How much did elite status cost you?
Nov 25, 2011, 11:39 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central Mass
Programs: Independent
Posts: 4,829
How much did elite status cost you?
I know most frequent flyers travel for business so elite status is a secondary concern, but how much, roughly, do you think you spent in travel this year and what elite status did that get you?
I fly on my own dime, and I figure last year I spent about $4500 to get platinum, which I figure was really good. This year I have spent close to $3000 and am only a little past silver right now.
I fly on my own dime, and I figure last year I spent about $4500 to get platinum, which I figure was really good. This year I have spent close to $3000 and am only a little past silver right now.
Nov 26, 2011, 9:00 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta DM, 4MM, SC, AmEx Reserve, UA Plat, SPG/Marriott Platinum, Hertz Gold
Posts: 2,383
I've spent less than $2000 this year out of my own pocket with DL, but my company has spent over $100K now on my travel with DL to fly 300K miles.
Nov 26, 2011, 9:32 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Mesilla, NM
Programs: DL DM 4.7 MM MQM Marriott Ambassador Lifetime Titanium AA CK
Posts: 2,714
I just finished putting in my last flight of the year. I am DM for next year and will finish with 198K MQMs that cost $22K. All business travel 1 international
Nov 26, 2011, 9:49 am
#9
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: AUS
Programs: AA Exec Platinum/MM, DL Gold/MM, Hilton Diamond, Accor Platinum, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,973
My employer spent about $10,000 and I spent about $1,000 to get me EXP on AA and PM on DL, not including a very nice trip in QR J that got me no status benefit anywhere. The DL portion was about $2,700 employer and $600 me, but about half my 2011 MQMs were rolled over from last year, so not a very good bang for the buck on DL. I would barely have made GM if it weren't for rollover.
Nov 26, 2011, 10:56 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: LAX/BOS/HKG/AMS/SFO...hmm, I need a life.
Programs: United1K, AA ExPlAAt, DL MM/Gold, Hilton Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 13,316
Not sure I look at it that way but I spent (and pretty much regularly do) $30-$35k total across 5 airlines. The largest chunks being UA/DL/KE
Nov 26, 2011, 11:05 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: The best state in the USA - Florida!
Programs: Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, AS MVP75K, AA PlatPro, UA Premier, Disney AP
Posts: 14,497
This year, the number is a bit higher - had some paid First Class in there, plus quite a few H/Q fares. Probably will end the year around $3500 to requalify Diamond (actual BIS miles will be around 100k and then the rollover).
Not too difficult to do when you can find transcons for $200 on a regular basis, earning well over 6000 MQMs a pop. I think I average something under 3.5 cents/MQM per flight - find good deals and book them.
All travel on Delta is personal travel. (For the occasional business flight, there is a damn good reason why I use the airline I use.)
Nov 26, 2011, 4:22 pm
#15
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Planet Earth
Programs: | *G | STE | HGP ♦ | SPG Au | MR Au
Posts: 3,772