Originally Posted by hnechets
I would only ask how important is elite status when you get to the point that you only fly occasionally? I mean, yes, the preboarding is nice and all, as is the extra mileage, but if you only fly a few times a year, I don't see the benefit as a big deal.
For one thing, it makes it easier to keep earning miles, at least at the main airline that has lifetime status. AA Elites get 6000 miles a year just for doing 3 iDines each month (of any amount), whether they fly or not. Just that ALONE, on a lifetime elite status, can get you a free domestic coach flight (or one way transatlantic upgrade) every four years that you wouldn't get if you weren't lifetime elite for not necessarily more than a dozen or two bucks a months (for which you get served food, too!).
Keep in mind that probably a lot of the people who would want lifetime elite are people who are flying a lot on business for a while but later (either due to a change of jobs or retirement) won't be in that position any more, but they'll still want to get SOME benefits for the years where they were able to spend flying a lot on business. With airlines that don't have lifetime elite, the ONLY benefit you can carry over if you stopped flying a lot on business is any miles which you may have saved up.