MilesBuzz! - Airline Elite Status Overrated?

I have flown over 60 thousand miles the last 2 and 1/2 years on airlines such as Cathay Pacific, United, Southwest, AA, DL, JetBlue.
I had no elite status with any airline because I flown all different airlines with different alliances for the most part. I have sat in regular economy, going through regular security lines, sitting at the gate instead of a lounge. My travel experiences for the most part have been fine. I sit and watch a movie for a few hours and get to my destination.

Also People make it seem the airline and the flight is the whole vacation or trip. It's their to get you to and from where you need to go and back

Now of course sitting in first class is great, and getting upgrades is great, but in reality sitting in economy for a few hours isn't the worst thing in the world as many of you FTers make it out to be.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying First Class, but it's not so terrible sitting in in a regular seat for your flight watching a movie and just relaxing.

I know I will get highly critized but all I am saying is economy isn't as bad as you people make it seem.

The two big perks for me:

1. Exit Row. I am taller than average and having the extra leg room makes a huge difference.

2. Fewer fees. I can make Award bookings last minute, or change existing Awards (even cancel) without any fees. This alone saves me over $1000/year.

I'm sure lounge access for international flights, higher priority for Standy-By, Same-Day Stand-By without a fee, and Priority Access for Security lines and early boarding (to get overhead space) make it appealing to others.

It's not all about First Class (though I've never turned it down). :)

For me there are a lot of other benefits besides upgrades.

I have the benefits of free checked bags on the rare occassion I want to check a bag and it is suppose to get priority treatment. If I carry on and don't get upgraded it is nice being able to board early and not have to fight for bin space.

If I don't get upgraded, on Delta I get a free drink or snack box coupon on my BP which makes sitting in the back a little more comfortable.

I also enjoy being able to SDC on to an earlier flight for free.

If you have a flight cancel due to any IROPS situation, having status makes it much easier.

I also enjoy having the TSA trusted traveller line access (which you might be able to get by just having GE or NEXUS), that and the access to the preferred security line save a lot of time.

While 60K miles over 2 1/2 years is a lot more than the typical citizen flies, that is nothing for a lot of people on FT. I fly well over that in a year, and many FTer's have flown well over that many miles in 2012 alone. The more trips you make, the more you appreciate things like SDC, when you have an irops situation you appreciate the benefits more and if you are entering an airport once or twice a week you appreciate the shorter security lines.

I have flown over 60 thousand miles the last 2 and 1/2 years on airlines such as Cathay Pacific, United, Southwest, AA, DL, JetBlue.
I had no elite status with any airline because I flown all different airlines with different alliances for the most part. I have sat in regular economy, going through regular security lines, sitting at the gate instead of a lounge. My travel experiences for the most part have been fine. I sit and watch a movie for a few hours and get to my destination.

Also People make it seem the airline and the flight is the whole vacation or trip. It's their to get you to and from where you need to go and back

Now of course sitting in first class is great, and getting upgrades is great, but in reality sitting in economy for a few hours isn't the worst thing in the world as many of you FTers make it out to be.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying First Class, but it's not so terrible sitting in in a regular seat for your flight watching a movie and just relaxing.

I know I will get highly critized but all I am saying is economy isn't as bad as you people make it seem.

I absolutely consider getting to/from my destination as an integral part of the trip itself.

I flew Business Premier on LAN last year. My first time in anything other than Coach/Economy Plus.

For any flight longer than 5 hours, I'll never go back to Coach again. That's how good it was. My entire trip, not just the flying part, was substantially enhanced because of my experience onboard. From not being jetlagged when I landed, to just the feeling of being well treated and start the trip off on a high note... It made a HUGE difference to myself and my wife.

What everyone else said. But I don't think you should worry about being criticized. To each their own, as the saying goes. I value different things, so elite status isn't overrated for me.

Specifically, the fees benefit is huge. Being able to adjust award tickets up to the last minute ensures that I either get an optimal routing, or an optimal experience (specific airlines, aircraft, etc). I often check bags because of my travel schedule, so that helps. Finally, being 6'5" tall, priority access (and free access) to exit rows, upgraded seating, first class, etc., makes travel better for my regular transcon flights.

And just like what was said above, if I am going to spend 5-20 hours in a plane getting somewhere, I want to arrive comfortably and refreshed. I don't want a vacation to start with fatigue and discomfort. I recently changed from about 20 hours of airtime to 30 hours (a 50% increase) just so that I could go in an upgraded cabin. I couldn't have been happier. Rather than spending all that time in Y, crunched in between others, I got wider, more comfortable seats, great food, and plenty of good sleep. Without elite benefits, such as bonus earnings, etc., I probably wouldn't have had the same experience.

If your travel is different, or if you value different things, then yes -- it could be overrated. For me, it isn't.

I agree with all of your points all I was trying to say by my post is that, you can have nice and safe travels and enjoy yourself without having elite status.

The notion that traveling is much worse without elite status is incorrect in my opinion.

No one can disagree that elite status is great, and all the perks it comes with like upgrades free bags etc. and some day I will also be an elite with UA. I am simply pointing out that travel is still great without elite status and you aren't destined to have a terrible flight without it. Millions of people don't have it and I am sure they are just fine.

The main reasons I like elite status are:

1) mileage doubling on paid flights.

2) Exit row/First Class upgrades. If you're over 6'4", things can get a little squished in coach.

Why would you not try to get elite status? See for yourself if you think it's better or not. As for me, I love it. It's life impossible to live without it? No.

Shoot for status on 1 airline. If you hate it, just request that they treat you like a normal person, or change airlines again.

60,000 miles over 2.5 years is a fairly light amount of travel. Until about 2 years ago, I traveled annually about the same amount, maybe 20k-25k miles per year. When I traveled that much, the elite perks were insignificant. In addition, entry level status on most airlines is also moderately beneficial, and many of those perks can be had just by having the airline CC.

But once you start flying 50k+ per year, ESPECIALLY on shorter domestic trips, the elite status is a big benefit. For international trips it means lounge access, priority seating, better customer service, possible upgrades, ect. Domestic travel usually means more frquent trips so having priority securitty lines and check in really saves time and sanity. Upgrades are ususally much more frequent.

Finally the 2x bonus miles earned through elite status help with the family life. My wife hates my constant travel, but when we can go on a trip anywhere in the world in business class each year using miles, she is much more tolerant of my travel.

So I would agree that in your situation, elite status isn't that desireable. Flying 25k-30k miles a year is where you start to appreciate it, but it's still not that great. Personally I didn't really appreciate it until I was in the 50k+ miles a year.

As the man said, to each his own, but I figure if I am going to travel anyway, why not gain status and get all that goes with it? I'm perpetual Platinum on AA and just made A-List on SW. On those HOT days there have been in Phoenix lately I have been very appreciative of being able to bypass the lines.

Years ago I was at LAX and stepped off the Avis bus to see the check-in line at AA literally out onto the sidewalk--and the sidewalk itself was jammed. It was a very hot day and there had been a bomb scare. As I walked down the sidewalk to the entrance near the escalator which would bring me to the TSA short-line, I overheard someone say "they are saying at least two hours to check-in." Ten minutes later while I was sipping a cool one in the Admiral's Club, I gave pause to think about those poor .......s on the sidewalk and how glad I was that I put some effort into getting the status that had me sitting in the cool AC within the AC.

