When it comes to frequent flyer programs, the three major airline alliances, oneworld (OW), SkyTeam (ST), and Star Alliance (*A), offer travelers a range of benefits. While each alliance provides global connectivity, the benefits offered for elite members differ significantly. Which alliance is best for you depends a lot on your travel patterns and your home airport. In this post, I will compare the frequent flyer benefits of the three alliances to find out which one gives the best perks without considering individual needs.
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Perfect Alternative for British Airways Club: Finnair Plus
For years, British Airways Executive Club was one of the easiest paths to earning Oneworld elite status. Frequent flyers could quickly ascend to Silver (Oneworld Sapphire) or Gold (Oneworld Emerald) through a relatively simple combination of tier points and flights. It made British Airways a top choice for loyal travelers looking for lounge access, priority boarding and other elite perks.
But times have changed.
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Shanghai Airlines Economy Class is Great
Shanghai Airlines, a fully owned subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines, delivers an impressive travel experience even in Economy Class. My recent journey with them was nothing short of excellent, blending comfort, convenience and quality service. I did not have high expectations for this relatively unknown airline, but oh boy, did they blow me away! Let me take you through the highlights of my trip.
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How to Book SkyTeam Round-the-World Trip?
For the wanderlust-driven travellers among us, there’s nothing quite as thrilling as the idea of a round-the-world journey or RTW for short. Exploring multiple continents, immersing yourself in diverse cultures, and ticking off bucket-list destinations—all in one epic trip—is the dream. SkyTeam, one of the world’s leading airline alliances, used to make this dream a reality with its dedicated SkyTeam Round-the-World tickets. Unfortunately, that program has been discontinued. But fear not! Thanks to Fly for Points Search, booking a SkyTeam round-the-world adventure is easier than ever before.
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Finnair Intercontinental Economy Class is a Joke
When it comes to the oneworld alliance, travelers expect a certain standard of quality, even in economy class. Unfortunately, Finnair seems determined to shatter those expectations. Among its oneworld peers, Finnair’s intercontinental economy class stands out—for all the wrong reasons. Sky-high ticket prices that often rival more premium carriers? Check. No checked luggage included in most fares? Check. Barely-there food service that makes you question if you’re on a long-haul flight or a low-cost budget airline? Double check.
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Japan Airlines First Class Lounge in Osaka is Crap
Japan Airlines has a first class lounge at Osaka Itami “international” airport. The wording international is strange given that the airport only has domestic flights. Also, if you happen to fly from Osaka Kansai, you will be stuck with a way worse lounge. Now that Finnair has established what a domestic first class lounge can look like, these Japan Airlines domestic first class lounges look quite pathetic. In fact, I saw some people bringing their own bento box to the lounge.
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Finnair Platinum Corner is Probably the Best Schengen Lounge
Oneworld Emerald level customers are in for a treat! Finnair, which otherwise feels like the most expensive low-cost airline in Europe, has really outdone themselves this time. They have removed free carry-on bags from their cheapest tickets, turned Finnair Plus into a spend based program, removed all additional benefits from oneworld Sapphire and Emerald members, reduced the maximum weight of checked-in luggage in business class if you upgrade and so on… After this continuous decline on every aspect, I was surprised to see that Finnair Platinum Corner lounge is probably the best Schengen lounge in Europe!
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Oneworld Check-in Baggage with Two Separate Tickets
Sometimes it makes sense to make two different bookings for your trip as opposed to having all flights in one booking. In this scenario, you will have two separate PNRs. All is well until you realize that you will be travelling with check-in luggage. What will oneworld airlines do in this case? Will they happily check your baggage in all the way to your final destination or will you need to rush to the luggage reclaim, get your bag, clear the customs and run to the check-in desks? Let’s find out!
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How to get Finnair Plus Avios for online shopping (even AliExpress!)
Did you know that you can get Finnair Plus Avios for most of the popular online shops? If you ask Finnair, the official answer would probably be to use Aktia Visa card. But not everyone can get it, and it is not even required. When Finnair moved to Avios and partnered with British Airways for Avios transfer, they opened the Pandora’s box of ultimate Avios earnings.
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Airline Elite Status with NFTs and Crypto?
I thought that the time of NFTs was long gone given that many of them already lost their value after the hype. Crypto currencies also sound a bit dubious given their use in financial crime. But for whatever reason AirBaltic is offering their highest elite status for those who are willing to buy their latest NFTs called planies. And of course, payments are accepted in etheriums as well to make the whole thing operate in cryptos.
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