With the change in AA's program, actual flying is the only way to achieve lifetime status. And for travelers whose occupations don't require frequent business travel and with the mileage totals you've indicated you have, it will take a long time to achieve lifetime status.

But what's your real goal in trying to get to million-mile status? There are generally five major advantages to status: higher baggage allowance, increased miles earning rates, lounge access, flying in business or first class, and a better customer service experience. That order pretty much goes from lowest priority to highest in my mind while others will have a different point of view.

In a sense, you can achieve the first four of those through credit cards. First, many of the airlines' co-branded cards, such as those associated with AA and UA, now include a free bag as one of their perks. If you travel with checked bags more than a couple of times per year, the money saved more than justifies the annual fee.

Second, you won't get a higher earnings rate for flying, but given that many frequent flyers who are not regulars of FlyerTalk probably never think of the kinds of credit applications that are a fact of life here, you'll still earn miles at a higher rate than the average traveler by collecting bonuses. Short of the "Up in the Air" kind of traveler, you're more likely to get 50K miles from an airline by taking its credit card than taking its flights.

Third, lounge access now comes easily through several high-end credit cards. Amex Plat offers access to a number of airline lounges while AA and UA both have higher-end cards that allow access to that airline's lounge. Figure the cost here to be higher--$400-500 for the annual fee--but, if you fly more than a half-dozen times per year, that fee can be worth it and certainly more sensible than buying an annual lounge membership.

Fourth, status offers the possibility of getting upgrades from coach to a higher class of travel, but assuming you're using the techniques you learn about here at FT, you can accumulate enough miles to get business or first-class travel on your own.

Finally, while there is no doubt that status will improve many aspects of customer service, such as the assistance you may get when weather and equipment problems cause significant disruptions in your travel plans, you can achieve some of this by avoiding DYKWIA syndrome and, again, learning and using techniques discussed here at FT. If you consider overt recognition of your status by airline employees to be a part of good customer service, however, you won't be satisfied with this approach.

I came a little late to the lifetime status party myself and even using credit card apps with Citi/AA, couldn't accumulate more than 250K miles before AA changed its program. I, like you, have a job that doesn't require much travel. I will never achieve lifetime status with any airline. Nevertheless, I've found that I have achieved a "status lite" with a number of airlines by following these steps.