Then there was the day I was flying from DCA to SAN and was diverted to IAD (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-aadvantage/832066-aa-3934-dca-ord-diverts-iad-i-liked.html). I eventually got to my destination that day and after-all that, on time! It was a day I still remember fondly. AA pro-activeness played a big part in making it a good day, along with a lot of other good-natured people. I'm not sure I would be able to say that had it not been for my status.

Most of the time it's not a big deal. I still fly in coach more than half the time (all the time on SW) but every so often a situation occurs that makes me very happy I have some status.

If you don't want status continue to enjoy your travel experiences. If you don't have it you wont ever miss it. For me, I'll take the status! Way too many benefits that make getting there just as enjoyable as being there!:cool:

I enjoy FC upgrades and free drinks in Admiral Lounges when flying INT but like OP, tend to think they are over-rated on this message board, but to each their own. What I value MUCH more since I take advantage of these for every flight I have status on is:

-Exit Row, I am tall, love the legroom and the fact that some jackass sitting in front of me can't put his seat back in my lap (FWIW I do not recline my seat).
-500 mile min per each leg and X2 the mileage earning for each flight.
-Head of the line privileges for re booking on flight disruptions /canx and going STBY for an earlier flight.
-Quicker lines checking in and going through security in most airports.
-Free checked bags - bags tagged to come off first (though the later is hit and miss with bag handlers).
-No fees for miles redemption.

In some sense, yes...and also depending on the airline. The value of status keeps getting watered down, in some airlines more than others, especially lower levels. I can see a time when only the current top tier remains as a viable goal, with much higher thresholds and further devaluation.

A lot of the "perks" are things that once were free for everyone (checked bag for example, or award fees that never used to exist). The RDM bonuses are probably the most important to me personally. Domestic complimentary upgrades are nice, too.

Priority lines can be helpful especially at peak times or if running late (which I always am if the wife is along:rolleyes:) but at some airports it doesn't make much difference.

But, it's certainly possible to survive just fine without it and to also have a great trip without it. I often like to think about what travel was like just a generation or two before mine, or the millions of people worldwide today who have no means of efficiently traveling beyond the next village or two. Even the worst economy, low-cost carrier flight would seem like a dream luxury in comparison. At one time people crossed the continent in wagons and we whine about not getting an upgrade on a transcon flight! Sometimes a little perspective helps, just my opinion.

Nothing super-special about elite status, just makes the bus trip a bit more bearable.

I just lost elite status after having it for 12 years. I have taken one trip as a non elite and as you said, I survived. I do miss the exit row and the possibility of a FC upgrade which I had the good fortune of getting 80%-90% for the last 12 years.

I will tell you one benefit of being a non elite. There is no constant checking of the upgrade status and to see if a FC seat has opened up. I would monitor fare buckets many times a day to see if I could snag the seat if I did not clear at my window.

I Another point is, most airlines continue to change loyalty rules as things change (I.E Mergers, Bankruptices). In my opinion why should I go out of my way to fly an airline (at higher cost sometimes) when in return I am not guartneed the same very perks they promise

Too all who commented about the exit rows. Most FF know that if you simply check in early and kindly ask the check in agent for a bulkhead seat 95 times out of 100 you can get it for free.

Too all who commented about the exit rows. Most FF know that if you simply check in early and kindly ask the check in agent for a bulkhead seat 95 times out of 100 you can get it for free.

as most FF know as well - bulkheads have downsides vs proper exit rows.

for someone flying 60k/2.5 years - thats not exactly a FF. Try flying weekly or multiple times a week then comment on elite status. In addition, the miles accumulation portion of elite status is completely missing from your comments - sure to a casual credit card churner elite status is meaningless on free flights; however, with BIS accumulation 500/short + 2x/long can be a significant adder to your FF miles at EOY.

I Another point is, most airlines continue to change loyalty rules as things change (I.E Mergers, Bankruptices). In my opinion why should I go out of my way to fly an airline (at higher cost sometimes) when in return I am not guartneed the same very perks they promise
I respect you, man! Although I wonder if this is a troll alert.
or perhaps a posting run....

You should do what suits you and not try to convert the mile-a-holics here.
Please go in economy if that is best for you.
Less competition for upgrades is fine with me.

The posters above have made their points.
Maximizing elite-ness and getting the most of your experience is key.
I do not envy the elites above me or look down on the ones "beneath" me in some artificial order or rules made up by an airline.
I just try to use the system for my benefit when possible.
If that helps you, go for it, if not, don't do it.

@ffI
I don't know why you assume people have ulterior motives for giving their personal opinion. Just because I am new to FT doesn't mean I am trying to do anything other them see what the consensus is.
Point well taken
If you click on the edit button, you can copy and reference the comments.
That will separate the points and replies without a new post each time.

I will tell you one benefit of being a non elite. There is no constant checking of the upgrade status and to see if a FC seat has opened up. I would monitor fare buckets many times a day to see if I could snag the seat if I did not clear at my window.

This is actually one aspect I enjoy. The Chase.

@ffI
I don't know why you assume people have ulterior motives for giving their personal opinion. Just because I am new to FT doesn't mean I am trying to do anything other them see what the consensus is.

Too all who commented about the exit rows. Most FF know that if you simply check in early and kindly ask the check in agent for a bulkhead seat 95 times out of 100 you can get it for free.

Bulkhead seats are the worst seats on the plane for tall people since they have the least amount of legroom. They have a few extra inches (good) and nobody can recline into your lap/knees (good) but the fact you cannot place your legs under the seat in front of you far outweighs these benefits. I prefer the exit row in coach over the bulkhead seat in FC.

Having said all that you could say the same thing about asking for the exit row when checking in / at the gate (except for the 95% time you will get it, more like < 10% from my experience and then usually a middle). Some airlines charge a premium for these seats others will make it available at the gate, but this is hit and miss. Flying the airline I have status with only once in the last 6 years did I not have an exit row reserved at the time of booking. This was due to a last minute booking on an oversold flight.

Bulkhead seats are the worst seats on the plane for tall people since they have the least amount of legroom. They have a few extra inches (good) and nobody can recline into your lap/knees (good) but the fact you cannot place your legs under the seat in front of you far outweighs these benefits. I prefer the exit row in coach over the bulkhead seat in FC.

Having said all that you could say the same thing about asking for the exit row when checking in / at the gate (except for the 95% time you will get it, more like < 10% from my experience and then usually a middle). Some airlines charge a premium for these seats others will make it available at the gate, but this is hit and miss. Flying the airline I have status with only once in the last 6 years did I not have an exit row reserved at the time of booking. This was due to a last minute booking on an oversold flight.

Something I hate about bulkheads is no place to put a small bag. I like having my ipad and headphones right in front of me the instant the bell sounds.

Also means fighting for bin space. If someone is not elite like the OP, there will be a lot of peopleboarding before him with a good chance that bin space will be taken.

