Frequent Flyer Program Recommendations

You could always sign up for a couple of them and then at least no matter who you fly with you're getting something.... I use Virgin and BA and then book tickets according to fare sales. [...] It takes longer to save up miles if you use a few different ones, but at the moment we can't afford to ignore fare sales in order to accumulate miles.

What Anne said.   Most of my FF miles are with Virgin, as when DH and I first started dating I was living in Boston and flew BOS-LHR almost exclusively.  Then I moved back to Georgia and BA and Delta are the only airlines that fly non-stop between London and Atlanta, and neither are partners with Virgin.  I should have signed up for BA miles at the get-go, but I didn't, and now that we're living in the UK and still flying BA more often than Virgin, I'm mad that I lost out on a bunch of miles - and it's taken me three years to earn a return ticket on Virgin (but I'll have done it once I've completed my next trip home, which connects in Newark but is at least earning me miles!).

I have miles through American Airlines, British Airways, and Virgin. I like Virgin the best out of the three. I have a BA VISA card that I also put everything on and try to pay off ASAP. I earn a mile for every $1 plus if I buy a flight through their website I get 2 miles per $1 spent. This is an American credit card, I think the UK card has different perks. I can also earn miles through both BA and Virgin by putting out my membership number at some places.

On this same note:

I haven't signed up for any FF yet, either, but am looking at AA because I fly with them alot, plus they are paired with British Airways. HOWEVER, I'm getting married in October, and wondered if I should just wait to get it put in my married name, since I won't be booking tickets anywhere until after I'm married [I'll be changing my name on my SS card and my license, but not in my passport b/c I still have 6 years on it and it'll have my visa anyway]. Do you think I could sign up now with my married name so I'll have it to book my flights (even though I'm not married yet  ) TIA!

I dont think it really matters. No agent has ever checked the name on my FF card against my passport or license.  All they care about is the number on the card.   

Whatever you do, join a program before you buy your next ticket so you can get credit for it. Don't fly without it; it's like throwing away free money! 

PS:  Even if you have 6 years remaining in your passport, you can change the name for free.  They simply print your new name on the inside back cover with a notice that the passport was officially changed.  The front page with your photo remains the same. This is a pain for my wife because foreign custom officers routinely quiz her about why the name on the ticket doesn't match the name on her passport photo page, not realizing that the US prints the new legal name of the passport holder on the back page. 

PS:  Even if you have 6 years remaining in your passport, you can change the name for free.  They simply print your new name on the inside back cover with a notice that the passport was officially changed.  The front page with your photo remains the same. This is a pain for my wife because foreign custom officers routinely quiz her about why the name on the ticket doesn't match the name on her passport photo page, not realizing that the US prints the new legal name of the passport holder on the back page. 

They don't do this anymore. You have to get a new passport for a name change and pay the full renewal fee. It's only free if you've had your passport for 12 months or less. http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/acs/passports/amendindex.html

The agent won't care but the problem is that if the name on the account does not match the name on the ticket, they won't give you the credit.  

So I would say yes, sign up under your married name.  Otherwise you will have to send them a copy of your marriage certificate to have it changed (I'm guessing most programs will want proof, like Mileage Plus did when I changed mine).  It's not a big deal but just one more hassle you can avoid by signing up under your married name now.

But wait.  You are saying you're not changing your name in your passport? You have to book all tickets in the exact name that's in the passport.  So whatever you do, make sure that all three match - name in passport = name in ticket = name on frequent flyer account.

They don't do this anymore. You have to get a new passport for a name change and pay the full renewal fee. It's only free if you've had your passport for 12 months or less. http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/acs/passports/amendindex.html

Wow that's news to me.  Wifey still has 3 years left on her passport; 3 more years of headaches with custom officials. 

K: Bottom line, do what Geeta said. Just get everything in your new name and save yourself the hassle.

I just changed my name on my passport and it does save a lot of complications. I renewed it through the mail and sent it down to the London consulate. It cost $67 and I got my new passport in two weeks. I found this link really useful.

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/acs/passports/marriage_namechange.html

I joined American Airlines right after my last trip back home. I never thought to join it WAYYYY back in the day when we started visiting.

I just changed my name on my passport and it does save a lot of complications. I renewed it through the mail and sent it down to the London consulate. It cost $67 and I got my new passport in two weeks. I found this link really useful.

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/acs/passports/marriage_namechange.html

I had a similar experience.  I wanted to have all my ducks in a row, so I waited until we got hitched, sent the marriage certificate off with the passport for the name change, then used the new passport when I applied for my FLR.  Now everything's in the same name!

I'm with Continental One Pass and Virgin Atlantic.  On Continental's website you can link up all your parter company reward programs onto your profile & profiles of anyone else that flies with you...  Quite easy and convenient and I think Continental is linked with most airlines. 

Here! Here!  We're a Continental Family all the way.  DH has flown 75,000 miles since January, and we try to stay with them for the perks and upgrades.  One benefit to staying loyal to them---we got our flights for our honeymoon FREE--Newark to Tahiti, first class on Air France.  The SkyTeam rocks!