O.K. Since I'm one of the hated few who carries the Amex Centurion Card, I've been fairly sensitive to the complaining (whining?) I have seen about folks being able to purchase (or otherwise obtain) status in various programs without meeting the usual requirements. Yet something tells me that a fair number of you (like me) have been able to obtain all kinds of comps over the years. (AA Challenges? Starwood Platinum Promotion? Carry the right credit card?) So now it's time to confess (if you dare) the times that you have earned elite status without flying the miles normally required, staying the required nights or paying the fee that the program requires from the rest of us.

For example, in addition to my Centurion Comps, I have obtained the following over the past decade:

Airlines:
US: Comped to Gold for flying five Shuttle segments in the period shortly after USAir took over for Trump in 1992. Was renewed for a second year without asking, and with only minimal flight activity.

CO: Comped to Gold in 1992 for flying 5 northeast corridor segments in a promotion offered in response to the US promotion listed above. Able to "buy up" on two subsequent occasions when the previous year's flight activity fell short of the threshold for Gold.

HP: Comped to Chairman's Club in 1995 by returning an offer my father received from Hilton.

UA: Comped to Premier via InsideFlyer promotion in mid-90's.

AA: Comped to Gold via employer in 1994.

TW: Comped to some sort of status through InsideFlyer several years ago.

Hotels:
HHonors: Until recently, received comp to Gold through Amex Corporate Card. (As of 1998, the comp is only to Silver status.)

Marriott: My Gold status seems to renew itself annually whether I stay there or not.
I have a feeling that this list is nothing compared to what some of you have done. So, what about the rest of you?