[Anonymous]

[continentalclub]

BA have just launched a new promotion for their Europe-based members, with registration required before 31 December at the following page:

http://bit.ly/a3eOMs

Thousands of bonus BA Miles and hundreds of USD on a Marriott TravelCard when you fly in our premium cabins.

Until the end of the year you could easily earn over 100,000 bonus BA Miles – enough to enjoy a special holiday, with up to USD 800 on a Marriott TravelCard helping you to make the most of it. How? Simply by flying Club Europe, Club World or First.

You step up to more bonus BA Miles and rewards every time you fly in any of our premium cabins.

Full terms and conditions at the above link. Open to members registered in the following countries:

Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faeroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Gibraltar, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Vatican City State.

[bladkin]

BA have the worst frequent flyer program. I use AA and perversely get better treatment from BA than I would if I had their program – they are too mean to have a Oneworld Ruby tier level and give away the fewest miles/points per journey.

[Senator]

Dear continentalclub,

Thanks for the heads up. I have registered for this now, and I think I will do my outmost to fly with BA to LHR on my upcoming trips.

I am desperatly trying to find someone who wants to go to NYC so I can take advantage of the fares from Stockholm during the current sale 🙂

In regards to bladkin’s comments I don’t know enough about AA or OneWorld in general to comment. I have thrown away FlyingBlue with AF/KLM despite my Platinum Card as I find them a poor cousin to the LH Group and BA. I am focusing all my efforts on Miles & More (priority 1) and BAEC (2).

So far, I find that Earning on M&M is better if you fly mostly in the front with a connecting return trip from ARN always yielding 10.000 miles or more. However, the BA promotions I’ve the past 2 years have been stellar. I have earned 210k BA miles on the back of ARN-CAI (once), ARN-JNB (once), ARN-LHR (twice), and ARN-HEL on AY (twice) all in business. In addition, I have a BA Visa card as my secondary card and have earned around 30k miles on this. AMEX Sweden and BA had a transfer promotion that doubled the miles and 100k came from this campaign.

In essence, 75% off my BA miles comes from the stellar promotions they have which are much better than the M&M promotions I’ve seen.

[VintageKrug]

bladkin

British Airways focusses its efforts on premium travellers.

That is because those are the higher margin customers who generate the bulk of profits.

It is telling the BA operates and “Executive Club” not a “Frequent Flyer” scheme.

BA goes to great efforts to reward those who fly premium cabins or fully flexible economy. For example take Premium Economy in which you earn 125% of miles flown. American doesn’t even have such a cabin.

Also check out the configuration of British Airways’ longhaul fleet and you will see that over half the floorspace is dedicated to premium cabins:

http://www.seatplans.com/files/Seat-Plans/British-Airways/BA_B777-236ER_Config2_Corrected110210_web.jpg

Ruby status has very limited benefit within oneworld (I think it only allows business class check in when flying economy) so it’s hardly a big benefit.

BA’s Silver Tier (oneworld sapphire) permits lounge access to AAdmirals Clubs when flying AA domestically on any fare. Same sapphire tier in AAdvantage gets you zero lounge access (even when you are flying domestic business class!).

A top tier BA Executive Gold cardholder gets “open doors” access to any BA Business Class (Galleries/Terraces) lounge even when not flying BA/oneworld. AAdvantage members do not receive this benefit.

Plus British Airways lounges provide free food (quite a substantial offering at LHR and NYC hubs, a good range of snacks and sarnies elsewhere), free pour bar (no need to tip, unlike in AAdmirals Clubs), free wifi (not available in most AAdmirals Clubs) and champagne on request.

Based on the facts above, I just don’t think it stacks up that BA has the worst programme; it just isn’t targetted at those who do not fly premium cabins regularly.

I am a top tier oneworld, star alliance and skyteam (comped) member, and I find the overall benefits I find BA’s scheme fits my personal travelling patterns best.

I also have an AAdvantage account with approaching half a million lifetime miles in it; the reason for this is the excellent value mileage redemptions to the Middle East/India and the lower cost of taxes on those redemptions, and also the higher mileage earning potential when travelling in economy (though still not as good as it used to be).

[PaulJennings]

Thanks continentalclub. Good promotion esp for longhaul.

[Senator]

VK,

I am not an expert on all US FF programmes, but if I have been a member of both UA and CO since 1993. I think the big selling point for US based programmes and travellers have been the complimentary upgrades you receive as status customer. Whilst US Domestic First can be appealing on certain airlines and routes, the seat is normally a vast improvement over European business class.

You really see the US programmes rewarding frequent travelling more than premium travel (premium bonus vs. status bonus).

I have a friend in the US who commutes on the EWR-SAN route fortnightly. He travels CO always, and buys a B-Class return for around $800 and given his status and the fare, he gets an instant upgrade to First. The none-flex First fare is about $200 more, and the B-Class fare is flexible and refundable. He gets the same amount of miles on flexible Economy fare as a paid First fare, and obviously the same amount of miles on his status (100%).

The US programmes simple tailor to a different need as most travellers fly domestically exclusively.

[VintageKrug]

Quite right.

BA is certainly not “the worst frequent flyer program (sic)”; it just caters to a different segment of the market, namely business travellers or premium leisure customers.

[David]

Thanks CC for yet another good tip.

I booked, unfortunately, just last week two long-haul J tickets on Star Alliance carriers for September but will now try to focus my Q4 trips on BA.

Best wishes.

[VintageKrug]

And of course await the UK sale which is imminent….

[pomerol]

I have already booked 3 return BOD-LGW-BOD CE flights, for my good lady and myself, for September, October and December, would appear to be a little premature.

I think I am now going to open a bottle of decent wine.

[continentalclub]

pomerol: what an exceptionally good idea.

Salut!

[Senator]

VK,

Our Europe sale ends on the 30 Aug and it looks like I won’t be able to book something “useful” in time. Based upon experience, when is this sale and how does it normally stack up against the spring sale?

I ask given the sterling rate is favourable so it may be a wash to wait for the UK sale.

[MartynSinclair]

Check out the German BA website for their sale. TIckets must be booked by 2nd September.

[travelwell]

shame this does not apply to UK members:

Your registration has been unsuccessful, unfortunately you are not eligible for this offer.

[Author]

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