InsideFlyer Research - Please Answer!
 

InsideFlyer magazine is going to publish an article on elite programs in our next issue and we would like your answers to the following four questions. You can either answer here, or email [email protected]. Thank you!

1. In how many frequent flyer programs (not hotel programs) are you an elite-level member?

2. What one benefit do you appreciate the most in your elite program? (Early boarding, Lounge access, Elite flight bonuses, Exclusive awards, Upgrades)

3. Have you achieved life-time elite status in any program? (Yes, No)

4. Have you successfully asked a frequent flyer program to match your elite status in another program? (Yes, No, Haven't tried)

1. 7 airlines have sent me a card this year for being an elite member in their frequent flyer program.

2. Bonus miles for elite status is the most valued perk, but I also value the premium check-in, lounge access, priority boarding and other such perks too.

3. Yes I do have lifetime status in my favorite frequent flyer program.

4. Yes, I've received status matches before.

1. In how many frequent flyer programs (not hotel programs) are you an elite-level member? Elite in 1 program

2. What one benefit do you appreciate the most in your elite program? (Early boarding, Lounge access, Elite flight bonuses, Exclusive awards, Upgrades) Early Boarding (but upgrades are a close second)

3. Have you achieved life-time elite status in any program? (Yes, No) No

4. Have you successfully asked a frequent flyer program to match your elite status in another program? (Yes, No, Haven't tried) Yes

1. Elite in two airline programs: American Platinum, Virgin Atlantic Gold

2. Most valuable benefit is mileage bonus

3. Lifetime American Platinum

4. Have not requested status match.

1. 2
2. Systemwide Upgrades (However, I usually fly Int'l C which gives you some elite benefits by the nature of the ticket. If I flew Y more often, I'd probably value the elite checkin and fast track through the ever-burgeoning security lines more)
3. No.
4. Haven't tried.

1. Two

2. Domestic upgrades (NW), Economy+ (UA)

3. No

4. Yes

1. 3 this year

2. Lounge access, but also enjoy Priority checkin, elite phone line,
seat selection, upgrades

3. No! (EQM earned mainly on alliance, not on a single airline)

4. Yes

1. 1
2. Pre-reserved preferred seating (exit row)
3. yes
4. Haven't tried

1. 2

2. Elite flight bonuses, though access to elite security lines is a real plus

3. No

4. Haven't tried

1. In how many frequent flyer programs (not hotel programs) are you an elite-level member? 3 (BAEC Gold, Aeroplan Elite but not for much longer, Flying Blue Silver - which isn't very elite as eliteness goes but better than nothing)

2. What one benefit do you appreciate the most in your elite program? (Early boarding, Lounge access, Elite flight bonuses, Exclusive awards, Upgrades) Something you haven't listed: business/first class check-in. The next most important benefit to me is lounge access.

3. Have you achieved life-time elite status in any program? (Yes, No) No

4. Have you successfully asked a frequent flyer program to match your elite status in another program? Haven't tried.

1-just one-united mileage plus
2-upgrades but followed closely by "being taken care of" if need be, choice of seating with no restrictions and priority boarding
3-no but goalie-dad has
4-not for me but i got ua to match goalie-dad's status

1. One
2. Bonus miles for being elite (close 2nd is the elite phone number/agents)
3. No (not available on Northwest)
4. No (haven't tried)

1. Two (UA and NW).

2. Elite Flight bonuses. I like the fact that I'm bagging some great personal travel with the RDMs I'm earning from 100% elite bonues on business travel. Sure, upgrades are nice, but I have no problem with coach for up to about 12 hours, and most of my travel is domestic. So I'm in it for the RDMs.

3. No.

4. Yes.
(NW matched earned UA low-tier status. Then I earned mid-tier on NW, and next year UA matched me up from earned low-tier to mid-tier based on NW. Game falls apart next year where only earned low-tier NW, mid-tier UA so that's all I'll be.)

I wouldn't have had a clue that status-matching was possible except for FlyerTalk.

1. Three
2. Early boarding
3. No
4. Yes, twice. Once I went on to requalify and the other time (different airline), I didn't.

1. 3 programs - UA US CO

2. Shorter check-in lines (domestic and overseas), double miles, bragging rights. :p

3. No.

4. Yes. America West morphed into USAir; and CO.

1 two

2 ug's, bonus mi's, early boarding, help w irr ops

3 yes

4 haven't tried

1. One
2. Priority Seating (E+/Exit Rows)
3. No
4. Haven't tried

1. One

2. Elite flight bonuses

3. No

4. Haven't tried but plan to

1. In how many frequent flyer programs (not hotel programs) are you an elite-level member? Two

2. What one benefit do you appreciate the most in your elite program? Internationally, I mostly fly C, so for me it's the Partner Elite card.