Not sure about other airlines, but on Delta, the bulkhead is now economy comfort on most planes so if you have no status, even at t-24 check in, you will pay for the seat. I know on international they will no allow pax to move up to the bulkhead now that they are charging more or requiring status, not sure if they are enforcing EC seat poaching on domestic or not.

I have a reclining exit row 90% of the time on Delta if I don't get upgraded. Most of the times I don't get it are if I want EC (such as international) or if I same day confirm into an earlier flight (and even then I get it about half the time if I am not upgraded).

Status value is directly related to how much you fly. For the OP's 60k over almost 3 years, I'd say it's not worth the trouble to earn it, especially since its going to be low-level anyway. You can get most of the low-level benefits with credit cards anyway.

I has the same mentality as you before, but I fly between 40k-60k a year with all different airlines, just whichever is cheaper.

Things all changed a few years back, I was on a trip to Hong Kong, had to go to Shanghai for a few days on a separate ticket. My wife was in week 20 of the pregnancy, and had a fall and had lots of bleeding.

I got the message at about 10am local time in shanghai, I changed my QF flight departing from hong kong to leave the same evening, all went well. When i tried to change my CX flight back to Hong Kong, I got told all flights leaving that day were fully booked. I was on a J ticket, and I even volunteered to downgrade, as long as I can get to hong kong in the evening, but been told I can only try my luck at the airport with stand-by.

Things got worse when I get to the airport, China Eastern canceled one of their flight to hong kong, and their pax were traveling on CX/KA... There were at least 50 people waiting at the stand-by counter, and all the Diamond, Gold, silver, OWE, OWS, and OWR got given priorities, even they are traveling in coach. I ended up on a KA flight arriving into hong kong one hour after the QF flight left.

I am now *G with NZ and A3, OWS with QF, and occasionally STE with KE.... You only realize the true benefit of status when things go wrong.

ALT, As an infrequent traveler who flies much less than you do, I agree. Some people obsess too much about status and all those First Class benefits. But I also agree that for folks who fly for the living (really frequent business fliers) status is extremely important and it's nothing to joke about since it considerably improves quality of life. They are not just being silly. It's all about numbers. More flights you're on, the bigger chunk of your life you spend in the air.

However, even for infrequent fliers, there are ways other than status to improve on one's travel experience. There is no reason you can't have a lounge access (and if you think it ain't worth it, try it just once in a good lounge). So you want a free lounge access--there are credit cards for that (and some other tricks as well). You want a priority access and a first bag (or two) free--there are credit cards for that too. And unlike status which is very difficult to obtain and retain, those are easy ways to improve in- and between-flights experience. Just saying there are things out there you can have for the asking.

After being *Gold on UA as a 1P for the past several years, I find myself w/ all the changes the merger has wrought, plus TSA unpleasantness, plus increased costs of flying UA to be what make me say ENOUGH! I haven't flown since before the merger and i don't miss it the way I thought I would.

If I were a biz traveler again I'd definitely want status. But as a 4-5 x/year leisure traveler, going to Europe at least once and other longhauls 2-3 times, I'm going to try living without status and see what happens. I can go to Europe in true Premium Economy for what it would cost me to go E+ on UA, I can buy E+ per flight for US trips and i get to try airliens I would never have tried while i was loyal to the * Alliance.

BIG downside - we do a lot of traveling in the winter. IRROPS are a norm w/ weather. I will miss being treated a bit more special than cattle class if and when problems occur.

Something I hate about bulkheads is no place to put a small bag. I like having my ipad and headphones right in front of me the instant the bell sounds.

Also means fighting for bin space. If someone is not elite like the OP, there will be a lot of peopleboarding before him with a good chance that bin space will be taken.


Agree, I should of simply said the bulkhead seats are the worst seats on the plane.

The best thing about not having status this year for me is the flexibility of choosing the most convenient airline out of all airlines instead of the most convenient itinerary within one specific airline. This makes miles accumulation with any one airline slow so I'm having to rely more on CC earning opportunities to round out tickets here and there.

I am going to miss being at or near the top on the standby/upgrade list but I think that I'll survive.

Don't forget that a lot of us travel for business. In those scenarios, there is no vacation to make sitting in economy worth it...instead the flight is essentially a commute. If I have to fly somewhere for work, I greatly appreciate the benefits (however small they may be) of flying with elite status.

Now, if I'm flying for vacation, yes, 8 hours in a regular economy seat doesn't seem that bad for 2 weeks in paradise.

I have flown over 60 thousand miles the last 2 and 1/2 years on airlines such as Cathay Pacific, United, Southwest, AA, DL, JetBlue.
I had no elite status with any airline because I flown all different airlines with different alliances for the most part.
Similarly, I used to think coffee wasn't very good... before I had good coffee.

Let's put this thread on ice and come back to it when you've had even mid-tier status for a year.

I am AA platinum and I only got it for the 100% bonus. I'm supposed to get comp upgrade on Y and B fares, but I only receive it IF they SELL my seat. There have been times where there were empty seats in first class and I didn't get upgraded. I've asked the gate agents for comp upgrades and they tell me I'm not eligible even though the AA website says I am for Y and B fares. I have tried to educate them with no success.

Travelling without status is fine BUT travelling with status is much better.

To me, it is the upgrade thing which is overrated... For domestic flights, I really don't care about upgrades.

But what makes Elite status worth it for me are 100% bonus miles, SDCs, lesser fees, free checked bags (if I need them), elite check-in and security lines. If I get to the top tier elite status, I would definitely appreciate the ability to book and cancel award tickets at will.

For me, flying in First or Business is nice, but if I don't get upgraded, I still get the choice of the best seats in Economy... but really it's the other things that make it worthwhile. When things go wrong, I get incredibly good customer service, If I miss a connection due to weather, I get the paid for hotel while others may sleep in the airport or have to pay for their own hotel. I can SDC, and for me one of the best things is I can change the award tickets as often as I want. ^

Honestly, I think that having status is so much more than just getting free upgrades.

Agree, I should of simply said the bulkhead seats are the worst seats on the plane.

Unless it is a bulkhead in row 1 of a 2-cabin plane:) As much as I hate bulkheads I would rather have a row 1 bulkhead in first class than an exit row in coach:)

Unless it is a bulkhead in row 1 of a 2-cabin plane:) As much as I hate bulkheads I would rather have a row 1 bulkhead in first class than an exit row in coach:)

I was "upgraded" once from an exit row to FC and was stuck with a bulkhead seat - I regretted it. The meals are worth less then $10 to me. Granted the seats are way more comfy, but it gets back to leg room and a place to put my laptop bag.

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Someone flying 60K in 2 years won't really understand or appreciate the benefits of being an elite flyer. The perks don't kick in often enough to feel like it makes a difference.

If you're up in the air every week for 4 or 5 hrs a time, or monthly trips that run 8 hours or more, the perks of elite status makes more sense and feels more necessary.

I was "upgraded" once from an exit row to FC and was stuck with a bulkhead seat - I regretted it. The meals are worth less then $10 to me. Granted the seats are way more comfy, but it gets back to leg room and a place to put my laptop bag.

