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:

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.

Depending on the specific goal, we look for the necessary information in the loyalty program terms. If our goal is an award ticket, we look at which program allows us to accumulate enough miles faster to acquire it. Let's compare, for example, Aeroflot Bonus and Transaero Privilege. To purchase an award ticket for Moscow-Paris with Aeroflot, we need to accumulate 22500 miles. For each flight on this route (when purchasing a ticket at the lowest fare), we will receive 1147 miles, meaning we need to make 19 flights to accumulate enough for a free ticket. With Transaero, we need to accumulate 3600 points. For each flight at the lowest fare, we will receive 320 points, so we only need to fly 11.25 times. In this case, the choice in favor of Transaero is obvious. If your goal is to get a silver card, you will most likely choose Aeroflot. To achieve silver status with Aeroflot, you need to accumulate 25000 miles per year. If you receive 1147 miles for each Moscow-Paris flight, you will accumulate the required amount in 22 flights. With Transaero, you need to accumulate 10000 points, which would require flying as many as 31 times. So, calculate it yourself: even considering that Aeroflot tickets are more expensive, accumulating miles for Silver status with this airline is more advantageous. Don't forget that you can earn miles not only through flights. Most airlines issue co-branded cards with banks. Thus, you can accumulate miles not only by purchasing airline tickets but also by paying with your card in stores. Many carriers have signed contracts with various retail chains, hotels, car rental companies, etc. By using their services or purchasing goods from them, you can also accumulate miles. Remember to consider these factors when choosing a loyalty program.