Is serial comping possible?
 

I have read many, many posts on comping so I know what needs to be done to get a comp. But I have a more specific question, has anyone been comped by an airline more than one time? The reason for asking is that my preferred airline (AA) has significantly cut service from my home airport, SEA. As a result I may need a backup plan for some trips and would like to have some status on an alternative airline. I would not however be using that airline more than once or twice a year. I understand that most airlines will comp once, but my little scheme would require an airline to comp multiple times when they weren't getting a significant increase in business from me. Has anyone been comped on multiple years, either back to back or alternating?

I was comped once (AA, 1998, Platinum, on the basis of DL status). It was politely, but firmly, made clear that this was a one-time deal and I'd have to earn it on my own from there on out. (I did.)

My understanding from talking to other people and reading lots of related threads on these boards is that that's pretty much the way it is. If they comp you once and don't see you fly a lot, they won't comp you again. (If they comp you once and you do fly a lot, you won't need to be comped again.)

If you want mid-tier status with airlines you don't fly on much, and it's worth $1,000 a year to you, try to get an AmEx Centurion card. Or, if your company is big enough and you're important enough in their hierarchy, some airlines will give you status on that basis. If you think you might qualify for that, ask your corporate travel coordinator (if you don't have a corporate travel coordinator, your company isn't big enough) to take care of it.

That's a little bit easier said than done. Currently Amex will only take an unsolicited Centurion application from a cardholder that spent $150,000 on their Amex in the previous year.

I wouldn't say it's a one shot deal, but you're not going to be able to do it every year or even every other year.

Also, the comp usually isn't just based on status, but also flight activity, they want a copy of a statement that shows flight activity/miles to date/etc (when I got comped on US for myself and girlfriend, I printed DL's website, which shows activity for several months, including my GF's full fare Y ticket to LGW, which didn't hurt I'm sure).

I think that if airlines keep half decent records of who they comp, this should be pretty much impossible unless you are either a super VIP or know the person in charge of the FFP in question.