Originally Posted by
suvayanr
No - I build status on the carrier that generally offers the cheapest fares out of where I live. Sure I may have spent a but on one or two tickets by avoiding LCCs but overall, but I don't think my spend is dramatically higher than what I would have paid if I just took the flights I took. And the small extra is worth it to me in the hours I've saved on airport lines, been rebooked on earlier flights when available, and been upgraded countless times on long haul flights.
This is more or less my habit pattern.
I could have years ago saved $ by flying Southwest out of DAL but the longer drive and the cattle car atmosphere kept me on AA out of DFW. Now that Southwest's prices have risen, I am not hearing folks in the office brag about flying Southwest.