Velocity or Star Alliance (if so, which airline) for QF WP?

[BJReplay]

I'm currently QF WP, will easily retain platinum each year (took just on four months this year), but unlikely to reach P1 (fell about 200 points short last year).

A change in travel policy probably sees my AUS - US trips in PE on QF, or J on alternative carriers such as Air NZ, United, etc.

I have Turkish Gold until May 2017 following status match (need 25,000 miles per year to maintain), and need 2 segments and 300 points to upgrade to Gold on Velocity - but I probably only fly two segments a year on Virgin for myself (work in AUS is all QF).

It seems to me that a *A Gold Card will make my life easier when travelling to or within the US, so I should direct my points / status there, rather than Velocity that won't help me much outside of AUS.

So, if I'm right, and should direct points to *A rather than Velocity, should I stick with Turkish since I've got Gold benefits through status match, or is there another airline I should match with now, and direct earn to, or is it worth starting from scratch with a new airline, earn status, and use my Turkish *A gold while I earn status in the best *A program? If so, what's the best *A program ?

Thanks

BJ

 

[TomVexille]

Define "best"

ie. What do you want from a program?

 

[BJReplay]

Benefits I can use

Fair question. I use points on QF for upgrades, classic rewards flights (primarily long haul every couple of years for the family), and enjoy the benefits of WP for my business travel.

I don't fly Virgin domestically, so probably won't get value from status benefits or lounge membership.

I will probably increasingly be flying *A for business OS, so benefits I can use there - such as lounge access / priority.

And if I'm earning points, the best airline for redemptions in *A - for probably long haul travel outside AUS or upgrades on purchased fares (again outside AUS).

 

[RooFlyer]

There are *A airlines where you can get status easily - Aegean for instance - but I think other airlines are tightening up on their recognition of this route.

If you are going to fly to and within the US a reasonable amount, I'd suggest joining the United Airlines program (Star Alliance). United has a (justified) bad reputation in Australia for their previous awful TPAC product (I think the 787 MEL service is mitigating that too) but in the US they are not bad. Good earn and burn rates.

 

[TomVexille]

There are *A airlines where you can get status easily - Aegean for instance - but I think other airlines are tightening up on their recognition of this route.

If you are going to fly to and within the US a reasonable amount, I'd suggest joining the United Airlines program (Star Alliance). United has a (justified) bad reputation in Australia for their previous awful TPAC product (I think the 787 MEL service is mitigating that too) but in the US they are not bad. Good earn and burn rates.

A3 is no longer an easy route to *G .

UA does have decent earn and burn rates, and recognition of status is decent, but there is no lounge access in the US when on a domestic itinerary.