Semi OT, because when you like the Stones, you may travel a bit..

Paris-based, I find convenient to fly with Skyteam companies, which have numerous flies with the US East Coast. With the Platimum card, I enjoy Skyteam both for the free miles and the lounges, which save energy (best seats in economy class) and money too (food, internet connection). Now you have to pay the price for that : you have to accumulate at least 70.000 miles a year, either flying or spending with Amex.

Or choices are One World, and Star Alliance.

Or fly low cost, which interesting for continental flights but not for long haul flight

What do you think?

Well, I think because you're European based you're not getting the best deal out of the SKYMILES program. I live in LA but have a small Apt in Paris so spend some time there also (When the Dollar's value is not in the toilet). I think the 2 FF programs are pretty much the same EXCEPT we get USA to Europe R/T for only 50,000 miles for economy and 90,000 miles for business class. I always take the non stop AIR FRANCE flights from Los Angeles to Paris (through the program headed by DELTA in the US and using AMEX Card for more miles). Is this the same program you are on? check out [www.skymiles.com] and take a look at the mileage chart.....

I've built up more Delta Skymiles than the law allows, mostly due to my inability
to find reward travel at a decent redemption value.
Seems like they are always "out" of the Skysaver seats, but you can usually
find seats at the higher Skychoice cost.
They've recently included the other Skyteam airlines on the Delta site so that
you can use Skymiles on other airlines without going through a Delta agent.
Hopefully, now it will be easier to use Skymiles since, theoretically,
there will be more seat availability.

I am a member of the British Airways Exec club, It's ok, but not great. You have to earn loads of tier points in order to progress to the higher levels (silver, gold, platinum) so even if you travel four or five times a year on leasure, you probably won't earn enough tier points to go to the next level, which is required for lounge access etc....

But on the plus side, after three years as an exec member, (perhaps an average of two or three return flights per year) I now have enough miles for a return airfare to Russia. Plus taxes off course...

So it's not too bad.

_____________________________________________________

What's your favourite flavour?...........Cherry Red!!

Hey Mr J,

Why dontcha rack up those BA miles a little faster by getting a BA/AMEX card ?

I just upgraded from Club World to FIRST on BA Seattle - London w/the 20K bonus miles for opening my British Airways Visa. Back home is just regular Club World. Poor me.

Thanks for posting everyone.

My point was to compare different programs, also to see if it worth investing in such programs - since for instance, I don't choose the cheapest flight in order to accumulate more miles.


HelterSkelter : the best bargain you can find are Web award, which allow you to fly for instance for a round trip Amsterdam Washington for a mere 25.000 miles.

[www.airfrance.fr]

I've got a Soutwest Airlines Visas rewards card that works very well for me. You rack up flight credits as pay it off. Ive earned free round trips anywhere in the U.S. 3 years in a row now. Very few restrictions. Plus,the all important drink coupons.

I use my Delta SkyMiles Amex card for almost everything and build up most of my miles that way.

I am going to Croatia for 10 days in June (where my grandpa is from) then to Germany for the Stonestreff convention, then to London for a brief visit.

I spent a few weeks on and off in Nov and Dec trying to get 4 50K free flights for me and family routing thru wherever. Every rep -- no, no, no, you've got to use 75K or more miles.

Kept persisting - never know when something is going to open up AND, AND, it makes a huge difference what kind of agent you get. I finally got not only a knowlegeable, but an empathic and extremely customer service oriented agent.

She kept searching and searching, and I think trying things and options other agents did not know enough or simply did not want to go to the effort to try. By god, she got them for us. And, they are open jaw flights. Into Zagreb, out of London.

But, we had to leave 3 days early and route thru Moscow (hence my earlier thread on travelling in Moscow/Russia) which is fine as I have never been there and it should be interesting though we may have to be a little careful there.

Edith Grove, I knew nothing about that we can book directly thru partner airlines and not have to go thru Delta. Maybe I can find something a little better now, but I think it will cost me a few hundred dollars to do that as I have booked it at this point. Thanks for the info.


Plexi



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-01-25 05:26 by timbernardis.