Elite status is everything. Today, I booked a ORD-BDL flight on AA that will get me in at midnight instead of an UA flight that would get me in at a reasonable hour like 7pm. Why? Because seat 3A at midnight is better than seat 27E at 7pm.

At 6'4" and needing to lose a number of pounds, I probably pay for 50 AA upgrade stickers a year at $31/each. It's a price I'm willing to pay because travel is part of my job that lets me work from home, 860 miles from my official "office".

I have been elite on at least one airline every year since 1990, and probably will be for the rest of my life.

There are two reasons I try to attain at least some level of elite status: it's the only way I can get a confirmed aisle seat out of my local airport (or even a window -- I've been on flights with empty aisle & window seats but almost every middle seat filled) and it's the only way to avoid constant blackout periods if I ever try to use miles to get a ticket.

Great points by all but my main benefit is flying 15 hours to Asia from the East Coast of the USA in business at a cost of only 10,000 miles since I earn double miles as a Gold NW FF - now free lounge access for any flight would be nice too but I'm not holding my breath

[This message has been edited by beetee (edited 09-07-2000).]

I've got the life, thank you.

Avoiding the lines at check in will always be worth whatever it takes to be elite.

Pre-boarding is always a plus. Again, worth whatever it takes.

But the biggest reason is the 100% mileage bonus. My miles are all redeemed for International First Class travel. It was cool to be Gold, but Platinum rules.

As an elite, you are treated better. The dedicated numbers for the service desks are a plus.

Oh, did I mention it is nice to have one's ego massaged.

Upgrades, early boarding, preferred seating and check in, etc. are all great. However, now that I am about to retire with about 1MM miles banked on both DL and UA (probably 40% of them from elite bonuses), the opportunity to fly free anywhere I want to, in the front of the bus, for many years to come is pretty rewarding!

I have only taken one "mileage run" to acquire platinum status, and I would defend such action based purely on economic factors.

If one is close enough to status that one last, $78 round-trip kicks them into platinum status, they receive:

1-Miles for the specific (wasted) flight that they took.
2-Bonus miles related to that flight.
3-A higher bonus the following year on ALL flights.
4-Higher % of being upgraded for the following year.

As far as the "get a life" comment goes; we do have lives. Those lives include ten hours a week in the germ tube in many cases. Sitting in first class in the germ tube makes this tolerable, and if one has to burn a flight here and there to nudge over for status on a specific airline, then so be it.

"Get a life" sounds like a little animosity from someone who is stuck in slave class and just does not like the chains binding them. In some cases taking a mileage run makes a heck of a lot of economic sense.

I feel a Mileage Run is an investment, not a cost. A very cost effective investment!

OH GOD! I can't take it anymore. I have to fly upgraded or suffer unreasonably. Mostly by food, that isn't fit to eat. No coice of intoxicating liquids. Cramped sitting with difficult people and overworked unhappy F/A's. Little entertainment and unruly children, who fill the air with screaching noise. ON and ON!

Precisely! Well said, MRLIMO.

I don't do mileage runs but do appreciate the Elite Status (psychological and physical benefits). Let's look at my facts for 1999:

On my preferred carrier, Air Canada:
74 segments upgraded at time of reservation(no extra cost to me)
6 not upgraded (Dash 8 flights, no business cabin)

On Alliance carriers:
1 segment upgraded (no extra cost)
3 segments not upgraded

On carriers with whom I have no status:
6 segments not upgraded

You can see that upgrades drive my loyalty and I definitely appreciate it. I pay the same to travel Canada to France (on my preferred carrier -- about $800US) as I do to travel from France to Africa (on Air France) yet I get upgraded on Air Canada everytime and have yet to do so on Air France. Does the upgrade make my travelling life comfortable-ABSOLUTELY! . . . and the benefits don't stop there:

1. I get free worldwide lounge access on all carriers in my alliance (Star) when flying a Star carrier plus I get anytime access to Air Canada lounges (even when not flying--yes it has come in handy on numerous occasions). Also get to use Air Canada arrivals lounges when flying AC internationally regardless of fare paid.

2. priority check-in counters which speed things up most of the time

3. priority waitlist/priority standby-has come in handy on several occasions, when others were left at the gate

4. 2 extra pieces on Air Canada and 1 extra piece of luggage on all Alliance airlines (not something I would generally use but nice to have for those rare occasions)

5. have gotten other specials not available to general members--contests, extra mileage promotions, four 3 day free weekend car rentals etc etc.

6. free companion anywhere, any fare awards (i.e. buy one get one free)

7. gifts at higher thresholds

8. awards transferable to anyone

9. seasonal reward sales

10. guaranteed seat even when oversold if booked 6 hrs in advance in full fare

11. lounge passes to give to friends/family when they are not travelling with me

12. concierge service (don't use)

13. and the last BIG ONE: no capacity controls on reward travel on Air Canada--if a seat remains unsold at time of reward booking, they must free it up for my reward travel even if reward inventory is sold out.

Am I happy -- most of the time. Would I do a mileage run--only if I was short by a small amount or I knew I was really going to need it the next year (even more flying).

Would I recommend mileage runs--I say go for it as long as it doesn't affect your family, your financial well-being and that you have some fun at your destination at least!

You've sumed it up pretty good...
All of my 70 something segments on CP last year as well as 50 something segment this year were upgraded by the day of departure, only twice did I have to standby for an upgrade at the gate. On the 4 QF flights and 2 AN flights, I have not been upgraded. Getting upgrade plays an important part in my decision to go for mileage run(s) to get top status. MRLIMO described it well... it's an investment. An investment put in now to get the upgrades for next year. The $$ put in for mileage run is usually the value of an upgrade from Y to J on a single international trip.

There are several unpublished benefits of elite travel and biz/first class travel as well. Publishing them here defeats the purpose


There are far too many perks for biz/first (not just broader seat and better recline) especially internationally. An example of a biz class perk with AA through LHR - Geting received at the gate and getting special terminal transfer coaches without having to walk miles and wait for buses.

Absolutely. I recently took a trip transcon on AA. I could have gone direct on a 737-800 (in Y with a chance for a stickers upgrade) at an earlier time or connected on a 777 & 767-300 (in the J seats, b/c AA often will often utilize 3-class metal as a 2-class service). Also, there was more of a chance that I would get upgraded to F (which I was, and believe you me, F accomodations on a three class plane such as an international configured 777 is much better than F on a MD-80 anytime) on the connecting flights.

Reasons I enjoy being up front that I don't think have been mentioned yet...1. you don't have to worry that extremely overweight person in the waiting area will be sitting next to you 2. Kids won't be kicking the back of your seat (even if they're up front, they can't reach it) 3. Barfers tend not to fly up front. 4. I can sleep, even on domestic flights. The "get a life" statement applies to anyone that does too much of any one thing, including business travel...however I do think some fters go a little overboard by flying to join other fters somewhere. There is more to life than commiserating with other fters in some distant local. I'll see you on the plane instead!!

[This message has been edited by outoftown (edited 09-09-2000).]