Well, thanks to Watertown, Watertown, and more Watertown, today I was awarded top-tier on US. That, added to my existing top-tier AA, top-tier NW and top-tier Alaska gives me all three alliances plus a partner to many.

AA EXP Oneworld cost 9.1 cents per mile or $9,113, almost all for business.

NW PE SkyTeam wasn't tracked by me. 40% business, 20% pleasure, 40% MR.

AS MVPG (non-alliance) cost 12.9 cents per mile or $5,013. 80% business, 20% pleasure.

US CP Star Alliance cost 0.7 cents per mile or $704, entirely MRs to Watertown.

Who else has (or will have) the coveted tri-fecta this year?

Sorry but I don't really covet elite status with NW.

925 I'm proud of you

One day hope to reach top tier on at least oneairline

WOW! I thought it was a huge milestone for me to reach UA low-tier (Premier), but obviously I kiss the ground you walk on! Then again, perhaps for a full-time student who only has 3-4 months to actually fly, reaching elite status is a big accomplishment. Congratulations!

By the way, which program do you like best?

In early 2004, there was a student who flew twice the miles in a few months than I fly in a year. His story is a MUST READ: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...ghlight=africa I was totally awe-struck by what he did!

Best Program? Well, it depends on where you need to fly.

NW is a pain from SEA, since it always starts with a flight to MSP, DTW, or MEM, cities I wouldn't otherwise see. Their domestic upgrades are free, and also free for a companion. Far better upgrades than AA!

I fly a lot to the Caribbean, and AA is very, very strong there. I love being top tier with them. Being Plat wasn't anywhere near as fun! AA doesn't have a good long-haul product like BA or SQ, and I dearly wish they did.

I have been VERY impressed with US. I got comped Gold due to my other top-tier statuses right before I started the trips to Watertown. I got upgraded every mainline flight I had with them when I stuck with my original flights booked long in advance. Their seats are cool, and better than AA. Their F is bigger (26 seats?) than AA, so that many more opportunities to get upgraded on US. Their domestic upgrades are free, and also free for a companion. Far better upgrades than AA! US flies a few of the places I need to go, so I will be trying them out, but I had to wait untilI re-qualified for AA EXP first, to make sure I got the 100K BIS. I also need to see what happens with the US-HP merger, but I have high hopes!

I'm about at a different kind of tri-fecta. I'm Platinum with Marriott, Diamond with Hilton, and only Gold with NW, but on track to be plat by Thanksgiving.

It takes a similar amount of money to get to be top-tier with hotel programs. The time factor is not really directly comparable.

With the right job, I could be top level with two airlines (I'd be flying at least 4 segments/week), but I question the wisdom of spreading the miles much thinner than that. I don't think Hilton or Marriott (or the rest) are going to be out of business any time soon. I'm not that sanguine about the legacy carriers. And if we're down to LCCs, they have very little incentive to attract frequent flyers, so they might not bother.

I's even say OUTSTANDING JOB!!!

My hat is off to you.

Junkie-

Wow, that's impressive. My hats off to you

I thought I had the trifecta plus one because I'm low tier (HP), mid tier (AA), top tier (UA) and only tier (FL), but you have beaten me 925!

Congratulations... I need a job where I could get 80% of my miles from!

Good job, 925, that's a lotta BIS, especially with all that RJ flying on those Watertown runs! Alas, I'll only have the triple crown for a few months this year...AS MVPG, UA1K & AAEXP...won't make it on AS for next year due to the "big push" to get over 2MM on AA...which will happen October 8th. Congratulations...now get yourself a little well deserved "home" time!

EXP on AA, Gold Tier on BA (AA before 6/30, BA before 7/31) and 62000MQM on DL (need 75000). Also Presidents Circle Hertz, Marriott Plat, etc. etc. All it means is that I live on the road. I am also an elite with United, but do not know why, as I hardly ever fly them.

Great thread idea. This one got me thinking.
US Chairman's Preferred (124 segs thus far), NW Gold (probly not for much longer), Marriott Gold forever (formerly Plat), Hilton Diamond through part of '07, Starwood Gold (will be Plat by end of year), Hertz Gold, National Car Exec Elite Plutonium. . . etc.

I used to spread out my flying a lot more (AA, UA, US, CO, and NW), but realized, thanks much in part to FT, that it really pays to focus on a smaller number of programs and hit that top-tier. At least it has for me.

What's really been nice is actually using those miles and points. I never would have stayed in a lot of the places I have if I were paying right out of pocket (Ren. Chancerry Court London for a week, for example). And I definitely could not afford 2 biz class tix to send my parents from PIT-SYD this winter. So that has been the truly "rewarding" part.

Best I ever had in one year was low tier (CX,China Southern) Mid tier (NW) and top tier (UA)

I'm currently 1P on UA and Ascent on F9.

Nice accomplishment ^

Varig RG silver/ star silver (by flying)
AA gold/ OneWorld (via challenge)
NW silver/ skyteam (via comp)

This is the lowest tier in all three - I fly a lot but am not loyal to one airline- just go for the cheapest fare or most direct route. Not traveling much this year (only 19,000 status miles this year, only 2500 in the last four months). Will lose NW/AA but will keep RG for next year (the way things are going now).

This was for about $3500 almost entirely out of my own pocket for vacations, conferences, and job interviews

Am I better with one mid tier than three lower tiers? (probably yes)

Top tier in all three is very impressive- congrats!