My 2P status expires on 2/28/06, but I've found from past experience that booking travel (whether award trips or paid trips) prior to expiration will allow me to continue enjoying two elite benefits even if the travel occurs much later in the year, when the status will have expired.

For my purposes, then, earning 2P status every OTHER year is quite sufficient.

First, one can get economy plus seats, and one can get a non-status companion into an economy plus seat if booked on the same PNR. Second, one will be issued "gold" boarding passes at the airport enabling early boarding.

What I plan to do this year is to book 4 flights (2 paid, 2 award) in this manner for the remainder of 2006 in order to enjoy the "informally extended status". I hope nobody tells anyone about this; this is a secret just for FT members who may be in a similar situation.

As a related matter, I was very pleased with my ability to get saver awards in late January for upcoming trips in late March and early May from CA to MKE (including a domestic open jaw return from DCA) and to BHM, respectively. The key in both of these bookings was not having a companion, as I obtained the last saver award seat on key segments in both cases.