flyerboi17

I currently just recieved silver status via the trial elite program (6segs total last saturday) and i currently have 18 segs for this qualifying year. I'm conflicted on how I should qualify for next year:

1.) Do 2 more 6 segment MR before the end of this year

2.) Ask US to match my status from Delta or UA

KEEP IN MIND IM AN 18 YEAR OLD STUDENT SO MONEY IS AN ISSUE. MY LAST MR I DID LAST SATURDAY (9/16) WAS $250 [CLT-DCA-LGA-BOS-LGA-IAD-CLT]. I've also noticed that i cannot find any 6 segment domestic trips, the best was 5.

LoganFlyer

As I mentioned in my response to your other post on this subject:

I don't know how long status from a status match lasts; if I were you, I might wait until the beginning of next year and go for the status match. Do note that a status match is typically a once-in-a-lifetime thing.

ackpfft

Since your out of CLT you have to deal w/ a lot of direct flights.
Have you looked into flying out of a regional airport that connects to CLT.
Flying something like Greenville to HPN would get you minimum 6 legs. Not sure cost though

Have you considered using United?
United CLT to IND is about $220 or so
CLT-PHL-IAD-IND and IND-ORD-PHL-CLT

All fits into about 14 hours of fun according to http://matrix.itasoftware.com/cvg/dispatch/prego
and you might be able to squeeze a 7th segment in there somewhere for an extra $20.

CLT to HPN is a bit cheaper but I think your flying props 1/2 the time.

flyerboi17

The Elite trial program will give you the status (if you do achieve the required segments/miles will last till Feb 28 of 07

McFlyPHL

If you already have status, they won't match. (ie DL silver won't get you diddly if you already have US SP...) It would also be foolish to burn a once-in-a-lifetime match on first tier elite when it sounds like the only reason you're flying is to gain status.

Finally, if you're on a budget and out of CLT, why, oh why would you need 1st tier on 3 airlines, especially with 2 of those in *A. You'd be better served consolidating on a single *A carrier and making a run for *A Gold.

alliance

I agree, you shouldn't even start thinking about going for status in more than one program per alliance unless you have already reached top-tier in one program.

flyerboi17

[QUOTE=McFlyPHL]It would also be foolish to burn a once-in-a-lifetime match on first tier elite when it sounds like the only reason you're flying is to gain status.

If i'm not flying for business purposes then wouldn't any other reason be for the fun of flying? Majority of the people on here are in love with flying (Mileage Runs, Op-Ups)! Being that i'm 18 its hard to find any business reasons to travel so yes I fly to gain status because it's what I enjoy doing the most in the world. Some people choose fancy cars, jewelery, drugs; flying is my addiction. I cannot believe a fellow flying enthousiast like yourself would say something so naive as "when it sounds like the only reason you're flying is to gain status". Shame on u!

McFlyPHL

You can only match status ONCE. Ever. The best case you'd get by matching is to extend status for one more year on each carrier in a "house of cards" fashion. And, burning that as a first tier elite in any program is foolish. What's going to happen when you need to use that match down the road, say when you get a job that requires frequent travel? It won't be available to you.

flyerboi17

I'm an air traffic controller in training and once my schooling is completed I will be using the FAA rate. With that special rate you are not able to earn EQMs (at least on usair) so I'm not sure when ill need to use it again. Id like to use the status match now because i'm so close (and i can only find 5 seg trip and even that is for $300) so its not worth spending $600+ for 12 more segs.

McFlyPHL

So you want them to match 1st tier elite from DL or UA to Silver. Fair enough. Now, how exactly are they going to "match" you to a status you already have? This is probably a better question for late Feb/early Mar. Even still, it's no better than 50/50 that they'd actually "restore" status via match to someone who qualified on the elite trial program and didn't actually qualify.

flyerboi17

You are such a hypocrite, you yourself are only Plat on AA (not execplat) you r silver on NW, what a hypocrite!!!

Myron you're a nice guy but im sorry you shouldnt have said that.

kinglobjaw

Could this be kinglobjaw2?
Nope, there is only one kinglobjaw !
Kid, yore only 1 year older than me, youll manage.

McFlyPHL

I'm sure you are intimately familiar with things like clients located in places served by one airline, or client demands that you fly a particular carrier, so we won't go into that here.

You really should look into trying out www.airliners.net. Seems more what you need.

flyerboi17

yup!!!!

BDLORD

Can I make a few suggestions to you?
Try to make status on one airline, as you see here the higher the status the more perks you get.
Flyer Talk is a great place to learn these things.
Save your status match for when you want AA Plat, UA Prem Ex, etc.
When I first started reading these forums I would fly on any airline and end up mid tier on a couple of them.
Thanks to all the great teachers here I have learned to use the system to my advantage.
BTW, I am one of those people who travel for work.
I have one or two flights a year that are leisure travel.
If I haven't said it, Welcome To Flyer Talk!
The search feature is your friend when it is working.
Jon