What if all frequent flyer programs and frequent guest programs were to adopt a system similar to TWA Aviators? That is, members were rewarded with elite status based on what they spend rather than how many miles (or segments) they accumulate and how many nights they stay. After all, aren't these programs designed by their companies to attract business? Here is an example of the sort of thing I mean:

Suppose you frequently take short trips at a very low fare that equates to $100 per segment. You do these with a airline that will give you elite status for flying 30 segments. Thus, you obtain elite status with that airline by spending $3000.

On the other hand, suppose you only do 5 trips a year at 4 segments each, but as a business traveler, you cannot plan far enough ahead and spend an average of $250 per segment. This amounts to $5000 and you do not qualify for elite status since you only had 20 segments.

Which of these two travelers is more valuable to the airline? Certainly the business traveler spending $5000 has generated more profit for the airline.

Suppose that all of the airline and hotel programs were to provide elite level tiers based on dollars spent rather than frequency.
For example:

$5000 qualifies for elite level 1
$10000 qualifies for elite level 2
$20000 qualifies for elite level 3

I came up with these number using 20, 40, and 80 segments times the $250 per segment cost.

A similar schedule for hotel programs might be:

$1500 qualifies for elite level 1
$5000 qualifies for elite level 2
$7500 qualifies for elite level 3

I came up with these figures using $100 a night as the base cost and Mariott's Marquis scale for number of nights (15,50,75).

Would not such a system be fairer to the business traveler? Who do the program want to attract anyway? I am not suggesting eliminating traditional qualification levels, but merely adding another way to qualify.