This is a post in response to the thread about American Airlines extending elite memberships through 2003.

And here's the question: When an airline extends your elite status an extra year, how does it affect your travel plans?

I can say right now that if my preferred carrier extended my elite status, I'd either: a) cut back on personal travel in general, and explore the area around where I live more; or, b) try to make elite status on another airline through a fast track promotion. (And if I did make elite status on the other airline, there's always the chance that I'd discover I liked the other airline more, and would defect to them...)

How would it affect others? Would you stay loyal to the program that extended your status, or would you abandon them at least until the end of the year in the quest for status elsewhere?

Of course, I don't think we here at FlyerTalk are a good representative group for how people responding to these gestures. I mean, some of us are the sort of people who fly halfway around the world for a 4 hour visit to Asia, all in the quest for more miles. We can't be considered normal.