Well since acculmating miles from partner sources, is like prepaying for future services, I think it would be appropriate for non-flight miles to count in part towards elite status. (After all, these are frequent flyer programs.) For instance, 1 non-flight mile might count as only 0.5 mile towards elite status. That would mean it would take 50,000 non-flight miles to earn the "basic" elite status on most carriers. How many people really earn that many non-flight miles in a year?? (Outside of people like us.) It'd be interesting to see the real numbers of additional people this sort of scheme would add to the elite roster.