For my flight Sunday I was happy to have a bulkhead in First. We landed a little after midnight and it was nice being the second one off the plane since I had a long drive home. Since it was a 4 hour flight the free IFE and meal (even though it wasn't that great) was nice. Just too bad I had to drive home and couldn't enjoy the free booze because the flight attendant was continually going through the cabin refilling wine glasses.

If it is a an hour flight on a small aircraft then I could see people wanting an exit row over a FC seat, but I still prefer a bulkhead first to a coach exit row even on a short flight.

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Someone flying 60K in 2 years won't really understand or appreciate the benefits of being an elite flyer. The perks don't kick in often enough to feel like it makes a difference.

If you're up in the air every week for 4 or 5 hrs a time, or monthly trips that run 8 hours or more, the perks of elite status makes more sense and feels more necessary.

I completely agree unless your a full time road warrior for work or travel every week the benefits would not be known, plus with all that I have read regarding airlines upgrades for members you might as well not have any expectation so you are not disappointed.

You're not a frequent traveler when an university student that goes home to HKG from YVR for summer and CNY flies more BIS than you.
Add in some cheap MRs from SEA on UA/US and you had AC Elite/*G.
(Had because now AC is 50% miles, hence why I fly CX that route.)
In 2003 I made Elite spending less than $3K.

Got a good laugh from this title... I guess it is a case of "the man" keeping you down...

I spend an average of 12 hours a week either in the air or interacting with my airline. Yes, UA is going through some merger hiccups right now and to the leisure traveler it would not be a big deal. However, it is about quality of life. If there is a delay or cancellation then I have a vastly larger option pool than the leisure traveler for getting to my destination. I can think of many instances when this was the case. One in particular...

A few weeks ago when the FAA's ground control operations center in NJ/NY was struck by lightning the eastern seaboard was a mess. Due to my status, I was able to get routed through a *A carrier and be back home that night. The rest of my team(none have status) were stuck in the Northeast for an additional 48 hours because of the chaos that was created.

The more traveling becomes a part of your life... The more these fringe benefits become an asset. Yes, upgrades, priority boarding, no bag fees, shorter security lines are great. It is when the system gets out of sync that the status becomes truly valuable and appreciated.

Pick an airline and stick with it. Eventually, you will see the true benefits that are not written on paper...

You're not a frequent traveler when an university student that goes home to HKG from YVR for summer and CNY flies more BIS than you.
Add in some cheap MRs from SEA on UA/US and you had AC Elite/*G.
(Had because now AC is 50% miles, hence why I fly CX that route.)
In 2003 I made Elite spending less than $3K.

Up until the last AP point change for TPAC Tango fares student from YYZ going back to HKG summer and CNY will make AC Elite/*G without any MR.

Well, traveling IS much worse without elite status. At least for me, as a small women. I have flown Southwest before. Not only is it the same price (or more expensive) from MSY, then because I am a small woman, I am shoved aside. Because I am small, they let the 400 pound woman sit next to me and they DON'T ask her to buy a second seat because she can sit on me. No amount of once-in-a-blue-moon news stories where they remove Kevin Smith from a plane to get publicity can replace the reality of my experience on Southwest Airlines. They don't treat small women fairly or decently. Or at least they didn't in 2003. I would be afraid to ever try them again.

Flying Northwest, KLM, and now Delta, I am treated with respect. I get upgrades, exit rows, or economy comfort. I frequently get lounge access. I get free drinks and sometimes food. But, most important, because of the upgrades and exit rows, I am not shoved aside as a person of no importance who should be sat on, as I was on Southwest. I may get dirty looks from other passengers who think a small person should not get a good seat if there is a tall person on the plane, but SkyTeam respects the value of my loyalty. If I'm flying every month, and the 400 pound lady flies once in a year (it was probably less than that, judging from my conversation with her), then she should not be entitled to better treatment than I get based solely on the fact that she's larger than me. Survival of the big and strong should not be the rule of thumb on public transport.

Being Elite makes a great deal of difference in how you are treated and whether you are respected if you are from a group of people that is traditionally disrespected and shoved aside, as I am, being a short female.

If you get treated the same on Southwest or these other "junk" airlines as I do with Elite status -- then good for you. My experience was otherwise. Very much otherwise.

As for millions of people without Elite status are just fine, it depends on what your definition of "just" and "fine" is. Millions of people don't fly at all. Millions more fly only when need be and are miserable, terrified, and complaining the entire time. Those long lines of people waiting in the "cattle line" to get screened for Southwest Airlines don't look "just fine" to me.







The notion that traveling is much worse without elite status is incorrect in my opinion.

No one can disagree that elite status is great, and all the perks it comes with like upgrades free bags etc. and some day I will also be an elite with UA. I am simply pointing out that travel is still great without elite status and you aren't destined to have a terrible flight without it. Millions of people don't have it and I am sure they are just fine.

Until you have airline elite status, you won't know what you're missing. If someone didn't have eyes or ears or a tongue, the person wouldn't think anything of it...until the person acquired eyes, ears or a tongue.

The whole air travel process is way more comfortable, faster (due to shorter check-in lines) and cheaper (due to having various fees waived) and less stressful due to having elite status.

Back from 4th TATL trip to LHR on contracted gig. Out of the 8 segments i was op-uped on 6 of them.

That is not WORTHLESS!

This was a one price consulting contract with 4 visits to London built in. Premium travel does not start until the 5th trip due to their "failure to meet time or performance milestones" The difference between premium seat and DL EC seats is a $12,000 contribution to my pension fund.

I have sat in regular economy, going through regular security lines, sitting at the gate instead of a lounge. My travel experiences for the most part have been fine. I sit and watch a movie for a few hours and get to my destination.



Good for you.

Glad you enjoy it.

I prefer the pointy end.

But once you start flying 50k+ per year, ESPECIALLY on shorter domestic trips, the elite status is a big benefit. For international trips it means lounge access, priority seating, better customer service, possible upgrades, ect. Domestic travel usually means more frquent trips so having priority securitty lines and check in really saves time and sanity. Upgrades are ususally much more frequent.

Lounge access, priority seating, upgrades, etc. are being monetized these days and can be bought for token amounts per trip.
For the occasional traveler it may be worthwhile to buy a cheap Y ticket but spend a little bit more on Economy comfort (E+) and perhaps buy a 1-day lounge pass.
For the loyal frequent flyer this means LOWER upgrade probabilities, OVERCROWDED lounges, and LESS seat selection.

It is similar to anything in life - if you have not experienced it, you cannot appreciate it.

If you also like getting less for your money then no status is for you!

It is similar to anything in life - if you have not experienced it, you cannot appreciate it.

Well said ^

Just flew BOM-SIN-NRT-LAX in coach, but with Star Gold status. The status was HUGE:

1) Flew a domestic flight to BOM that landed 4.5 hours before our international flight. With Star Gold, we were able to bypass the HUGE lines for check-in (and check-in early since they said no at first but said yes once I said "Star Gold"). Because of that, we were able to head to the lounge and have dinner there (saving us $35+ for 2 people).

2) Being able to board early on an A380 is huge if you're in coach. Poor fella across the aisle boarded 20 minutes after us and had to gate-check his bag.

