that it's VISA (ie is an Amex/VISA dual card) the VISA earns at one point per $. It dumps monthly to KF though. If your combined Amex/VISA earn is reasonable this will not be an issue.

With BMI (which I use in addition to SQ and QF) one drawback is that you cannot direct CC spend to it unless you have UK card. For some of mixing and matching all 3 works very well though to optimise earn and burn.

 

[dajop]

Thanks for your reply

My intinerary is:
PER-BKK (Thai)
BKK-LHR (Thai)
LHR-Newark (Continental)
Newark-Las Vegas (Continental) own way to LA
LAX-Auckland (Air NZ)
Auckland-PER (Air NZ)

I have a credit card which is linked to QF FF points and pretty happy to stay that way.
Happy to make a co-payment if need be, anything to get a cheap flight!
Never thought about a Pacific Island, but would definitely be interested as always up for seeing new places

I love to travel and explore new places so open to any of the FF programs if I can get a free/cheaper flight

This helps, being on star alliance round the world product it will book into M or H class, which earn 100% miles on both programs.

Here's my assessment:
- You will get approx 24,770 Krisflyer miles for the trip. 25,000 will get you a round trip to any of the following countries: New Zealand, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga A hotel stay (at a range of hotels) or an Avis or Hertz car hire would get you the extra points you need to make this (or even may be a purchase points option). Being based in Perth, this is a very good use of points, as you have long trip just to get to AKL, and you can go just as far again beyond this.
- You would get approx 25,600 BMI diamond club miles for the trip. (By the time you arrive in AKL you will be star alliance silver - and once there you get a 25% bonus on subsequent flights, ie. AKL-PER, hence the extra 830 pts). This will get you either a one way trip (plus taxes) or a return trip (with a cash payment of approx 280AUD plust taxes) to any of Bangladesh, Borneo, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand,Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

Of course if you have QFF points, you could use star alliance points to go one direction and QFF points to go in the other direction.

So if you're happy earning Qantas points via credit card these are probably your best options.

 

[auriga]

I suppose the issue with BMI is whether their program is going to be around for very long.

 

[bree477]

Thanks again for the replies.

That gives me a really good idea of where I could go on any points earned!

Just need to now make a decision of where I most likely will travel again in the near future. Have just started thinking about Japan this time next year, so that may help me figure out which program to join.

6 weeks now until I leave, however my Bangkok stopover is starting to look a whole lot less likely now. May just only get to see the airport!

 

[ArseneV]

Hey guys, can I do a bit of hijacking?

I'm QF WP but i'm looking to get my feet wet with a *A carrier FF program.
I'm happy with Qantas and Oneworld but can't justify the extra costs on some of their routes...in particular regional asian flights.

So...details.
I'm based in Melbourne.
I fly economy. However, if good business deals come up I might take them.
The next few years should see me spending a lot of time in China, Vietnam and India.
I may also take a RW trip once a year.
I am crazy enough for a bit of status running too.

Also,
I am willing to get a cc with one of the *A carrier's attached to it but my cc spend isn't that large.

Enough info?

Thanks very much

 

[dajop]

I fly economy. However, if good business deals come up I might take them.

First point, be very wary of economy fares on star alliance, particularly on Thai and Singapore Airlines. If you are taking the lowest fare available, often these are in booking classes that do not earn any mileage on any star alliance program. If you are looking at higher fares with a bit more flexibility then all should be OK.

As to which program, all have their pro's and cons.

NZ: Only worthwhile if a significant portion of your travel is going to be in business class, otherwise too difficult to get any form of status. In business - two trips to SE Asia (beyond but via Singapore) would get you very close to star gold. Two trips to India/China via Singapore would get you star gold. In economy, it would take forever though.

SQ: Has advantage of good credit card earning partners in Australia to top up. Straight 50,000 miles per annum requirement to achieve gold. Reasonably generous in economy class redemptions, business class awards ex-MEL/SYD can be difficult or expensive, ex ADL/BNE/PER OK.

TG: Based on calendar years - 50,000 in one calendar year or 80,000 over two calendar years to get gold. Links to Amex with transfer of 4:3. Not sure re redemptions

British Midland: No direct linkage to credit card in Australia. Need 16,000 in a year to qualify as Silver, then another 38,000 in the 12 months after that to get to gold. Excellent redemption options with points + pay.

Air Canada: only need 35,000 miles to get to gold within a calendar year. Not sure about generosity or otherwise of redemptions.

There are of course a plethora of other programs out there (United, Continental, South Africa, Air China, Lufthansa etc), but my knowledge of those is limited - the US based ones are good if you fly in the US/on US carriers a fair bit due to upgrades, but that's as far as I can help with these.

 

[futaris]

Don't forget Asiana. 40k miles in 24 months will get you Star Alliance Gold (for up to 48+1 months). Redemption values aren't very good, except if you want to visit a lot of cities on a single itinerary.

 

[ArseneV]

dajop, futaris - thanks very much

Have read a few things regarding how easy it is to get status on Asiana.
so i'm considering Thai, SIA or Asiana. And I might do a bit of research on Air China too.

I'll post my decision.
Cheers!

 

[futaris]

Whatever you decide, don't join the FFP until the same month as your first *A flight, especially if the FFP uses the month to determine your status level.

 

[ralphs99]

Hi all,

I'm another newby to the site with a similar question.

I'm doing a RTW trip and am trying to decide which *A program to join.
I am deciding between 2 similar itineraries and will be booking in the next few days.

TG MELBOURNE/ BANGKOK
LH BANGKOK/ FRANKFURT
LH FRANKFURT/ DUESSELDORF
LH ZURICH/ FRANKFURT
LH FRANKFURT/ SAN FRANCISCO
UA LOS ANGELES/ MELBOURNE
or a more direct (but also more expensive) route with Swiss Air replacing the Lufthansa legs.

My trip starts mid August and ends mid October. I'm not sure what the booking classes are, but I can ask my travel agent if it helps.

I don't have any rewards programs or credit card, so if there's something good out there I'd consider getting a credit card, or even adding money up front.

Future travel could be just about anywhere.

Should I join a program before I book or wait until August to join as Futaris suggets?

Thanks in advance!

Cheers, Ralph