I haven't flown on NW since I accompanied my father to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN almost a decade ago. So I have nothing to offer from personal experience, at least not recent experience. But based on what I have read about their problems, especially recent "slowdowns" as employees make their unhappiness unknown, I think $549 for six months of elite status on that carrier is way, way too much.

I have an idea... Why don't you all earn it by flying the actual miles. I find it sad and discomforting that i'm sitting up in first class with someone who got their elite status by paying a few hunderd dollars or saying at some hotels w/o actually EARNING it. I hope the airlines will move away from this practice and leave the first class seats to the folks who deserve first class seats, the ones who actually pay for them or fly the level of miles/segments to accrue elite status. In fact, I'm glad to see some airlines removing first class seats -- gives the folks who don't fly much less chance to sit up front.

"(5) UA and AA allow one member meeting a status mile threshold to confer elite status upon another member -- 75 K and 125K for one lower-tier (Premier/Gold) designee. For NW, 1200 Platinum Points (Y travel & above) for one Silver, 2400 for one Gold. For Qantas, 2100 status credits for one Gold. For Lufthansa, HON Circle status (600K over 2 years) for one mid-tier Senator. For Virgin Atlantic, each Gold member can designate one adult Silver member at the same address."

Can someone please explain how this works? Where do you go/call to confer elite staus on another member. Does this have to be done as soon as a new level is reached? Thanks

"Earning it"? Anything the airlines offer to attain elite status that one can take advantage of is earning it. I have an idea, why don't you continue to earn it your way, and when the all the airlines remove their first class seats as you suggest, you can isolate yourself in the cargo bay and consider yourself truly elite. Smiley face here, lol.

This is incomplete. For example, NZ has partner gold elite (for all gold elites, but this status is not the same as gold elite having no official benefit beyond NZ flights), SQ PPS Solitaire has supplementary (partner) status.

Generally you get a form (paper or online) to fill in, at time of (re)qualification. You can also contact the relevant elite line by phone etc to arrange. No time limit in my experience (being able to confer status on 3 different programs), although a delay won't lead to that status being extended - so there is no advantage to delaying (ignoring personal circumstances like wanting to avoid giving to someone you are in the middle of divorcing).

Welcome to FlyerTalk, gwilkins!

IMHO, there's a big difference between offering initial (first level) elite status, and offering it recurrently.

Most of the deals I'm familar with only work one time per airline or at most once every few years per airline (status matching, AA's Challenges, NW's purchase of Silver for 6 months mentioned just above your post, etc).

With the exception of UA (where you can buy Economy Plus access independent of elite status), the problem I have with your approach is that, as a tall person, that would mean I'd have to fly 25000 miles cramped in seats in which I don't fit, by which time I'll be so sick of the airline that I'll never stick around to get elite, all because I can't temperarily get elite access to preferred seats (like exit rows) which I could if they offered me temporary elite status (during which I'd rush to requalify). (AA's Challenge is a little different, but it doesn't require anywhere near 25000 miles, so a mileage upgrade or two can resolve that, by just starting to collect AA miles before you go for becoming elite. Or, in my case, I got their during their brief encounter with More Seats Throughout Coach! )

Furthermore, what's the big difference between sitting up front with someone who paid for elite status versus sitting up front with someone who paid for a discount First Class (or Business Class, whichever "up front' is on your plane) seat? The NW buy-in mentioned above costs more than one "up front" paid for at sale prices! Isn't it the person who paid full-fare First who should be resentful of an elite sitting up there who earned elite by flying but only by flying mileage runs on which the airline lost money???

Thanks for clarifying! Do you have per chance an online link for the United? I will call otherwise, thanks!

The people in First Class who got their status by working the system resent those in First Class who got an op up. The people who are in First Class due to their status earned by flying resent those who got their status by working the system. The people who pay discount First Class resent those who paid Coach but are in First Class because of their earned status. The people who paid Full Fare First Class resent those who paid discount First Class. And so it goes on.

Guess what? We don't get to make up the rules. If the airline says a person deserves to be in First Class, then the person deserves to be in First Class. If the airline says the person deserves status, then the person deserves status.

Airlines aren't charities; they have business reasons for their decisions (maybe not good ones, but again, that's not for us to decide).

One more: Brussels Airlines Privilege Platinum confers Platinum to a partner.

SmilingBoy.

Impossible gwilkins.

If Y is full with spare seats up front and there are standby pax waiting to get on and willing to pay big money, the airline shall upgrade from Y depending on status to get a bum on an otherwise empty seat.

Pretty narrow definition of "earning." Airlines are a business. Elite status is a business proposition designed to direct more revenue to a given airline than it would get otherwise, not a gold star on your report card. Airlines will, and should, continue to give it to people whose choice of airline and/or fare paid they think they can influence this way.

When it comes to this sort of thing, whether it's elite status on an airline, getting a number for the Boston Marathon or anything else, people tend to think that their method of "deserving" it is fair but all the others are a bit underhanded. 'Tain't so. Sorry.

Noted above now. Thank you.

I should add: Gold confers Gold.

SmilingBoy.

Anyone know if this is still true? The T&Cs on the link from the US site indicate the 10k EQM come after $25k in spending. Is there an offer code out there for 10k EQM up-front?