Advice on plethora of flights

[Babyjax12]

With rebooked cruises due to COVID we are looking at numerous flights that need to be booked. Our usual once-a-year never warranted any airline loyalty program. Since we will need 5 flights in the next 9 months, is there a need to try one? No airline seems to be best with prices. Advice? 

[Sea42]

There is a lot of info on this board

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/77-cruise-air/

[navybankerteacher]

4 minutes ago, Babyjax12 said:

With rebooked cruises due to COVID we are looking at numerous flights that need to be booked. Our usual once-a-year never warranted any airline loyalty program. Since we will need 5 flights in the next 9 months, is there a need to try one? No airline seems to be best with prices. Advice? 

Shop around - if all are comparably priced, it would make sense to book as many as possible on one line to concentrate miles for rewards

[zekekelso]

14 minutes ago, Babyjax12 said:

With rebooked cruises due to COVID we are looking at numerous flights that need to be booked. Our usual once-a-year never warranted any airline loyalty program. Since we will need 5 flights in the next 9 months, is there a need to try one? No airline seems to be best with prices. Advice? 

I would book the best flight for each trip regardless of airline. Five flights isn’t worth a ton in airline miles. Obviously if everything is exactly equal might as well book them all on one airline. But if you have to make sacrifices to stick to one airline, you are probably going to give up more than you gain. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 minutes ago, Babyjax12 said:

With rebooked cruises due to COVID we are looking at numerous flights that need to be booked. Our usual once-a-year never warranted any airline loyalty program. Since we will need 5 flights in the next 9 months, is there a need to try one? No airline seems to be best with prices. Advice? 

Repeatedly a top award winner for their Mileage Plus program, United Airlines has long been our preferred carrier for both domestic and Intercontinental air travel (which I most often did pre-retirement).

Among many other reasons (beyond their FF program) for our United preference, is their customer service where, for example during this whole Covid mess, someone would actually answer the phone when you called for rebooking issues.

United is also a Star Alliance partner and, with few exceptions, its members can get you to most intercontinental locations often with United code share flights and easier ticket reassignment when air travel problems go FUBAR.

Finally (and this should be very important in your consideration of a preferred airline), our SFO airport is a major United intercontinental hub. So, look at who does what at your nearest airport.

[CruiserBruce]

First thing we need to know is where you are flying from. Certain airports have strong airlines there as "hubs" which may drive your airline choice.

 

Second thing of importance would be where you are flying to.

 

I agree, the Cruise Air board is the far better place for your research.

 

We also use United, for decades now. Never had anything to complain about.

[Joebucks]

In my opinion and experience, airline loyalty programs are pointless to chase (this is coming from someone who chooses the same hotels for loyalty). My exception to this rule would be frequent flyer cost isn't a concern. Think business or some super luxury traveler.

 

For me, a reasonable price, nonstop, between the times of 8-1 from start to finish, supersedes most of the trivial stuff you might earn somewhere else. Often missing out on the things I find important to get something "free" somewhere. As said above, one airport may be a better choice than others depending on where you live. If you are at a hub, it may offer better options. Some airlines don't even offer direct flights where I live. Some offer plenty.

[SelectSys]

@Babyjax12 Booking 5 flights unless they are long haul won't really result in any material status.  Any status you gain will only be temporary and the benefits will be small.  These benefits - e.g., free bags, better seats - won't even be available to you after you make all of your planned flights - if ever.

 

My advice - simply pick the best flight based on an all in estimate of cost (ticket, baggage, seat) and don't worry about a FF program.  If you were really planning on flying a bunch, it might make more sense to investigate the best program to join.

 

Maybe pairing a FF account with a credit card might work to get you some amount of travel.  Again, the returns are pretty small these days.

 

BTW - I agree with @Joebucks that a non stop flight is by far the best.  Not only are the travel times quite a bit shorter, the chance of a flight issue at your connection point is eliminated.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 4, 2021 by SelectSys

[Mike981]

Since we might fly twice in a year and all to Florida or the Caribbean, I stopped chasing points years ago. They continually keep moving the bar and I just don't rack up the points fast enough to compensate for the changes.

 

Since we fly out Minneapolis and Delta has a monopoly there, I do have an account setup with the app to possibly help with some future hiccups.

[Zach1213]

4 hours ago, zekekelso said:

I would book the best flight for each trip regardless of airline. Five flights isn’t worth a ton in airline miles. 

 

Eh, depends on the route(s). PHL-FLL? Sure, five of those won't add up to much. But if you have LAX-SYD, or JFK-LHR, or things like that, they can definitely add up in just five flights. When I started traveling for a living in 2006, I found myself on LAX-SYD-LAX and LAX-HKG-LAX and have been loyal to American Airlines/OneWorld since...based on those four flights. Because they gave me status purely on two longhaul roundtrips (albeit both roundtrips were OneWorld partners). 

