Originally Posted by Punki
This will mean that we are limited to only 50,000 credit card miles each, per year as basic members.
That limit applies only to the "Visa Classic."
http://makeashorterlink.com/?L2DA52E79
Cardmembers can earn up to 100,000 miles on the Gold Card or 50,000 miles on the Classic Card each calendar year based on net purchases. There is no limit to the number of miles to be earned with a Alaska Visa Signature or Platinum Card.
And IIRC you've mentioned in the past that your employees use the AS Business Visa from which you earn miles, though I could be mistaken.
Can't find the link, but the T&C popup on the BofA site says
Individual Level Earning Plan Cardholders can earn up to 150,000 miles each calendar year based on Net Purchases and Company Level Earning Plan Cardholders can earn up to 200,000 each calendar year based on Net Purchases.
But I've gone a little specific to AS here, and really the question is 'how much does status matter?' and I guess it depends on the airline.
First, what are the primary benefits of status?
1. Upgrades. In the case of AS you give up your complimentary upgrades a few days in advance of flight. But if you spend enough on the credit card you can always burn miles for upgrades. 10k miles to upgrade each way off the lowest fares is still comparatively cheap, especially for the transcons. But do you really want to spend 10k miles on SEA-SFO? Probably not. So it depends on your routes as well.
2. Priority checkin. With checkin kiosks, elite priority checkin no longer seems quite as important.
3. Priority boarding/seating. Priority seating matters on UA with E+. Otherwise, sitting in the front of the plane doesn't mean as much (except with carriers that still do middle seat blocking). Priority boarding matters when you carry on lots of stuff and need the overhead space. But since the TSA restricts to one carryon, there's generally space to go around. Not always. And without status you could wind up having to gate check your bag occasionally, though likely not.
4. Bonus flight miles. You lose this. Miles may not be worth what they used to be anyway, and how much the marginal miles matter to you depends on how quickly you earn from alternate sources.
5. Priority waitlisting and priority baggage handling. How often do you really use the fomer? How often does the latter actually wind up happening?
There are other benefits, of course, and program-specific benefits. But truth is if you earn enough miles and can always upgrade then elite status doesn't matter a whole bunch. You don't need elite status if you're already in First.
Alaska is certainly a program that has altered its value proposition substantially over the past few years, going from limited upgrades issued to elites but confirming those upgrades out of paid inventory and providing class of service bonuses for upgrades... not to mention 5000 mile upgrades each way with the same benefits.. to unlimited upgrades from any fare for MVP Golds... to restricting both inventory and fare for those unlimited complimentary upgrades.
But this is a phenomenon across the industry. Are the airlines watering down their focus on loyalty? And does it really make them better off?