Forgive me if Information Desk is the wrong place for this - I couldn't work out the correct place to post this.

Much has been said about the introduction of Frequent Flyer programs with Texas International in 1979 and then American Airlines in 1981, but much of this discussion has focussed very much on the rewards side of things - earning miles, spending miles on free reward seats.

However, it's much harder to find information about the history of the status component of frequent flyer programs. Sure, airlines and other business have usually rewarded high-spending customers, but I'm intrigued to know who came up with the idea of the status benefits, and being able to produce a table of defined extra benefits given to people that achieve a certain qualification, and that qualification being publicised and measurable.

In essence, who invented the idea of membership tiers (like AAdvantage Gold/Platinum/EXP and United Premier/Premier Exec/1K) and introduced it into their frequent flyer program?

In this way, we're not talking about things like the very old Delta 100,000 miler club because that was just a plaque that people were given to recognise them. Similarly I'm hoping to exclude things like Concierge Key, Global Services and Emirates I/O, because they don't publish the qualification requirements for those to allow you to attain that level.

Who was the smart person that came up with the idea of airline status, which then locks so many of us into the programs that we use when flying? And which airline introduced it to market?

I'd love to know if people know much more about the history of this aspect of frequent-flyer programs as it doesn't seem to be as well documented.