These were two of my flights in 2003:
NW SFO-NRT-SIN 16,904 EQM for $357.58
CO OAK-IAH-DTW-IND 5,697 EQM for $121.50

At 2.1c/EQM,
50,000 EQM is $1,050
75,000 EQM is $1,575
100,000 EQM is $2,100

I don't think airlines want to sell status for so cheap.

The number of hours you have to physically sit on a plane keeps cheap flyers (like me) from displacing $50,000-$200,000/yr revenue flyers too easily.

For most people, the 200 hrs flight time & 200 hrs additional hours to/from airports necessary for 100,000 EQM is a big additional opportunity cost:
400 x $100/hr = $40,000
400 x $10/hr = $4,000

How about people who can bill $500-1,000+/hr?
Although I heard once that once your hourly rate goes above $500/yr, private jets make economic sense...

I wonder how many frequent travelers would snap up UA 1K/AA EXP for $2,000 if they didn't have to spend time on planes. Just consider the 6 SWUs/VIPOWs.

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Personal opinion: I'm sure this idea has been tossed around before, but why not use $ spent as a possible way to qualify.

Level 1: 25,000, 50 segments, or $10,000
Level 2: 50,000, 100 segments, or $20,000
Level 3: 100,000, 200 segments, or $40,000
Level 4: 150,000, 300 segments, or $60,000
Level 5: 200,000, 400 segments, or $80,000
etc...

With unlimited levels. That way people who spend $200,000/yr on flights are definitely higher status than us riff-raff flyers.

[This message has been edited by mitchell (edited Dec 24, 2003).]