A look at why related, international alliance partners might be better
Let’s oversimplify for a minute. There are two types of loyalty-program members out there: Pragmatists and Devotees. Both like getting free checked baggage and priority check-in and boarding, but at that point, each personality varies in different directions. What’s important is getting beyond the basics and choosing a mileage program that fits your personality.
[aside headline="Save Up to 68% via Amex on an All Nippon RTW" alignment="alignright" width="half" headline_size="default"]Even if you buy the 220,000 points it takes to get the carrier's shortest RTW, you pay only $5,500, a savings of $11,774 (68%) over the published fare.[/aside]
The Pragmatist
You look for the best Business or First Class deal—or mileage upgrade through one of many programs—rather than tying yourself to a single program.
Elite status membership isn’t very important, because having landed in the bottom- or mid-tier most of the time, you’ve found elite status doesn’t yield much there (and you’re right).
Your Mileage Program Strategy: Belong to two or more programs and often accrue miles through credit card purchases that allow for milage transfer into multiple programs.
Today’s question: Could an international partner be more lucrative to you?
Example Scenario #1: Air France’s (AF) Flying Blue over Delta’s (DL) mid- or bottom-tier elite.
Better Award Availability
AF’s Elite Award: Available on certain flights to all elites (Silver, Gold, and Platinum) for 15% more miles than a saver award, and offers access to more award seats. (Delta charges 100% more miles for better award availability, and offers it to all members, not just elites, decreasing your odds.)
Anytime Awards
Air France offers them only to elites, so the line is shorter than at carriers that make them available to all program member.
Access to First Class Awards
Something Delta does not offer because it doesn’t have a bona fide First Class cabin. Admittedly, these awards are not cheap, 250,000 miles round-trip for an anytime First Class award—however, it comes with no restrictions. C’e la vie.
Example Scenario #2: Qantas’s (QF) Frequent Flyer over American’s (AA) mid- or bottom-tier status.
Better Award Availability
QF is more democratic in that it offers better award availability to all elite members, not just top ones, as does AA.
The Devotee
Your MO: You’re a summiteer, working deliberately each year to stay on the top elite rung.
Your Mileage Program Profile: You’re married to one program, but you have another one because it’s better for certain trips. You want it all and you get it—better lounge access, the bonus miles, the system-wide upgrades, the priority this, that, and the other.
Example Scenario #3: Continental and United top elites who want more than better award availability, and US Airways top elites who want better anytime award rates, might consider Star Alliance partner Lufthansa a better fit.
50% off Anytime Award Redemption
Lufthansa’s top elites, Senators, get these at a rate of 150% of the flight miles, which can amount to a savings of 200,000 miles. For example, Continental and United top elites pay 210,000 miles and US Airways pay 350,000 miles for an anytime Business Class award ticket to Europe. Whereas, those with Lufthansa pay 157,500 miles. The privilege also counts on partners Austrian Airlines, LOT, and SWISS.
50% off Companion Award Redemption
Senators can get 50% off on a companion award ticket on Austrian, LOT, and SWISS, as well as Lufthansa.
Takeaway: When flying on cash-paid tickets with your primary domestic airline, consider “earning flight elite credit” in an international carrier’s mileage program. Then, when you go to fly on miles-paid tickets, you will have the aforementioned elite benefits of the potentially better program, just by “changing the loyalty program number” that you give your reservationist.