Hey all,
I'm fairly new to frequent flyer programs, but have a rough idea how they work. I have a United Milage Plus account but probably have less than 20k miles on it because being a student I always have taken the lowest deal available when I need it. In quite a few months I'll be traveling to the Middle East (from IAD mostly, sometimes ORD). First to Beirut, then mostly CAI, DXB, DOH, AMM, and maybe a couple others. I really feel like the frequency of my travels and the distance covered will make a ff program a no-brainer. However, I don't use credit cards enough to really rack up the miles on those. Any quality programs to get on that I can build up with miles traveled? Any thoughts on best airlines for a solution would be awesome! Thanks in advance for helping out a newcomer to what is an amazingly established and knowledgeable community!

 

What cabin will your travel be in?

 

All economy I'm sure. Would be nice to find a program that might upgrade me now and then after a year of flying in the back. But economy for sure now.

 

Joining a program -- or, more importantly, focusing on one airline -- might not be a "no brainer." You may just be better off choosing your for each trip on price and convenience. EgyptAir, Emirates, and Qatar can all credit redeemable miles (though not elite qualifying miles in the latter two cases) to UA. That, combined with your initial trans-Atlantic trip over, might result in a good portion of your flights being creditable there. (There are also a few regional fifth-freedom flights on UA partners, such as MCT-DXB on LX and DXB-CAI on SQ.)

I say this partially because the benefits of these programs are not great. For the Gulf carriers, you will accrue miles that may eventually get you a free trip, but they will not upgrade you (with rare exceptions) by virtue of status -- only U.S. airlines provide access to the front cabins without paying for it. I have been Gold (top level) on Qatar for a year now, and find the benefits marginal: the best parts are access to first-class check-in at a lot of chaotic third-world airports and access to lounges, although the lounges at the DOH home-base are poor. But there is no elite reservations/customer service phone number, elite boarding is rarely enforced, the redeemable mileage supplement you earn is low compared to U.S. airlines (e.g., a 50% bonus for top level on QR, EK, EY, and GF), and the airlines are not part of alliances such that you earn benefits on partners (except for MS in Star Alliance and RJ in oneworld).

If you choose on price or schedule for each trip, you can experience a variety of airlines -- Emirates, Qatar, and Etihad are excellent, and Royal Jordanian and Gulf Air (and seemingly Oman Air; I have not taken them) are solid -- with the flexibility to choose the best option for any individual segment. Keep in mind also that flying in the region can be expensive, and price often varies widely by carrier, especially by taking one carrier to a competing carrier's hub. (For example, if you want to fly CAI-DOH, Gulf Air through BAH will sometimes be cheaper than Qatar non-stop. And vice-versa for CAI-BAH.) So loyalty to one airline, as I have found with QR, can be a bit costly.

Also, you don't say whether you are moving to the Middle East long-term, or just taking an extended trip. If the latter, then of course will find that status and a bank of miles on a local carrier are not very useful to you when you are back in the U.S.

 

since I'm from the gulf region, let me tell what I think is good

Qatar airways privilege club goes along with Etihad and Emirates Skywards. These are the major top. Oman Air Sinbad, Wataniya Airways Diwan and Gulf Air are really good now. And all of these guys everywhere in the middle east.

 

There is a difference between finding the best airline and finding the best FF program. I'm Gulf Air silver, almost Gold, and really the only benefits I get are lounge access, nice check in area, but that is about it. The redemptions SUCK! But they have a nice schedule for me which is why I choose them. For my ME-ASIA flights I go Gulf. I also go Gulf if intra ME so to speak. The connections and proximity of Bahrain for me make that decision easy.

I like Emirates and Qatar a bunch but their schedule isn't great for me and they are definitely more expensive.

 

Choose Emirates' SKYWARDS program. Best value for money within Middle East.

 

mecabq, I am starting to feel that your suggestion of not worrying about sticking with one airline for the rewards (which sound pretty marginal) is the best option. I am not moving permanently to the region or taking an extended trip; it's basically back and forth for a while. I'll be at American University in Beirut, then in AU in Cairo, a conference in Doha, etc. However, I will still be living and going to school in the good ol' US of A, so that's why I was hoping I could use these trips to earn something rather than just dropping all that money and getting nothing in return. I might just see how many of the UA IAD> KWI or DXB I can take if I can find the shorter flights within the region I need at a decent price. Since I will rarely be looking to pay more than I have to, not worrying about being loyal to a particular airline seems the easy way to go.
Thanks to everyone for the responses. I think at this point lounge access isn't enough to entice me into a loyalty program. I am sure this isn't exactly the proper forum to ask, but just as a follow up, any suggestions on getting the best deals for these flights? Any airlines or sites I should check out if I was willing to forego a single one and just search for whatever gets me the best deal at the time?

Thanks again!