How to choose a loyalty program?
Currently, almost every airline has its own loyalty program for frequent flyers. Naturally, there's no point in joining all programs; you'll never accumulate miles that way.
The main rule for a mile hunter is consolidation, i.e., combining all your miles into one program. Only then will you have a chance to accumulate enough miles to move to a more privileged level or purchase an airline ticket. Don't spread yourself across multiple programs; choose one or two.
But which program should you choose?
The fastest way to accumulate miles is to fly more often. This leads to the first rule when choosing a suitable FFP:
The main rule for a mile hunter is consolidation, i.e., combining all your miles into one program. Only then will you have a chance to accumulate enough miles to move to a more privileged level or purchase an airline ticket. Don't spread yourself across multiple programs; choose one or two.
But which program should you choose?
The fastest way to accumulate miles is to fly more often. This leads to the first rule when choosing a suitable FFP:
Join the loyalty program only of the airline that best suits your travel needs.
There's no point in becoming a member of AirAsia's BIG Loyalty Programme if you never travel in that region.Join the loyalty program of the airline that dominates your region. Or whose hub is located at your city's airport.
A hub is an airport used by an airline or an alliance of airlines as a transfer point for passengers and has a high percentage of connecting flights. For example, in St. Petersburg, it's Rossiya Airlines; in Khabarovsk, Aeroflot; in Irkutsk, S7 Airlines. If you live in Moscow, the choice will be more difficult, as there are three airports (Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, and Vnukovo) served by several major carriers. In this case, you should base your decision on the destination you fly to most often, preferring the airline whose prices, service, or convenience suit you best. For example, you live in Moscow and often have to fly to Paris for work. You can choose to fly with one of three Russian airlines: Aeroflot, S7, or Transaero. The most affordable prices for this route are with S7 and Transaero, but S7 only flies with a layover. The choice seems obvious; of course, flying at low prices without transfers is more convenient, but... S7 is a member of the oneworld alliance, so if you periodically fly to Germany, Great Britain, Spain, etc., it's best to stick with the S7 Airlines loyalty program. But if comfort and service are paramount for you, then Aeroflot is undoubtedly the best choice. Sometimes, airline prices and conditions are almost equal. In this case, pay attention to the terms for accumulating miles and points. First, you need to decide why you are collecting miles:- to purchase award tickets;
- to get a more privileged member card.
