This is a fascinating thread and ties in nicely with the quotes attributed to Randy Petersen in today's NYT regarding AMEX's new "black" card (ie the Centurion).

This card, for $1000/year, gives the holder intermediate elite status at four airlines. Petersen says "'Letting people buy their way into selective upgrades damages the relationship the airlines have with the true frequent fliers who flew their way there, the people who earned it the old-fashioned way,' he explained. 'It's like old money versus new.'"

I don't fly enough to qualify for the most elite levels on frequent flier programs and barely hang onto my AA Gold status every year.

And since AA cut my hub back a few years ago (BNA) and since SWA and Delta Express are becoming more and more important here, it's been getting harder and harder to even find a plane that has a FC section on it!

Because of these factors, I usually just pay real money for FC tickets - say on US Air for those trips to DC. Even on AA, if I absolutely want to be assured a FC seat, I buy it, rather than go through the extreme stress of trying to get an upgrade. AA always holds 2-4 seats out for "revenue" and doesn't release them until gate check-in.

Because there are two elite levels above me, my hit rate on AA for a FC upgrade is down to about 50%. On some runs, I always get it - on others I virtually never get it.

So, I just pay for it (or the client pays outright if it's a FC gig, or I pay the diff between full-fare coach and FC, which is usually not much at all).

Then, as a full-fare passenger, I think I should receive the best possible treatment, even though I may not be as "loyal" as someone who flies that airline much much more than I do.

But after reading the comments on this board, I have a lot more respect for frequent-fliers.


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"Living well is the best revenge"