Newbie Advice: One Airline for India, Europe, and Asia
Mar 29, 2011 | 1:53 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 4
Newbie Advice: One Airline for India, Europe, and Asia
I'm a diehard Southwest guy for domestic travel, but my new job will have me flying from Sacramento (second choice SFO) to Chennai India (MAA), Madrid Spain (MAD), and Seoul South Korea (ICN).
Based on quick sample flight searches, it looks like the best airlines to MAA are Emirates or British Air, to MAD are American or Lufthansa or British, and to ICN are Singapore or US Air or Asiana.
I'd like your advice on which of the above airlines I should attempt to make my "default choice" for international travel. Ideally I could pick just one program and consolidate all of my points, but if I have to pick multiple carriers based on the destination, so be it. In any event, I would greatly appreciate your opinions on how the above carriers compare to one another.
THANK YOU!
Based on quick sample flight searches, it looks like the best airlines to MAA are Emirates or British Air, to MAD are American or Lufthansa or British, and to ICN are Singapore or US Air or Asiana.
I'd like your advice on which of the above airlines I should attempt to make my "default choice" for international travel. Ideally I could pick just one program and consolidate all of my points, but if I have to pick multiple carriers based on the destination, so be it. In any event, I would greatly appreciate your opinions on how the above carriers compare to one another.
THANK YOU!
Mar 29, 2011 | 2:45 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 31,350
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The airline(s) you ultimately fly the most will not necessarily be the airline(s) whose frequent-flyer programs you credit the miles to. Most major carriers are members of one of three global airline alliances: oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance. So, for example, if you were to fly United or Asiana to Korea, you could credit those flights to either of those carriers, or to Air Canada, Aegean Airlines, US Airways, Lufthansa, etc.
How many miles a year do you expect to fly? In what class of service? What's most important to you in terms of an FFP? Upgrades? Lounge access? Free domestic flights? Free international flights?
Your answers to these questions may affect the recommendations you get.
The airline(s) you ultimately fly the most will not necessarily be the airline(s) whose frequent-flyer programs you credit the miles to. Most major carriers are members of one of three global airline alliances: oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance. So, for example, if you were to fly United or Asiana to Korea, you could credit those flights to either of those carriers, or to Air Canada, Aegean Airlines, US Airways, Lufthansa, etc.
How many miles a year do you expect to fly? In what class of service? What's most important to you in terms of an FFP? Upgrades? Lounge access? Free domestic flights? Free international flights?
Your answers to these questions may affect the recommendations you get.