Originally Posted by
ft101
It's hardly devastating to not make a low status level in a frequent flyer program. Maybe a tad annoying with changes being made part way through your qualification period, but even here on flyertalk its been said not to base your travel plans round FF status but on quality/cost/timing etc and however you personally prioritise these.
Many, if not all, FF programs have devalued so much over the years they are a shadow of what made travellers go out of their way to climb up the levels.
The fact that some can gain gold status by simply using a credit card to obtain tier points, never having set foot on Emirates metal really sticks in my throat, while those who fully fund their own travel and are loyal to EK may now never even make it to silver.