Elite status on frequent flyer programs
 

Which frequent flyer programs allow you to become an elite member just by earning miles(eg. through a freqent flyer credit card such as AAdvantage mastercard) only and not take the minimum number of flights per year? In other words, can a user get upgraded to a higher elite level just by earning miles thorugh purchases, not through flying?

Ed

Unfortunately, no.

You must earn Elite status in the air.

AA has a lifetime Elite status for anyone reaching 1,000,000 miles (regardless of their source)

So if you're planning on buying a villa, use your AA Citibank card. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

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"I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."

Well put, JT, and welcome orangeed.

JT forgot to write that even the credit cards are limited (with Platinum cards good for up to 100K miles/year, I believe), unless you are already a Gold+ member with AA. -So in that sense, charging the villa would not help you be an elite member. (Although some FT-ers might trade you upgrade certs for a week's stay. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif)

The only thing I've heard of is bigshot CEO types that get comp Elite status - usually on the premise that they will (continue to) give a lot of business to that airline.

Don't help us grunts much, tho! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

-KP

Although in general you must fly in order to obtain elite status, there are some opportunities to earn miless which count towards elite status w/out flying.

I believe that Delta has a cobranded credit card which provides 10K base miles which count towards elite status. Perhaps if you apply for three of these cards, one in your name only (w/out including your middle initial), one jointly with your spouse (but with your name and FF number as the primary card holder) and then another card in your name (including your middle intitial) then you may be able to "earn" 30K base miles w/out ever flying?

I don't know if this is really possible, and you probably have to consider what the annual fee for the three cards would cost you. As far as I know, only Delta has a credit card which allows you to earn status miles.

Good luck.

orangeed .. welcome .. a good debut post! The others have answered it well. Re the "comped" status, this is really the only way to become Elite on any arline without flying.

Most will comp you if you prove tier level with another major airline.

OR I bet if you use one credit card for obscene amounts of regular purchases (not even villas!) they may well have some airline branded card at that bank. If they do, and it you expressed a wish to move your obscene $$ spending patronage to that airline branded card, on the proviso they comped you via negotiation, to elite with that airline, I bet they'd get it together.


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~ Glen ~



[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 08-23-2000).]

Delta does have a cobranded platinum Amex card that will get you 10,000 miles towards elite status. However, I am willing to be that is a strict limit of 10,000 miles per SkyMiles number per year! Therefore, if you take that offer, you would still have to fly another 15,000 miles.

Generally you only get 5k base elite status qualifying miles w/ DL Amex Optima PLATINUM Skymiles signup/enrollment. Also w/ Skymiles Optima PLATINUM, you could get another 10k NON-status miles for signup/enrollment AND in addition with PLATINUM only, you get 10k base status qualifying miles for every $25k/yr that you spend.

Other "usual" past DL signup bonuses:

DL Skymiles Classic- 5k NON status mi
DL Skymiles Gold- 10k NON- status mi

Another option is the AmEx Centurion card, which gets you instant mid-tier elite status with 2-3 airlines. (Delta is one, I forget the other(s), but threads in the AmEx forum or Amex can tell you.) It's unlikely that people who don't fly a lot would qualify or find it worth US$1,000 per year, but it's possible. You could, for instance, qualify by putting company purchasing or conference arrangements on a green/gold/platinum AmEx card.

Thanks for the clarification Doc - I think I remember they offered 10k base miles at one point, but that could have been the launch promotion.

efrem .. I use Amex for business purchases, and clock up a heap of miles, but they do not (here anyway!) count for Elite status ... is there a US card that does that?

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~ Glen ~



[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 08-23-2000).]

Actually, Citibank has a Platinum Select AAdvantage card that they never seem to advertise. It is not one of the new World Mastercards, but has a standard revolving credit line.

This card has no accural limits on mileage, regardless of status and if you purchase you AAdvantage tickets with it, they double the mileage recieved.



[This message has been edited by Gekko (edited 08-23-2000).]

Ozstamps - Efrem is talking about the US issued Centurion (otherwise known as Black) card. The membership rewards points don't count for status miles, but holding the card per se makes you middle tier elite on DL, CO, US (and possibly another one or two). I.e. if eligible, for the annual fee of $1000, you can buy elite status. I don't know if Amex offers Black in Australia and if so what benefits apply - the UK issued Black card does not give the elite memberships.

[This message has been edited by james (edited 08-23-2000).]

Thanks James .. yes I see what he was speaking of now. Amex here sadly are very far behind US and Europe.

I have over 800,000 membership miles as I use it a lot on business purchases. Sadly, all I can do is transfer Amex points to Qantas .. the LAST airline on earth I would wish to fly with to be honest!

Just sitting here and praying they open up same affiliations one day for MM points that they have in the USA, and I am sure UK. How many airline plans can you move MM points to in UK?

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~ Glen ~

British Midland, Air France, Virgin, Alitalia, Iberia, Qualiflyer (does it still exist?), Delta and Continental.

AA does grant Elite status to anyone who earns 1,000,000 Aadvantage miles since enrolement irrespective of how the miles were earned. One way is with the Citibank Platinum Select Aadvantage MasterCard (or Visa) which has an annual fee of $125.00. This card can earn unlimited miles (I know because my wife and I each have one). Provided you have a large enough credit limit and can find a way to push a lot of spending through the card, you can earn the 1,000,000 Aadvantage miles & thereby Elite Status, without ever setting foot in an Airplane.

You could do the same thing with a Diner's card by transferring 2,000,000 Diner's points into 1,000,000 Aadvantage miles. I personally don't know if Diner's has a cap on the number of points you can convert but I don't believe so.