For the larger question...

Low yield flyers with first-tier elite status: you're gonna fly coach sometimes. So you want a bearable coach product. And that means AA/UA. And as the previous poster observed, neither of those carriers give elites unlimited domestic upgrades, so there's the chance of an upgrade for the lowest level elite. So I'd tie those two for lowest level elite -- followed by NW because Silvers do pretty well on upgrades there (but heaven forbid the upgrade doesn't clear and you have to fly coach. Ugh.)

For top-level low-yield elites, I'd say AA is the best program. Upgrades on any fare internationally. UA returned mid-year to giving out international upgrade certs good on any fare. But at UA the highest level ("UGS") is now reserved for high revenue flyers. And while UA always had a VIP program for its high revs, the UGS program is now more formalized and larger.

Now, at the mid-tier I might be a bit more torn and say Northwest - because a NW Gold is going to fly up front most of the time that they stick to NW metal.

Looking beyond the big 6, HP and AS gave good programs for low yield flyers. Who knows what next year will bring though, esp. with AS?

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View from the Wing: A blog about Free Miles and Free Markets