3) At NRT, we were about 22 hours into our journey, and being able to hit the ANA lounge for a shower was definitely a huge hit. Plus the transit was at about 1am LA time, so being able to eat dinner in the lounge and fall asleep immediately after departure helped with jet lag issues.

4) Priority bags were out first and got us through CBP a lot faster (though Global Entry seems a lot more appealing after my first TBIT experience in 7 years).

That was on an international flight. Even domestically, elite status really helps. Just in the past few months, I've been able to change a flight to an earlier one (saving $50 each time), check a ton of bags for family trips ($100s), and get better service over the phone and at the airport.

That said, to each their own. 60K miles per 2.5 years is pretty light ... I used to be in the 30K a year range, but having done 86K miles since February, that seems too little!

60K miles in 2 1/2 years is a tad less than 25K miles/yr. You need 25K EQM to even reach the lowest elite status ... the lowest elite status is a bit better than your current non status (affectionately referred to as gate lice/Kettle class - as in Ma and Pa Kettle). Decent elite perks don't really kick in until 50K EQM/yr and IMHO, aren't great until you're flying 100K EQM/yr.

At 100K EQM/yr (or even 50K EQM/yr), you definitely recognize how nice the perks of status are. I was a UA 1K for a few years and whenever a flight cancelled, I was usually automatically rebooked on the next flight. My coworkers with lesser status were usually left behind, waiting until all higher status flyers were accomodated.
But again, you fly so little annually that you aren't going to appreciate the elite perks. Post again when you fly 100K miles in a year with multiple airlines and don't have status beyond silver - I guarantee you'll have a different assessment of the value of elite status. And I guarantee you'll start aiming your travel toward one main carrier/alliance with a second carrier/alliance as a backup.

Here's a question for you. Have you ever flown in F or even C?

I have flown over 60 thousand miles the last 2 and 1/2 years on airlines such as Cathay Pacific, United, Southwest, AA, DL, JetBlue.
I had no elite status with any airline because I flown all different airlines with different alliances for the most part. I have sat in regular economy, going through regular security lines, sitting at the gate instead of a lounge. My travel experiences for the most part have been fine. I sit and watch a movie for a few hours and get to my destination.

Also People make it seem the airline and the flight is the whole vacation or trip. It's their to get you to and from where you need to go and back

Now of course sitting in first class is great, and getting upgrades is great, but in reality sitting in economy for a few hours isn't the worst thing in the world as many of you FTers make it out to be.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying First Class, but it's not so terrible sitting in in a regular seat for your flight watching a movie and just relaxing.

I know I will get highly critized but all I am saying is economy isn't as bad as you people make it seem.

Along with others, my main perk is

--> extra leg space <--

either in the exit row, front row bulkhead, Economy Plus or by upgrade. I'm 6'7" and simply don't fit into a regular economy seat.

I would love to see an accurate spreadsheet of the extra costs of loyalty, including MRs. In my case it is often much more expensive than just choosing the cheapest carrier. The spreadsheet would give the products reasonable values - like $10 not 50$ for lounge access. People like to pretend they are getting the best value with their status, but this isn't always the case. Think about all the missed upgrades, priority bags out last, etc. It's a good deal and I'll shoot for it when it's reasonable, but it's certainly not aa amazing of a benefit as say signup bonuses

I would love to see an accurate spreadsheet of the extra costs of loyalty, including MRs. In my case it is often much more expensive than just choosing the cheapest carrier. The spreadsheet would give the products reasonable values - like $10 not 50$ for lounge access. People like to pretend they are getting the best value with their status, but this isn't always the case. Think about all the missed upgrades, priority bags out last, etc. It's a good deal and I'll shoot for it when it's reasonable, but it's certainly not aa amazing of a benefit as say signup bonuses

True. How much value do you place on elite checkin/security lines? Depending on the airport, that single perk can save you more than an hour of your time.

True. How much value do you place on elite checkin/security lines? Depending on the airport, that single perk can save you more than an hour of your time.

I have saved a LOT thanks to Same Day confirmed being free. There have been times the flight I want on is more expensive than a later flight, so I will book the later flight and 90%+ of the time I can same day confirm into the earlier flight for free (would be $50 each time if I wasn't elite). There are also times I wil book the latest flight of the day because I am not sure if I can get out of the office early at the time of booking, and if it works out I can leave early I just SDC into the earlier flight.

And the security lines are great as well, especially since I can use TSA precheck thanks to my elite status.

True. How much value do you place on elite checkin/security lines? Depending on the airport, that single perk can save you more than an hour of your time.

That's also another one of those benefits that can be had with a free credit card signup.

That's also another one of those benefits that can be had with a free credit card signup.

What credit card gives you elite security line access that is fee free?

A couple will let you board with the lowest level elites, but not use the priority security line. The only one I know of that does is the Delta Reserve card and that has a hefty $450 a year fee

I hope elite security line access is a benefit the airlines NEVER give credit card holders.

I travel medium to long haul internationally and haven't used mileage runs to achieve Platinum status, but have been judicious about things like almost getting to Diamond on Delta and then holding back to get rollover miles, or mileage challenges etc to get to Chairman on US.

I have benefited in terms of:

1) Time-saver/convenience it is great in terms of faster check-in times in places like CDG, JFK and even TLV and shorter customs lines at CDG.

2)A bunch of domestic upgrades on US and DL when I'm in the US and an op-up to business from TLV-AMS with my wife and 2 kids on a KLM 777 which was a highlight of the trip for the kids.

3) Serious cash savings on checking luggage when traveling with the family (we have a lot of bags traveling back to TLV from the US).

4) Cash savings on food/drinks when I can go to the lounge instead of buying refreshments at the airport (even better when with the family)

5) Earlier boarding allowing me to carry-on my luggage and get it in the overhead so I don't risk involuntary checking (and more convenience when traveling with the kids)

6) Will likely upgrade from coach to business on a future PHL-TLV flight which is a nice free perk

7) I'm taking my whole family to Morocco on AF in October on miles and if I cancel the trip up to 72 hours before, there are no cash penalties to credit the miles back to my account.

I don't think I'd go out of my way to get it in terms of MRs or whatever, but for someone who travels as much as I do, it's a big time/money saver.

I'll try to apply this topic (poorly) to another aspect of life. Gasoline prices.

If you drive 1,000 miles a year, you're probably not all that concerned with gas prices. But if you drive 20,000+ miles a year, you're going to be more sensitive to gasoline price changes.
While that's a poor translation to elite status, I find the same lack of care/concern for fuel prices among those who don't drive/drive very little.


It only took me one transatlantic redeye to see the value of Global Premier Upgrades (6/yr as a 1K ... at the time, they were called SWUs) - the difference between flying a flight to Europe in Y vs C was huge. I was tired for several days after traveling in Y, while I was rested and ready to go after getting decent rest in C. When I ran out of upgrade certs, I'd use miles to upgrade.

The spreadsheet would give the products reasonable values - like $10 not 50$ for lounge access.

This shows it very much depends on individual circumstances.