3. Have you achieved life-time elite status in any program? No.

4. Have you successfully asked a frequent flyer program to match your elite status in another program? Haven't tried.

(1) Two - UA and AA.
(2) General ability to obtain mediocre (instead of horrific) customer service from the airline. All other perks - upgrades, lounge, bonus miles, etc. - are secondary.
(3) Yes - AA Lifetime Gold.
(4) Yes. UA matched my AA Gold this year. I didn't really want to abandon AA (I'd rather be chugging along towards Lifetime Plat), but I fly to the West Coast often these days, and there is no easy AA way to get there. DL and Frontier both failed to respond to my status match request. Only UA matched - I've since flown about 55,000 miles on them.

My only elite program is AA (PLT-will travel about 70K miles this year) as they are the only airline other than CO that offers the most non stops to the destination I go a lot, particularly MIA where I have a second residence. While I would probably like CO more as it still operates as a full line carrier, EWR is one airport that I try to avoid. DL has increased particularly its JFK service, however, I like to stay true to an airline that has not done the pump and dump with its pension plan.

The stickers (upg) are the prime benefit followed by priority boarding.

Since I have no burning desire to use EWR I would not attempt to ask CO to match my status. And again some of what DL has done to its employees makes me queasy.

1. In how many frequent flyer programs (not hotel programs) are you an elite-level member? 3
2. What one benefit do you appreciate the most in your elite program? Mileage bonuses

3. Have you achieved life-time elite status in any program? No

4. Have you successfully asked a frequent flyer program to match your elite status in another program? Yes

1. Currently elite in 5 FFPs (3 of these top status).

2. Best benefit varies by program. Eg on SQ it is clearing waitlists.

3. Not yet.

4. Haven't tried - no need so far.

1) 1
2) Exit row seat reservation followed closely by upgrades
3) No
4) No

1. 2

2. Economy Plus (United)

3. No

4. Haven't tried

1. 2
2. Mileage bonuses and early boarding
3. no
4. Haven't tried; saving this opportunity for when it will be most beneficial

1. one

2. upgrades (higher on the list) second: flight bonuses

3. no

4. haven't tried

1. 3 currently (UA, AS, US), only 1 (UA) next year
2. If it has to be one of the options listed above: upgrades. Otherwise, for UA, I would say award booking flexibility
3. No
4. Yes

1. Two
2. High level elite (on one of the two): international upgrades. Low level elite (on the other one): early boarding
3. Yes
4. Yes

1. 2 (AA,AZ)
2. Elite flight bonuses, upgrades,dedicated check-in lines and (at times) security lines; early boarding and elite hotline;irregular ops and stand-by priority.
3. No. :(
4.Haven't tried.

1. Only one
2. Domestic upgrades and the rare international op-up.
3. No-My program does not have one
4. Yes

1. One
2. Domestic upgrades
3. No-My program does not have one
4. Haven't tried

One (top-tier)

Upgrades!

Yes (but I'm going for a higher lifetime status)

Haven't tried

1. One airline-AA

2. First-upgrades Second international award business class and first class

3. Yes, I am lifetime Platnium with AA

4. Haven't tried

1. One. Don't see a need to split mileage.

2. Skipping the security lineup. Gives me an extra hour at least to sleep in every time I fly. Second? Well, the OP only asked for the first ;) Upgrades are nice but a seat is a seat and early boarding? Well, that might save you from having to check a bag 10% of the time, but the lineup to get on a plane doesn't require you to get to the airport early. Dunno who that would be the biggest benefit.

3. No, and wouldn't really want it. If you don't fly enough to get elite status, then who cares about elite status.

4. Yup. I'm a domestic flier and well informed enough to ditch UA. CO hooked me up within two days.

1) Top tier on AA, AS, DL, US. Mid tier on CO. Bottom tier on NW.
2) Complementary space-available upgrades (when the airline isn't trying to do everything possible to sell them for peanuts at the gate to avoid giving them away for free).
3) Yes. AA Plat for life.
4) Yes. Failed to match on DL, had to earn it; bad move on their part. Matched on AS, got me to requal the following year, so we both won.

1. One
2. Priority Check-in; Early Boarding
3. No
4. Yes, and No. Well, this is a tough one. NW sent me an invite for status match the past spring. I sent in all the reqired paperwork and they said confirmation would arrive in a couple of weeks. So far, I got nothing in the mail from NW. So I think the answer to the question is: Yes, I tried, unsuccessfully. ;)

1. In how many frequent flyer programs (not hotel programs) are you an elite-level member? A: Three (UA, LH and AF if you're interested)

2. What one benefit do you appreciate the most in your elite program? (Early boarding, Lounge access, Elite flight bonuses, Exclusive awards, Upgrades) A: Lounge access

3. Have you achieved life-time elite status in any program? (Yes, No) A: Not yet, but close.

4. Have you successfully asked a frequent flyer program to match your elite status in another program? (Yes, No, Haven't tried) A: Yes, the Flying Dutchman offer from 2002 (but you had to fly to qualify for the match)