Frequent Fliers with Status

I've been flying for business and for pleasure for a LONG time! I fly about 250,000 miles a year and stay in hotels 250-300 nights a year, so loyalty programs and status come with perks I'd have a hard time giving up. Room upgrades, free internet, breakfast....sometimes even cocktails and appetizers. First class upgrades, devoted security lines, waived luggage fees. You get the idea. But believe me, there is a price for all this. It's called never being home. Missing birthdays, get togethers, even holidays. I'm not complaining. I just don't want you thinking this doesn't come without its own price. To my fellow road warriors, I know you understand.

Advice for frequent flier programs. Pick program that best suites your own needs. Things to take into consideration should definitely include your home airport. If you live near a large airport or HUB, it may make most sense to pick that carrier. It's probably the carrier you will fly most often and give you the most options. The other consideration is where you travel to most often. Are you always headed to see family in a particular region? Do you make an annual trip to the same place each year? Do you travel outside the US?

Each carrier is part of a network of airlines so knowing these answers may help you choose.

Here are the major US Networks and some of their partner carriers.

One World                                                           
American Airlines                                  
US Air                                  

Air Berlin                                                                
British Airways                                                        
Cathay Pacific                                              
Finnair                                                                          
Iberia                                                                
Japan Airlines                      
LAN                                    
Malaysia Airlines                  
Quantas                            
Qatar                              
Royal Jordanian                    
                 
Star Alliance                              
Continental Airlines                                            
United Airlines                                            
   
Air Canada
Air China
Air New Zealand
ANA
Asiana Airlines
Brussels Airlines
Copa Airlines
EVA Air
LOT Polish Airlines
Lufthansa
Scandinavian Airlines
Singapore Airlines
South African Airways
SWISS
TAM Airlines
TAP Portugal   
Thai
Turkish Airlines
                  
SkyTeam                                             
Delta                                            


Aeroflot
AeroMexico
Air France
Alitalia
China Airlines
KLM
Korean Airlines

Sticking to a network allows you to earn frequent flier miles on partner carriers and use miles for travel on those airlines. Airlines might also offer specials perks though they are not always known by every one in the program. For instance, on US Air, if you obtain Chairman's status and beyond, you are entitled to a complimentary club membership (typically run $300-$400/yr depending on program). You are also entitled to upgrade a friend to Gold Status (or 2 depending on how many miles above Chariman's you have flown). What's the big deal about status? You board first, before overhead space is gone, upgrades to first class, bonus miles on every flight flown so your miles add up faster, waived luggage fees, priority on rebooking if your flight is cancelled...

Did you know...you can purchase ROUND THE WORLD tickets on any of the networks.
you have to check specifics of your network but in general, you have to start and end in the same country (not necessarily city), you must flying one direction (east or west but you can't backtrack), you have to have a certain minimum and are limited to a maximum number of stops (number of days you stay may vary) and you usually have to complete within a certain timeframe but it is usually much cheaper than individual flights. If you're planning that dream trip around the world, its worth considering and many people don't know is an option.

Did you know...you can earn air miles for shopping on line through sky mall and earn miles for shopping at hundreds of online retailers like Staples, Macys, Best Buy, Apple, Target (just to name a few). You simply shop, accessing the retailer's website through the airline website and enter your frequent flier number. Same prices, additional payoff.

Did you know...you can earn frequent flier miles AND rental car credits by double (actually triple dipping) with Hilton Hotels. Sign up for a Hilton frequent guest number and you accumulate points for free hotel nights at any Hilton chain. Most hotels have frequent guest programs and most allow you to choose between earning hotel points or airline miles. Most hotel points can be used to get free merchandise. Marriott gave me Callaway golf clubs in exchange for points and a Maytag washer and dryer (yes, I travel THAT much!) But one perk specific to  Hilton is that they will give you both hotel points AND frequent flier miles. they call it "double dipping". One little known fact though (and I've had to explain to hotel front desk employees who tell me "they don't do that) is this. If you rent a car from National (I think there are other rental agencies though I know Hertz is NOT on the list), at check in, show them your rental car keys and tell them to give you the AUTO bonus, you get an additional 500 hotel points if they put the initials NA in the spot for auto bonus. Again, many who work for Hilton don't even know that perk. And while on the subject, rental car companies all have frequent renter programs that allow you to earn air miles or points for future rentals. All of these programs are free and only require that you visit the website and sign up.

Happy traveling!

Robin