Wheretocredit

Step 4: Apply decision rules

Rule 1: Short-haul floor advantage. On flights under ~1,500 miles, programs with a 500+ mile minimum floor (like Alaska) can earn MORE than programs offering a percentage of distance. Calculate both and compare. At Base tier, Alaska's 500 floor beats 25% earning on any flight under 2,000 miles. At higher tiers with bonus percentages, the crossover point drops.

Rule 2: Qualifying miles matter for status chasers. If a traveler is actively building or retaining elite status, qualifying miles matter. If a flight earns qualifying miles on their primary program but not on the higher-earning alternative, flag the tradeoff.

Rule 3: Highest redeemable wins (all else equal). If qualifying miles are a wash or irrelevant, credit to whichever program earns the most spendable miles.

Rule 4: Don't split for tiny differences. If two programs are within 50 miles of each other, default to the traveler's primary program for simplicity.

Step 5: Output the recommendation

Format:

✈️ {AIRLINE} {FLIGHT} ({CLASS}) · {ORIGIN}→{DEST} · ~{DISTANCE} mi

{Traveler} → Credit to {PROGRAM}: {MILES} redeemable miles ({QUALIFYING} qualifying)
  Why: {one sentence reason}

Worked example (Finnair AY806, class Z, BGO→ARN, ~770 mi)

Traveler A: AA Platinum (Tier 2), Alaska Base Traveler B: Alaska Base only

✈️ Finnair AY806 (Z) · BGO→ARN · ~770 mi

Traveler A → Credit to AA AAdvantage: ~308 redeemable (770 × 40%), ~193 qualifying (770 × 25%)
  Why: Tier 2 bonus pushes AA past Alaska's 500 floor. Qualifying miles help retain status.

Traveler B → Credit to Alaska Atmos: 500 redeemable (floor), 0 qualifying
  Why: 500 mile floor beats 25% of 770 (= 193). Only program available.

Reference Workflows

"What does class X earn on airline Y?"

1. Fetch https://www.wheretocredit.com/en/{IATA}/{CLASS}
2. Read both redeemable and qualifying tables
3. Note cabin type and fare types listed at the top

"Which airlines credit to program X?"

1. Fetch https://www.wheretocredit.com/en/programs/{CODE}
2. Lists all partner airlines with links to their booking class charts

Fare Type Mapping

Booking classes map to fare brands, but every airline names them differently. The wheretocredit page header shows which fare types apply for that airline.

Common patterns (names vary by carrier):

• Full flex / Refundable = fully flexible, changeable, refundable
• Standard / Classic = some flexibility, partial refund
• Basic / Light / Saver = restricted, limited changes
• Ultra-basic / Superlight = cheapest, most restrictions, often no checked bag

Examples: Finnair uses Superlight/Classic/Flex. SAS uses SAS Go Light/Go/Plus/Business. Norwegian uses LowFare/LowFare+/Flex. United uses Basic Economy/Economy/Economy Flex. Always check the specific airline's fare page for exact names.

The same booking class letter can map to different fare types on different airlines.

Important Notes

• The calculator page requires JavaScript and won't work via webfetch
• Data is maintained by Travel-Dealz.com (took over from original WTC team)
• Some programs earn based on fare price (e.g., Finnair Plus: "6 Miles/EUR") rather than distance percentage
• Always check the "Restriction" column for country exclusions or other limitations
• Earning rates change. When in doubt, verify against the airline's own partner earning page

When to Use

Load this skill when:

• Booking a flight and deciding which FF program to credit it to
• Comparing earning rates across programs for a specific airline/class
• Checking if a discounted fare earns qualifying miles
• Need to know tier bonus rates for elite status holders
• Any "where to credit" or "how many miles will I earn" question

Do not:

• Assume the calculator works via webfetch (it needs JS)
• Confuse redeemable miles with qualifying miles. Always specify which.
• Forget that operating carrier matters, not ticketing carrier