How important is the plastic?
 

Hi everybody,

I wonder how come I haven't wondered such a lively forum so far!
I would like to get your opinions on the following: How important is it to you to possess a tangible plastic card when you join a program (even when there are no magnetic or chip functionalities attached)? How do you feel when a program sends you an account number by e-mail and that's it.

Cheers

I desperately need those plastic cards:
* I am looking forward for the flight sitting next to Merry and playing bridge with those cards
* at my age, and having missed all body-building courses lately, it is the only thing left for me to impress others when I (not very discretly) look at them - only when others are watching
* if I don't speak the local language, and may be even the writing is not latin, how could I communicate my so very important VIP-status?

I very much like the piece of plastic in my hand, this is for several practicle reasons:

1) I will loose the number if it is e-mailed.
2) If I don't loose the number I will forget I ever registered.
3) I have a 'business card' folder with all my FF scheme cards in, which my Travel Arranger holds. That way I don't have to bother about cards at all. But if there is no card there is no way she would remember a number from an e-mail.

I really appreciate those schemes which include a prober card in the application form. I strongly dislike those schemes who say they will send you a card after you have made a number of flights.

Now, what I would really like to see is a scheme which automatically sends you two cards. One for your secretary/travel arranger to hold and one for you when you travel.

Nick

Baysal: Ignore Rudi. He has been bitter and twisted ever since I got my Lufthansa super-Titanium, gold edged, platinum embossed, personalised number, VIP, invitation only, limited edition, super elite card. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Nick

When I applied for One-Pass for my 2 and 4 year olds this year using CO's on-line application, it put a full color "card" with the new one-pass number and their name up on the screen for you to print at the end. I printed them in color and put each one in their respective wallets, next to their gold Amercian express cards, airport tarmak ID passes, and their Playboy club ID cards.

Baysal: Ignore Merry: He "only" accumulates cards - but never flies.

By the way Merry: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif that LH (chatting) event with you - and the out-come - knocked me down. The chatting protocoll (and a copy of the LH letter when they denied to give me Senator free for a year) is in the hands of my lawyer - they think of sueing Lufthansa and you Merry for the psychological damage they/you have done to me and for the psychiatric treatment I need now.

[This message has been edited by Rudi (edited 04-27-99).]

Having the plastic is very handy when visiting lounges of partner airlines. The lounge reception staff cannot always know from your ticket or boading card that you are an elite member of a partner airline.

It also nice when checking-in at a hotel. Then there's no doubt that you are a member of the hotel's program even if it's not mentioned on the check-in clerk's screen.

You can even point out that the hotel actually has a program, as I've had to do more than once ...

[This message has been edited by Austman (edited 04-27-99).]

I like them cause they're pretty.

double post

[This message has been edited by SCMM (edited 04-27-99).]

Because of all the valuable metals involved, I have grouped the Platinums, the Golds, the super Titaniums, etc., and melted them into very handsome bricks of each individual metal. You might ask, "What happened to the Silvers"? Well, I just use them for belt buckles for all my ranch hands.

I like the cards. Actually, mine does have the magnetic stripe with account number, coded on there. Makes it useful when making reservations at the city ticket office or counter. Besides, without the card, how will I be able to break into my house when I return late on a Sunday night and have locked myself out and need to "jimmy" the lock out back??? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

What else whould I have handy to use to scrape ice off the windshield of my rental car?

I like the cards for a real reason! Northwest and United allow you to earn bonus miles for checking in at an E-ticket kiosk. The magnetic strip on my cards allows me to use this check-in method, bypass long lines and earn 250-500 miles in less than a minute.

I try to minimize the cards I carry, and keep a list of numbers in my e-diary. Also makes it a lot easier if I get bumped on another airline.

Mileage Addict, Please tell me which airports I can use this e-ticket check in and earn those bonus miles. THis is a great topic... May I suggest creating a new thread on this... this is a great tip~

Now getting to the topic at hand...

I keep ALL of my frequent flyer cards in a nice wallet folio with my U-A upgrade certnficates, business cards, a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse card and other stuff. It's fun to flash my wallet and impress people (especially of the female gender! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

But it's frustrating when like on MONDAY... I LOOSE MY U-A MIleage Plus PremEx card! Luckily I memorized all my ff and hotel #'s and the secret codes so I can't go wrong.

I also keep a picture of my cats in the wallet, which gets even more attention.