I had lounge visits which - admittedly - had a "reasonable" value of $5 (typical price of a soft drink at a European airport). But I had others, which saved me full meal - perhaps $25. And occasionally, I spend a full day in the lounge, because I travel often in or to countries with poor flight connections. Working in a lounge then saves me, apart from food and drinks throughout the day, perhaps the equivalent of a day stay in a air-conditioned hotel room - this can easily amount to $200 ... and if you consider the value of the work I can charge to my customers you can almost add another zero ...

So what is the "reasonable" value? 5, 25, 200 or 2000 ?

Yes - I didn't count in my analysis either the cost savings of free wifi or the amount of work I was able to get done in lounges which was worth a lot more.

Yes - I didn't count in my analysis either the cost savings of free wifi or the amount of work I was able to get done in lounges which was worth a lot more.

And you can also have access to a desk and outlet (unfortunately not the case at the DTW main SC now that they have torn out the work areas and you have all these people getting admitted with groups and am ex cards). Shower can also be nice. I do redeyes a lot from Vegas and CA cities. I can enjoy the whole day in the city, the majority of the time I am upgraded (which is great for me on a redeye, much easier for me to sleep) or will have an EC seat with more legroom to relax and sleep better, and when I land I can go in the skyclub and shower and grab a bowl of oatmeal or a bagel and fill up my travel coffee cup and head straight to the office instead of having to go out of my way to go home and shower and change and eat and head to the office.

Where is there a shower at the skyclub?

Where is there a shower at the skyclub?

Most of the major airports SC's that do international flights have showers.

The main SC at DTW has a couple showers (which is the airport I land at on redeyes).

Their locator tells you what SC's have showers:
http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/airport_information/delta_sky_club/sky_club_locations/index.jsp

I will be flying to London tomorrow night and due to my status with Delta will have one hour use of Yotel when I land Weds morning as well so I can at least shower and change after clearing customs. I know some airlines also have arrival lounges in international cities with showers.

It depends on how much and how far you travel.
I've had 60K miles in about 2.5 months one year. Believe me, not having to wait in the TSA line, is a life saver. Not having to wait till the end to board a plane means I won't have to gate check my luggage. I had a co-worker once who gate checked his small suitcase and somehow they forgot to put it on the plane. Not a great thing when you are a business person traveling for work and you don't have your clothes.

As far as First class vs economy, sometimes it's night and day. I can sleep, I can recline. I can relax. I might get free meals. I get treated better. Many times nobody sits next to me. I rarely sit next to screaming kids.

When you fly multiple times per week and some of your flights are 5+ hours, it is worth it believe me.

The no gate-checking is critical - I have had "Roadshows" with clients where we are in 3-4 cities in a 24 hour period and getting my carry-on luggage lost would be very problematic.

Where is there a shower at the skyclub?

JFK SC has 'em. Those are among my favorite lounge shower facilities anywhere. Not as great as the LH/LX FCT/FCLs, but awesome after coming off a redeye from LAX.

I think it's overrated among the current FT population -- many of whom are here for credit card offers, hotel status, etc. I certainly survive without status and while it would be nice, I don't go out of my way to get it because I don't fly enough to make it worthwhile and because of that I would rather save the cash by flying the cheapest fares.

If I were to fly enough and not have to spend too much more on fares to get elite status with one airline (or possibly get matched or a trial offer that would make it worth my time/money) I would probably stick with that one airline despite fares costing a little more. As it is now, I usually end up booking Southwest because it doesn't have change/cancellation and bag fees. The hundreds I save doing this pay for those upgrades where I really want the comfort. I might miss out on some international F redemption opportunities but it's so much faster and cheaper to earn miles through credit cards and other promos that again the money saved is more worth it to me.

Where is there a shower at the skyclub?

JFK ATL DTW NRT are one's that I have showered in.

I think it's overrated among the current FT population -- many of whom are here for credit card offers, hotel status, etc. I certainly survive without status and while it would be nice, I don't go out of my way to get it because I don't fly enough to make it worthwhile and because of that I would rather save the cash by flying the cheapest fares.

If I were to fly enough and not have to spend too much more on fares to get elite status with one airline (or possibly get matched or a trial offer that would make it worth my time/money) I would probably stick with that one airline despite fares costing a little more. As it is now, I usually end up booking Southwest because it doesn't have change/cancellation and bag fees. The hundreds I save doing this pay for those upgrades where I really want the comfort. I might miss out on some international F redemption opportunities but it's so much faster and cheaper to earn miles through credit cards and other promos that again the money saved is more worth it to me.

Not really. I don't stock to one airline, as I have 2 statuses. I do, however, have status spread out over all alliances for maximum benefit.
I also like taking advantage of all the promos that I can, and also understand how to get points from a non FF perspective, but I end up doing both when I am in Canada.
Change fees are usually paid for by employer, however.

JFK ATL DTW NRT are one's that I have showered in.

I've also been in SLC that has them.

Nothing super-special about elite status, just makes the bus trip a bit more bearable.

And you call yourself a flyertalker?

JFK ATL DTW NRT are one's that I have showered in.

Probably all airside - the problem is usually when I need a shower it's when I'm arriving from somewhere overseas and since I have to go through customs first, I likely can't get back in for those, with the exception of the Terminal 4 shower at JFK which is landside but isn't a DL club.

Probably all airside - the problem is usually when I need a shower it's when I'm arriving from somewhere overseas and since I have to go through customs first, I likely can't get back in for those, with the exception of the Terminal 4 shower at JFK which is landside but isn't a DL club.

This is exactly why my favorite airport is Frankfurt - Lufthansa has a Welcome Lounge where you can arrive, clear immigration and customs, get your luggage, and then go to the lounge, have breakfast, take a shower, have your clothes ironed (if you are a senator) while you take a shower, and go about your work.

I plan to do just that tomorrow.

I have done that at the Virgin arrivals lounge in London and it's great.

60,000 miles over 2.5 years is a fairly light amount of travel. Until about 2 years ago, I traveled annually about the same amount, maybe 20k-25k miles per year. When I traveled that much, the elite perks were insignificant. In addition, entry level status on most airlines is also moderately beneficial, and many of those perks can be had just by having the airline CC.

But once you start flying 50k+ per year, ESPECIALLY on shorter domestic trips, the elite status is a big benefit. For international trips it means lounge access, priority seating, better customer service, possible upgrades, ect. Domestic travel usually means more frquent trips so having priority securitty lines and check in really saves time and sanity. Upgrades are ususally much more frequent.

Finally the 2x bonus miles earned through elite status help with the family life. My wife hates my constant travel, but when we can go on a trip anywhere in the world in business class each year using miles, she is much more tolerant of my travel.

So I would agree that in your situation, elite status isn't that desireable. Flying 25k-30k miles a year is where you start to appreciate it, but it's still not that great. Personally I didn't really appreciate it until I was in the 50k+ miles a year.

For the win.
If wifey's not happy, ain't nobody happy.:p

For 1-3 hour business flights, I'll agree with the OP; elite status is a convenient, ego-stroking perk that simply makes the travel experience more enjoyable and more efficient.

