FREQUENT FLIER: THE GAME OF AIRLINE
UPGRADES ON INTERCONTINENTAL FLIGHTS
In the month of November, I have a flight
scheduled from CMN Casablanca in Morocco to JFK in New York.
It is routed through Doha in Qatar.
Like many of us wait for the Nobel Prize
announcement in early October, Frequent Fliers know of flying nefarious routes
to accumulate the necessary miles to preserve their Elite Flying Status and the
rush begins just about this time.
Being an Elite Top Tier Flyer has multiple
benefits.
On a recent flight, I was able to use the
Lounges at
Brussels, Istanbul, Colombo, Kuala Lumpur,
Siem Reap
All because of the Elite Flyer Status. It
was nice to sip a glass of Sauvignon Blanc at the Siem Reap Airport Lounge
while waiting for a flight to Kuala Lumpur!
There are some lounges that are out of this
world. Istanbul one is truly magnificent. There are shower facilities in many
of these lounges to freshen up
Unlimited upgrades to First Class on
Domestic Flights when available.
Domestic airfares are not as cheap as they
used to be, but if you are upgraded on a regular basis, the fare burden becomes
bearable. During this year of flying within the USA, I have to be grateful to
have been upgraded almost all flights. My destinations are not exciting: Omaha,
San Antonio; so the upgrades and the free drinks that come with it calms one
down.
If you are not a regular flier, or if you
are not an international flier, these things matter very little. US based
airlines are not known for their in flight services but they are partnered with
excellent airlines form other lands.
So far this year, I have been given the
courtesy of flying Turkish Airlines, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Japan Airlines,
Cathay Pacific Airlines, Air Nippon, Qatar Airways.
To reach the top tier of Frequent Flyer
Status, one has to fly 100,000 miles i.e. five round trips to Asia from the USA
or 10 round trips to Europe from the USA. There are other ways to achieve this
level, but it involves a lot of domestic flying within the USA.
I must admit that my Executive Platinum Status
with American Airlines has been more than satisfactory during this year. During
this coming year, I would like to attain an Elite Flyer status in a Persian
Gulf based airline, and I have chosen Etihad, as it presents intriguing
possibilities for me!
For those who are so inclined, here is a
short summary of flights in the first 9 months of this year.
Remember the paradox of Frequent Flyer
Status!
To reach the upper levels you have to pay
and fly a lot and then you accumulate lots of miles and you get to fly a lot
FREE! All means flying more!
I have a simple rule
I accumulate flying within the USA and to
Europe and then use the miles to fly Free to Asia.
In summary, the fringe benefits of Frequent
Flying are:
Upgrades to First or Business Class on long
haul flights
Chance to fly, efficient Asian or Turkish
or Qatar airlines! My preference among the Asian airlines are the Japanese
ones: JAL and ANA
Of all the 19 long hauls flights this year,
I have been upgraded to Business Class on every flight.
The longest flights had been
New York to Hong Kong
Chicago to Hong Kong
Hong Kong to Chicago
All around 14 to 15 hours.
Shortest long hauls have been
Japan-Singapore/Jakarta/Kuala Lumpur
Doha-Brussels
The most frequent has been USA to Europe, then
USA to Asia
For me the most pleasant airport to arrive,
In the USA, it is definitely Miami and in
Europe, the laurel goes to London Heathrow.
The best airports to transit: Narita in
Tokyo, Changi in Singapore, Doha in Qatar and Istanbul for their lounges.
In the next three months, I hope to pass
through the following airports:
Brussels, London Heathrow, Miami, DFW,
Omaha, Rapid City, Narita, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangalore, Jakarta,
Casablanca, Doha; some of them more than once.
By 31 December 2014, I would have achieved
Frequent Flier Elite status on both
One World and remain loyal to American
Airlines
Star Alliance. I do not plan to fly Star
Alliance in 2015 but shift my loyalty to Etihad Airways
Bon Voyage and Gracias for being able to be
a Frequent Flier
