best frequent flyier program or just scan for good deals with any airline?

[loriandmatt]

back ground info: my in laws recently announced that they are more than likely moving to central Fl in a year or two. they are looking at places that are 30 min (45 at the most) from WDW. So - in a few years we will probably be heading to central Fl from Philly a few times a year.

I know little or nothing about frequent air travel and am looking for some info. How often do you have to fly for most frequent flyer programs to be advantagious? Are any better than others for travel between the North East and Fl? (flying into MCO or the other airport in orlando?)

OR

if we are only going to fly 4 or 5 times a year would just scanning orbitz or southwests ding service be better options? (cheaper per flight costs)

i am lost in a sea of info here. any guidance would be appreciated.

- lori

 

[ducklite]

Historically the three carriers from PHL to MCO with the best fares are US Air, Airtran, and Southwest.

It depends on what you want in a FF program.

SW is going to get your free tickets faster. Fly five r/t's and you'll earn a free ticket.

If you will be doing other air travel as well, US Air might work, it takes longer to get a free ticket, although after you hit a certain number of miles per year you are automatially eligible for free FC upgrades and more. If it was just back and forth between PHL and MCO, you'd need to take 11 round trips a year to qualify for elite status.

I am not at all familiar with Airtrans program, I just can't get past that they are ValueJet in sheeps clothing.

Anne

 

[abner1776]

From what I have read and from my personal experience with Delta, the frequent flyer programs are a boon for the airlines and a bust for travelers. At first the Delta program was 25k miles for a free ticket and just when I got to 25k miles, they changed it to 50k miles for a free ticket. Oh yes, they still allow you to claim a free ticket at 25k miles, but only for "certain" flights; you have to get 50k miles for unrestricted flights. I have tried on many occasions to claim my 25k mile ticket with zero success, unless I want to fly from Boston to Orlando via Cincinnati and Atlanta with a 4 hour layover.
I do not beleive that the other airline programs are any better. I basically gave up on my Delta credit card and went with Chase that gives me immediate cash back on my purchases and more on my gas purchases. $10-$15 per month from Chase is worth far more than the possibility of a free ticket with Delta ...somewhere over the rainbow....

 

[ducklite]

From what I have read and from my personal experience with Delta, the frequent flyer programs are a boon for the airlines and a bust for travelers. At first the Delta program was 25k miles for a free ticket and just when I got to 25k miles, they changed it to 50k miles for a free ticket. Oh yes, they still allow you to claim a free ticket at 25k miles, but only for "certain" flights; you have to get 50k miles for unrestricted flights. I have tried on many occasions to claim my 25k mile ticket with zero success, unless I want to fly from Boston to Orlando via Cincinnati and Atlanta with a 4 hour layover.
I do not beleive that the other airline programs are any better. I basically gave up on my Delta credit card and went with Chase that gives me immediate cash back on my purchases and more on my gas purchases. $10-$15 per month from Chase is worth far more than the possibility of a free ticket with Delta ...somewhere over the rainbow....

I have almost always been able to get a ticket with good times and non-stop on routes they fly non-stop on at the 25,000 mile level with US Airways as long as I wasn't trying to travel during peak season to major tourist destinations.

Anne

 

[AllyBri]

I've had great luck with Delta. I get at least 2 free flights a year with them, if it's not the exact day I want, it's at least within a day and that is with 25,000. miles. Before Delta was having problems, they would run specials, example. book and fly by a certain date and you get extra miles (one time it was 5,000.miles) Hopefully they will do this again.
A lot of time they will give a 1000 miles for booking online and then another 1000 miles for doing the boarding passes online. The miles add up very fast.

 

[deba]

I fly out of the Balto/Wash airports, and have had great success with AirTran. It is no frills, but I usually fly nonstop to Orlando for between $49. and $59. each way. I have $54. booked for two weeks from now. My daughter lives in Philly and just booked $59. each way from Philly to Orlando for the first full week of June. The flight is only about two hours, so the frills are not missed (you do get a soda or juice and a small snack).

The members program works great for us. After four round trip flights you have earned a free one way ticket for anywhere in the country that AirTran flies. Last year for several months they offered double points, so you could earn a free one way voucher after just two round trips! You can also earn your free flights faster by using AirTran's Visa card.

One of the advantages for me is that while I am flying on a relatively short flight (and low cost!), I am able to redeem my free vouchers for more expensive, cross country flights. Last year I was able to fly round trip to DL free!

 

[ducklite]

From PHL--which is where the OP is talking about flying from--to MCO on Delta is not going to be the best way to go. There are NO non-stops between those airports, and prices are generally $100 or more higher than the three I mentioned earlier in this thread.

In the OP's case, she'd be better off looking at the three carriers I mentioned earlier, which all have non-stops and competitive rates, and determining which carrier has the FF program which would best suit her needs.

Anne

 

[Brian Noble]

Anne is on the money.

If you were only traveling to WDW, I'd probably go with Southwest. You aren't likely to fly often enough on USAir to get elite status, and so the quicker payoff is a better deal. If you also travel on business, you'll probably be on USAir often, because they'll be the only airline with direct flights to some of the places you need to visit. In that case, it's worth trying to get all of your flights on USAir.

That said, don't pick flights solely because of FF status. I've had status on NW for the past 5-6 years, and I'm still willing to fly other airlines if they'll save me money, particularly on leisure trips, where I'm buying four tickets instead of one.

 

[Lewisc]

SW requires 16 credits,over a 24 month period, for a Rapid Reward ticket. Each flight is worth 1 credit so you need 8 R/T flights. You generally get 2 credits for signing up and sometimes 2 credits for downloading DING.

Check their website, you'll also get some credits with partners.

edited to add that SW recently change the RR program. Although they got rid of the formal blackout dates the RR tickets are now subject to capacity controls. Most FF work better if you fly more than you're planning (business flyers) or get credits from partners such as credit cards.

 

[safetymom]

I would check out www.flyertalk.com It has information on all the airlines, hotels, credit cards and how to maximize earning ff miles.