However....once you start crossing oceans and/or bringing your spouse on a romantic getaway, elite status can make or break the trip.

I've staggered from the back row of a 777 from Hong Kong, hungry, smelly and having not slept for 36 hours. I was a total wreck for several days afterwards.

I've also awaken after 7 hours of sound sleep in my private little pod, had a hot meal before landing, deplaned and walked to a lounge where I had a shower and a change of clothes, ready to start my day.

My vacation days are precious. I prefer to enjoy each and every one...especially if the missus is with me. That's where elite status pays off in spades.

For the win.
I've staggered from the back row of a 777 from Hong Kong, hungry, smelly and having not slept for 36 hours. I was a total wreck for several days afterwards.

That was you!!! :D

When I was traveling weekly, status was helpful during irrops (was mostly on CRJs, so no upgrades but a free snacks). Now that I'm mostly leisure, I just make sure I'm in a premium cabin for vacation, and don't really need status.

BUT, when I have travel for work...I miss my old status. SUre it's only 20 more minutes in security. I have lounge through my AmEx. But when they did OpUPs on my international flight (when I had flown 22k on their airline in the past 5 days, and would willingly have paid for the upgrade!), I did want to cry.

Would I ever, ever, do a MR to Hong Kong to get status? Never. Would I spend several hundred dollars to get status if I were close? Probably. Did I stupidly choose AF for my last flight to get Delta status? :o Step One: My Name is...and I'm a Mile-a-Holic

That was you!!! :D

When I was traveling weekly, status was helpful during irrops (was mostly on CRJs, so no upgrades but a free snacks). Now that I'm mostly leisure, I just make sure I'm in a premium cabin for vacation, and don't really need status.

BUT, when I have travel for work...I miss my old status. SUre it's only 20 more minutes in security. I have lounge through my AmEx. But when they did OpUPs on my international flight (when I had flown 22k on their airline in the past 5 days, and would willingly have paid for the upgrade!), I did want to cry.

Would I ever, ever, do a MR to Hong Kong to get status? Never. Would I spend several hundred dollars to get status if I were close? Probably. Did I stupidly choose AF for my last flight to get Delta status? :o Step One: My Name is...and I'm a Mile-a-Holic

I know people in HKG so not an issue for me to do MRs there.
But, most of my MR is done to NRT/Europe.
And, DL>>> AF.

Status is important to me - I hate not having status mostly when traveling with the family. I have two young children and a wife to travel with me, so lots of stuff to travel with.

Beginning with seat selection options opened up via status, ability to find additional frequent flyer seats, ability to have earned more miles than non-status individuals to be able to book more rewards seats.

Next the check-in and the experience of not standing in line for too long with the family and having priority tagged bags. More chances to scrape by with a little extra weight in the bags.

Security Checks - taking the shorter line and quite often being able to select a line without the body imagers.

Lounge access - a place to cool the heels before getting on the plane and not dealing with the lack of seats or the noise. Having a childrens area to keep the kids busy is also a good start to the flight. Grabbing a couple of free bottles of water for the journey is an added perk. Perhaps a mimosa before heading to the gate.

Upgrades - enough said.

OpUps - rare but has happened to me now a number of times.

Boarding - taking the wife and kids and all our bags onto the plane and being able to get settled without people pushing past and having room to stow the bags make a great start.

In flight i find certain flight attendants do actually treat you a little more courteously if they know you have status.

Arrivals - having those priority tags bags arriving earlier than others to be able to clear customs and be on our way.

Basically the less hassle I can have with the family on trips we take together is what makes it worth while to me.

I don't mind flying without status too much when it is just myself or when my family is taking a domestic vacation. For my family we generally take 1 or 2 international vacations each year with the long flight being greater than 10 hours.

With life time status hopefully lasting my lifetime and not the lifetime of my program then I am content for now.

E

Agree, with all that stuff about the family, also one of the main reasons I like status (especially for the baggage allowance and shorter lines) but I got flamed for it on the DL forum just this week for suggesting that it was ok to seat my wife and kids with me in "Economy Comfort" seats when they all aren't platinum like me. Some people take their status a little too seriously!

I think it depends on the airline. If you're flying Jetblue, Virgin America or to some people Southwest airline status doesn't really feel very important. On B6 and WN everyone is basically the same and there's only one class. On all three service in Y is good with F/As who really seem to care about people.

However, on the major airlines flying without status sucks. Bad seats (fewer and fewer cheap seats can be selected in advance without a fee), no guarantee of overhead bin space, checked bag charges, everything is basically ala carte etc. The only aircrafts where status don't matter are the CRJ-200 and the ERJ-135/140/145 (if you can get a single seat).

As an AA EXP, the thing I value most from my status is the SWUs. I am hooked on travel and consider the flight part of the overall trip/experience. With my SWUs I have the ability to fly business class to my International destinations (all picked based on decent CPM fares) that I've wanted to visit. I may have to adjust the time of year I travel to work for better fares, but my work schedule and 5 weeks of vacation a year allows that.

Having free checked bags is nice when I resort to that. Most of the time I'm carry-on only. But when I'm bringing back some great HEB vacu-sealed pre-marinated fajitas and some frozed axis venison from Texas, it's great to have the checked bags with no fees.

Upgrades on domestic flights are great, no argument there. In the past 4 years I've not been in Y on any flight longer than 2 hours. I am a bit spoiled there and do my best to ensure I'm in F on any longer flights. So far, its worked well for me.

Having status has certainly saved me plenty of $$$ and miles for upgrades that I would have otherwise purchase (if available). My annual spend is relatively low but I get to go to places I've wanted to visit,in business class,and explore new places each year. It'll be a long time before I run out of places I want to see.

Example: In 2013 I'm headed to Venice for Carnivale. AA airfare was not too bad and I used SPG points for a hotel during the stay. Two years ago I went to Rio for Carnival there so I'm looking forward to seeing the differences.

To make an overly long story short: AA EXP status is not overrated for me and what I get out of it. :D

I've been silver on UA, DL, NW and US, but usually not even that. Admittedly, most of this was before the proliferation of fees.

Maybe I've just been exceptionally lucky with upgrades, but I usually got upgraded as silver. The time I got to Vegas rested and relaxed and ready to party. The 8:30AM flight to Berumda after a 6AM connection, when I had a job interview as soon as I got there. The best one was a week before my last Silver status expired, on Christmas eve, flying from our California vacation to my parents in Pennsylvania with my girlfriend. Yes, it's just domestic F, I don't remember if they even fed us, but it was just relaxed and comfortable enough to make the trip actually fun. (Don't ask me how as a Silver I got us BOTH upgraded. I think I was upgraded at T-72 but she wasn't upgraded until T-24.)

Status isn't the best thing since sliced bread, but even for a lowly silver, yes, it's mattered a lot to me over the years.

I've been silver on UA, DL, NW and US, but usually not even that. Admittedly, most of this was before the proliferation of fees.

