To all those Golds who are hoping that a third tier won't change their benefits, give your head a shake.

The published benefits may not change but the very fact that you are now second tier and not first will have a significant impact. The Platinums will be the ones getting the upgraded seats before the Golds. I'm sure some MVPs get upgraded to FC but not nearly as often as a Gold. In 2011 we will be saying the same thing about Golds.

If history tells me anything it's that loyalty programs degrade after over time. There may be no changes to MVP or MVPG over the next year but we know they are coming. It wouldn't surprise me that the MVPP benefits look surprisingly like the MVPG benefits of today. This Alaska's way of devaluing the program (a huge liability - but a necessary evil) without appearing to do so.

So to all those MVPG's who fly between 40,000 - ??,??? this isn't a welcome announcement.