Is Diamond the Most Exclusive Level?
 

Just curious. Does any other airline have a level for 125,000 miles? I don't recall seeing one but have only researched it a little. If not that would make Diamond the most exclusive level in the industry.

Thanks.

It is not. There are many airlines with higher status levels. Although you can't just compare 'miles' since they may be accrued at different rates for different fare classes, and some airlines do not use miles for status.

LH HON requires 600,000 miles in two consecutive calendar years for example

Other programs do not use miles, but would require a lot more BIS miles especially if travelling in discount economy:
BA GGL would require 3k Tier Points to renew, which would be 500k+ miles if travelling TATL in discount economy.

Thanks. And idea on the domestic carriers?

There are unpublished invitation-only levels.

Expanding...

Global Services is United's highest tier, above 1K (100,000 PQM/120PQS), and does not have published qualification requirements.

American's Concierge Key, while not technically an elite tier, carries its own set of VIP benefits, and its unpublished qualification requirements are anecdotally higher than Global Services.

Edit to add: Delta 360 is above Diamond. This is the newest invitation-only offering from the legacies, so I am not well versed in it.

Delta 360 is quite nice. I have heard that you get bumped to the front of the upgrade list for you and 1 traveling companion who does not have to have status.

Then there is also some other help that even DMs don't normally get. Like a dedicated phone line, among many other perks.

But it seems that you have to actually fly and MS does not seem to count.

LH has a special unpublished invitation level above HON.

Diamond requires more miles than 1K or ExPlat, but Delta also allows more MQMs (PQMs/EQMs) to be earned from credit cards and also allows MQD waiver for DM which UA does not allow or 1K.

Theoretically, one could spend $220k on four Delta credit cards and earn 100k MQMs and the MQD waiver. This would allow alternating annually between PM and DM without ever stepping foot on a DL plane. I have no idea why any would do that, but it's possible. OTOH, AA credit card EQMs are capped at 10k/year for $40k+ spend.

Above DL 360 would be PrivateJets too, if you're looking for a truly elite experience...

Anyone can sign up for private jets. And if anyone can do it, it's not an elite benefit.

EK platinum requires 150,000 tier miles. But its easy enough to reach that in about 5/6 trips in J or F from JFK to HYD.

Touche. However, with DL Private Jets you get Diamond Status. Is Diamond, therefore, not an exclusive level, and 360 the only true, to-be-earned status level?

DM is exclusive, but not as exclusive as it can be. If someone wants to spend $100K to be a Private Jets member, then they should get DM. But 360 is another beast all together. And since it is invitation only, how one "earns" it is not known, so one cannot try to earn it.

How can you definitively say that 360 is quite nice, and then speculate on the benefits?

IIRC I have seen your name before on TPG and you often say how you fly D1, so I would imagine you would be 360 if you fly as often as you claim. However, then wouldn't you be aware of the perks?

The first rule of 360 is that you don't talk about 360.

Or so I've been told.

All I know is that so far this year, I have been upgraded on 12 domestic segments (all award tickets) but traveling alone. I seem to recall something about companions also getting bumped to the top of the list, but have not been able to confirm.

And I have had many reticketing fees waived. Yes, I had to pay the $450, but had the "change in fare class" waived for over $3,000.

Also there is a special phone line. Best operators in the system.