Some airlines are nice enough to downgrade you one elite level if you suddenly don't travel much. For example, previous gold members are given silver status for a year. Continental did this except last year. Delta has also done this. Does US do this?

My US travel is down this year and, while I've been gold for several year, might barely make (or miss) silver. If so, why not dump US and add those few trips to another airline which will allow me to maintain status there. If US does give a free year, then there's still incentive to fly US because of the gold bonus and possibility that I make barely make the cutoff.

When Mike Isom came to FT for the Live Chat, I asked him afterwards about this policy. He informed me that US has been keeping the practice of dropping Preferred Members down only one tier if they fail to requalify.

Or you could be like some certain CPs and beg to be re-upped for not requallifying! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif