Originally Posted by Sweet Willie

Besides the programs for current members, companies are reducing lifetime benefits from those that earned them, so lifetime could mean very little in the future compared to what it does now. (my personal example would be United Million Miler)

The game has changed too much recently so that I would NOT recommend chasing lifetime status with any travel vendor unless one is very close to the threshold. (Then one has to hope the vendor doesn't screw with the lifetime benefits).