I disagree. Getting EZ-Pass is very easy. All you need is a credit card. No time or money is necessary, beyond that needed to get a credit card, which most people already have.

Getting elite status, on the other hand, is not easy at all, unless you fly frequently for business, or you have enough time and money to fly for leisure on one airline enough to get status. Getting elite status requires a significant amount of both money and time, something that most air passengers do not have. Elite status must be renewed every year (except for the few people with lifetime status), whereas a credit card pretty much lasts forever once you get one.