 

2 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

First thing we need to know is where you are flying from. Certain airports have strong airlines there as "hubs" which may drive your airline choice.

 

This is a very important point. I am a frequent flier based in Kansas City...a hub for nobody. I'm connecting in any way, so if I wasn't a frequent flier, it wouldn't matter if that connection point were Chicago, or Dallas, or Atlanta, or Minneapolis. BUT, if I lived in one of those cities, it would make sense to try to build even a little loyalty with United, or American, or Delta, because the vast majority of flights belong to that one airline. Or, if you're in a smaller city with a majority of connections going through one of those (for example, Savannah (GA) or Huntsville (AL) probably have 80-90% of their frequent flier base belonging to Delta...because most flights are going to take you through Atlanta). 

Edited June 4, 2021 by Zach1213

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, Zach1213 said:

 

…

 

Or, if you're in a smaller city with a majority of connections going through one of those (for example, Savannah (GA) or Huntsville (AL) probably have 80-90% of their frequent flier base belonging to Delta...because most flights are going to take you through Atlanta). 

Having to go through Hartsfield Jackson is reason enough to not live in Georgia or Alabama. But, living less than 90 minutes away from  each of HPN, BDL, EWR, JFK and LGA - it is nice to have the choices (and the fare savings) offered by competing lines.

[Zach1213]

2 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Having to go through Hartsfield Jackson is reason enough to not live in Georgia or Alabama. But, living less than 90 minutes away from  each of HPN, BDL, EWR, JFK and LGA - it is nice to have the choices (and the fare savings) offered by competing lines.

 

I don't go through ATL a lot because I'm an AA flyer, but on the occasion I find myself on DL through ATL, I actually don't mind it. Yeah, it's busy, it's crazy, but I think it's pretty well laid out and it's impressive how short connections can realistically be at one of the world's busiest airports. 

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, Zach1213 said:

 

I don't go through ATL a lot because I'm an AA flyer, but on the occasion I find myself on DL through ATL, I actually don't mind it. Yeah, it's busy, it's crazy, but I think it's pretty well laid out and it's impressive how short connections can realistically be at one of the world's busiest airports. 

 

Back when I used to have to work for a living, I connected in ORD a lot on my way to the east coast.  Seems like I always had to make my way to the C Terminal, which was kind of a pain.  The running joke was that it was likely you would bump into someone you know while transiting ORD.   

[2wheelin]

Aside from the FF programs, check on the benefits (free checked bags for all in party for instance) for using their sponsored credit card. Most airlines nowadays are charging for checked bags and some even for carryons and that adds up fast.

[Ashland]

On 6/4/2021 at 2:00 PM, Zach1213 said:

 

I don't go through ATL a lot because I'm an AA flyer, but on the occasion I find myself on DL through ATL, I actually don't mind it. Yeah, it's busy, it's crazy, but I think it's pretty well laid out and it's impressive how short connections can realistically be at one of the world's busiest airports. 

I actually will route through ATL when I can...a few favorite places to eat during the connection.

[CruiserBruce]

48 hours...and the OP hasn't come back and provided more info...

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

48 hours...and the OP hasn't come back and provided more info...

Probably busy comparing airline CCs.

[cruisemom42]

On 6/4/2021 at 2:37 PM, Zach1213 said:

Or, if you're in a smaller city with a majority of connections going through one of those (for example, Savannah (GA) or Huntsville (AL) probably have 80-90% of their frequent flier base belonging to Delta...because most flights are going to take you through Atlanta). 

 

We used to have a saying in the South that if you're headed to h#ll, you'd have to fly through Atlanta to get there.

 

On 6/4/2021 at 5:00 PM, Zach1213 said:

 

I don't go through ATL a lot because I'm an AA flyer, but on the occasion I find myself on DL through ATL, I actually don't mind it. Yeah, it's busy, it's crazy, but I think it's pretty well laid out and it's impressive how short connections can realistically be at one of the world's busiest airports. 

 

ATL is actually a very good airport. Easy to navigate around a very large area thanks to the transit train and some good eateries. 

[2wheelin]

6 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

48 hours...and the OP hasn't come back and provided more info...

What more information? They asked for advice and are getting it. No need to tell anyone what they decide.

[CruiserBruce]

24 minutes ago, 2wheelin said:

What more information? They asked for advice and are getting it. No need to tell anyone what they decide.

Can't give them comprehensive answers on best FF group without knowing what airport they are going to fly from, for example.