BearX220

I would not spend a single solitary dollar on status as bling. I don't want anyone but me to know such things anyway.

Courtesy upgrades no longer come with any regularity / predictability for most people (UA GS, etc. excepted), so I think loyal spending behavior in the expectation of same is a waste. Wanting free upgrades is certainly a dumb motive for going after Gold or Plat.

I am moderately motivated to spend more to get priority boarding and better irrops experiences. You can buy the former a la carte, one flight at a time, and I would not trust the airlines to deliver consistently on the latter even if some kind of queue-jumping product were offered.

PWMTrav

Spot on.

For a better IRROPS experience, you can sort of buy that in the form of lounge access - obviously applicable only if issues strike while you're somewhere with a lounge. For sure getting to the lounge and asking for help there beats sitting in a phone queue.

I have noticed in the unofficial sense that if you have some status within the alliance or with a partner, many airlines will treat you a little better anyhow. For instance, I have AS MVP, and when I was working out an issue with AA last year they had me calling them back at the EXP number so that I didn't have to wait. That's of course at the discretion of whoever picks up the phone, but I've appreciated that.

For me and my ~25k a year, it's nice to have bottom tier somewhere to speed along the slow parts of the process - check in (we always check bags), boarding and phones. But even without, it's not that much worse, and on the whole I'm happier shopping on schedule/fare/product (in that order) than I am forcing flights on a carrier to ensure status. I won't have any in 2017 as a result, but my 2016 travel has been better.

BearX220

... or choose a carrier with lower IRROPS incidence. It confounds me how some people stick with an airline known for low reliability because their status affords somewhat better service recovery... when they could have less stressful, more predictable travel on a higher-reliability alternative, status or no status.

roundtree

If they live somewhere with multiple hubs (like NYC), then I could not agree more. Instead, if they're stuck with one large choice and lots of bad, small ones (like DFW offers), then the situation is not so clear cut.

Personally, I stick with AA because they have the most flights out of DFW, not because of status (per se) or service. Status is a nice-to-have, for me, not a must have.

dinanm3atl

Technically they do. You can earn status in less than a month, maybe in a couple weeks if you have the time. Just need to buy international flights and fly a few.

Just outright selling it I'm not sure why. Charge double the MQDs and just 'get it'.

BearX220

Excellent point. If you are a hub captive in DFW, MSP, PHL, etc. it is difficult to give up nonstops and frequencies in return for better reliability. What puzzles me are people who base in Chicago or New York or San Francisco (for example) who continue swearing by UA status when more reliable, higher-quality alternatives exist.

Some people would rather be Super Gold Executive on a bad airline that doesn't work than Standard Person on an airline that does.

Alex_I

- Recent changes in FF program simply discourage loyalty to a single carrier. As AA EXP my domestic upgrades clear 60% of the time, the food in F is mostly uneatable since they switched about >2 years ago, and availability of discount awards with AA virtually disappeared. Should I stop flying AA, I will be still lifetime PLT. Admirals Club membership buys you travel support in case of delays and interruption.
As SPG PLT I am also Crossover Rewards member - this means elite treatment just a notch below Delta Silver without any flying and dollar spending requirements. So next week I am flying both DL and AA on the same itinerary simply because the flights are more convenient.
Marriott PLT also means that I am United Silver without taking a single United flight ever. I wouldn't mind flying UA next time.

PWMTrav

Depends on where you live. My primary airport, PWM, is best served by AA and fares are somewhat high across the board. If I'm willing to drive 90 minutes, BOS might be the most competitive airport in the country and I have my choice - including nonstops to most places I want to go. But for someone living near ATL or PHL, they have one brand of dogfood.

I agree. Status benefits have been reduced to the point where it makes the most sense to fly on price or what's most convenient as the primary factors.

BearX220

Even that is hit or miss. The AAngels at the ORD AC have done wonders for me during snow irrops once or twice, but at other clubs, other airlines, particularly at far-flung outstations, there are frequent reports of staff refusing to help.

prncess674

Can you break down your flying pattern as to how you only spent 3K to fly 100,000. I suspect you are doing a bunch of bargain basement transcons or international flights in economy. So even if you did have a higher status your likelihood of ever being upgraded on those flights, even as a 1K are pretty much nill.