Maybe I've just been exceptionally lucky with upgrades, but I usually got upgraded as silver. The time I got to Vegas rested and relaxed and ready to party. The 8:30AM flight to Berumda after a 6AM connection, when I had a job interview as soon as I got there. The best one was a week before my last Silver status expired, on Christmas eve, flying from our California vacation to my parents in Pennsylvania with my girlfriend. Yes, it's just domestic F, I don't remember if they even fed us, but it was just relaxed and comfortable enough to make the trip actually fun. (Don't ask me how as a Silver I got us BOTH upgraded. I think I was upgraded at T-72 but she wasn't upgraded until T-24.)

Status isn't the best thing since sliced bread, but even for a lowly silver, yes, it's mattered a lot to me over the years.

Upgraded as a FO??? Are you sure?

If you travel light, doesn't care about lounge then elite status is not going to be very useful.

If you travel light, doesn't care about lounge then elite status is not going to be very useful.

If you fly in coach and are either tall or take flights 12+ hours in duration, seat selection (exit rows, bulkheads) can make a huge difference.

For me, holding only low and mid tier airline statuses these days, it's probably 80% about the irrops support. Even as a lowly AA Gold, if my flights get seriously jacked up, I know I can speak to a human being about it.

Each of my past three trips with family has run into irrops. And each time, I'm convinced that my status helped get me into seats on alternate flights whereas a non-elite wouldn't have gotten them.

A month ago, scheduled to fly ROC-CLE-MCI, 5 seats, late at night on UA. Weather hit ROC, most people got seats the next day. We and two or three other elites got moved to AA to ORD, and then we got the final five seats on an AA flight home to MCI at midnight. Literally, the entire Row 31 on the Mad Dog...never been so happy in my life to sit in the last row of coach next to the engines!!

Late last year, US had irrops and everybody at the airport was getting booked the next day. US Gold desk got us routed onto United and home that night. At least there, my UA status then kicked in and we got some E+ seats, but again I would have sat in the last row of coach and been fine with it.

On the flip side, flying without status on DL over the years, I've had two IDB's. Statistically IDB's are rare, but on certain flights at certain times of the day they are less rare, and almost exclusively doled out to non-elites. One was solo (which I didn't mind too much), and one was with family (which angered me). To this day, I'm far more willing to roll the dice on non-elite travel when I'm flying solo than with family. If there are 4 or 5 of us flying, I simply won't fly without it - even if it's basic low-tier AA Gold or UA Silver.

Of course, I also like the ability to check a bag if I like and I do like the occasional complimentary upgrade. But not being top-tier anymore, the upgrades aren't really as big of a motivator. It's really about peace of mind knowing that I will find someone to help during irrops.

Upgraded as a FO??? Are you sure?

It can happen, four times this year and counting for me! :p

http://cmk10.smugmug.com/Travel/Flyertalk-Pictures/i-36CdXbF/0/L/1008359-L.jpg (http://cmk10.smugmug.com/Travel/Flyertalk-Pictures/19735160_jnCDSF#!i=1767613750&k=36CdXbF&lb=1&s=A)

Agree, with all that stuff about the family, also one of the main reasons I like status (especially for the baggage allowance and shorter lines) but I got flamed for it on the DL forum just this week for suggesting that it was ok to seat my wife and kids with me in "Economy Comfort" seats when they all aren't platinum like me. Some people take their status a little too seriously!

In the spirit of compromise, perhaps you should have offered to sit with only your wife and one child in EC, sending the other(s) to the back. This offers several advantages:
- it preserves seat(s) for the (self)important elites
-it ups the sibling rivalry while decreasing the chance of their becoming DYKWIA (although with EC...that's not really a concern is it???)
-in the best possible scenario, the dejected child whines the whole way to his/her seatmates, who happen to be elites unable to get an EC. They then start a thread on the Delta forum, stating that you shouldn't have been allowed any seats in EC and should be forced to accompany your annoying child in the back...providing hours of amusement until the mods close the thread.

And please...this is in jest :D

:D Nice touch getting the screwdriver into that shot, CMK! ^

As an AA EXP it certainly makes a difference from immediate and specialized help during irregular operations to sitting up front most of the time. Those few times I fly DL a year (with no status) its a totally different experience. I usually will by a $39 DL SC pass from the kiosk just to soften the blow (at least pre fight).

As an AA EXP it certainly makes a difference from immediate and specialized help during irregular operations to sitting up front most of the time. Those few times I fly DL a year (with no status) its a totally different experience. I usually will by a $39 DL SC pass from the kiosk just to soften the blow (at least pre fight).

DL in Y, I have flown twice.
I load up on booze in the SC, bring oversized carry on onboard (which ends up being gate checked for free), and, when I hidden city, I give the BP to someone outside so they can use the lounge (in auto town).

I'm generally ok with being non-elite, but I have had two periods with heavy enough travel to gain some type of status.

I used to be A-list on Southwest, which was nice just so I wouldn't have to check in 24 hours in advance. I preferred Southwest at that point because they had non-stop flights to the places I was going. Saved time was my primary goal.

Now I'm Gold on AA, and I didn't really expect this to mean much of anything. However it's actually turned out to be surprisingly nice. I can select exit row seats and aisle seats near the front, even when the seat map would be locked out for non-elites. I get free bags. I get to use the PriorityAAccess line at the ticket counter, skip the line at security, and board first. Yesterday when many flights were canceled due to Dallas weather I was able to call the Gold service desk and get an agent without any time on hold.

All in all, I didn't realize how much time and annoyance even the lowest elite level would provide!

I'm generally ok with being non-elite, but I have had two periods with heavy enough travel to gain some type of status.

I used to be A-list on Southwest, which was nice just so I wouldn't have to check in 24 hours in advance. I preferred Southwest at that point because they had non-stop flights to the places I was going. Saved time was my primary goal.

Now I'm Gold on AA, and I didn't really expect this to mean much of anything. However it's actually turned out to be surprisingly nice. I can select exit row seats and aisle seats near the front, even when the seat map would be locked out for non-elites. I get free bags. I get to use the PriorityAAccess line at the ticket counter, skip the line at security, and board first. Yesterday when many flights were canceled due to Dallas weather I was able to call the Gold service desk and get an agent without any time on hold.

All in all, I didn't realize how much time and annoyance even the lowest elite level would provide!
WN is the best because they allow hidden city for a LCC in the US.
The best American carrier, is, however, American.
And, with GC's, I can get away with hidden city.

I am at LHR right now waiting on my flight back home to DTW and really appreciated the status this trip.

While I didn't get oped up coming over Tuesday I had an entire row in EC to myself which was great for sleeping. When landing I had access to Yotel for a shower (which I appreciated because my room wasnt ready at the hotel when I got there so it was great being able to shower on landing).

This morning at LHR the lines were pretty long for both check in and security and it was great just walking right up to an agent to check my bag and only having 2 people in front of me in security instead of waiting in the long line.

At the skyteam lounge now. Really nice two floors, and a lot nicer than the domestic SC's. Great hot breakfast layout on both floors and plenty of free comfortable seats, sure beats waiting in the gate area.

DL in Y, I have flown twice.
I load up on booze in the SC, bring oversized carry on onboard (which ends up being gate checked for free), and, when I hidden city, I give the BP to someone outside so they can use the lounge (in auto town).

You sir are why we have to show our ID when we use lounges :rolleyes: