Is this thread about status benefits now? :confused:

I probably would say Mr. Pillows:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ws-thread.html

FYI. I seriously doubt neither this FTer or that one is the same Mr. Pillows referenced in the above thread though.

Centurion comes with full PM benefits and a PM card. However, to get to Diamond, you start at zero miles rather than just needing the difference between PM and DM.

Same for US Air.

I was talking hotel statuses, wasn't even thinking airlines.

Let's see...125 actual nights in beds.

56 Marriott
21 Starwood
0 Hilton
0 Priority Club
20 Hyatt

Assumes "perfect" hotel hopping on SPG and HY plus threshold spend on HY Visa and HH Visa or Amex. That gets you four very good top-tiers. (PC Plat is lame IMHO.)

Still have 30 nights to throw at a couple of niche brands like Kimpton, Fairmont, etc. Or you could probably have some sort of out-of-the-box top-tier from another cheaper brand that gives it away via some other non-stay method.

Granted, I wouldn't necessarily *want* to do all of this Starwood/Hyatt hotel-hopping. I'd probably do what CPRich does - throw my additional nights towards the higher tiers of SPG Platinum. I've never chased Hyatt myself.

But a true status nerd *could* do it... :p

You bet. Visiting friends and family. I do 300k BIS a year. Less than 30 nights a year in my own bed, and except for resorts, I doubt I spend more than 15 nights a year in a hotel.

I don't like being home or in my home city. Watch the same TV bs, the same people, the same old BS - who wants that?

Maybe true for airlines, but one Marriott credit card from Chase gives 15 nights' credit, which is more than enough for Silver status with the Marriott Rewards program just from having the credit card; one Citi Hilton credit card similarly gives Gold status in HHonors; and I believe one of the Hyatt credit cards also gives elite status in their frequent guest program.

Back to the OP's question, I would suggest Randy himself might be in the running. Also, in the early days a FlyerTalk member named variously Merry and Merry Flyer (as I recall) said because of his position in industry he got complimentary elite status in most frequent flyer and frequent guest programs.

Min effort status
 

One can easily get the following with min effort

Citi HH reserve = Hilton Gold
Amex Plat = SPG Gold
Chase United Club = Hyatt Platinum and Avis Executive
Amex Hilton = HH silver
Le Accor Free status matches come every few months

Barclays cards x 2-3 = US silver
AA lifetime status if done by 2011 via cc spend or churns
DL Silver
TK by status match
Aegean - 20k flying over 1-2 years
UA up to Plat with old CO pres Plus card

That is already 11.
With status matches that can be increased easily

As mentioned before, it is quite easy to obtain hotel status:

Accor PLT: given for free every once in a while
Hyatt PLT: Hyatt card
Priority Club PLT: Priority Club card
Hilton Gold (Silver): Citi HH reserve card (resp. Amex Hilton)
Marriott Silver: Marriott Rewards Premier card
SPG Gold: Amex PLT card
others smaller brands also possible

Note that these hotel cards are normally really good to keep given the AF/free nights ratio. The car rental "status" are quiet easy to obtain also (e.g., via Amex Plat card).

For airlines Aegean status are almost free to keep once you achieve them (which is not hard at all at 20k for *A Gold)

So it is quiet easy to have a 8...12 FF status