I requalified for Platinum on Continental last month and there is little reason to fly them anymore this year, at least internationally. All I will get is extra bonus miles which still won't get me to the front of the plane unless I pay an exorbitant fare. If they want me to fly more, give me more international upgrades. Otherwise they will not get the additional revenue.

[This message has been edited by Nevsky (edited 06-13-2002).]

I switched. I am a 6-year top level on Delta, but my employer's change in travel policy (or rather, making sure that the lowest fare clause was follwed) made me realize that DL's LUser upgrade policy was going to have me in the back of the bus for almost all my travel.

AA's MRTC has made a real difference! There is notably more legroom in coach and with a sweet offer from AA to give me mid-level tier from the beginning, the swith was easy, and I haven't regretted it a bit! I have now qualified by flying for the mid-level and I'm aiming for top level, but I may not reach it this year, bummer.

L-1011,

Welcome to AA! I made the same switch a few years ago and haven't regretted it. In my experience, the lowest AA fare PLUS the cost of purchased upgrade credits, if I have to buy them, has always been below Delta's least expensive upgradeable fare. (Granted, that is a function of my travel patterns and does not necessarily reflect anyone else's situation.)

"Simply good business" cost them DL business, plus that of several colleagues and family members who follow my choice of airlines.

And now back to our regularly scheduled topic...

Well, it would be tough to reach top level elite in one airline, then get the top level elite in another in the same qualifiying year. You would have to do *lots* of flying.

I could not see myself jumping from AA plat. to United, jsut to get some status on United. Makes no sense. I would go for a long period with no status at all. That would mean long lines, crummy seats with no leg room, etc. Even then, I still woudl not have access to the United Red Carpet Lounge.

As a top level elite in Starwood, Hyatt & CO, I find I enjoy the 'perks/treatment' that comes with it and don't want to use some other program/property where I'm not treated as well.

That is the big difference between the great Starwood program and Continental Airlines--the Airline to Fly if you fly just one continent.

I am so much more likely to take that non-essential trip that involves staying at a Starwood as I know that I am very likely to get a great upgrade (and if not a lovely room), more points that I can use without blackout dates or capacity controls, and maybe even a Free Friday or Saturday. They have my continuing loyalty. About the only time I would stay somewhere else is if there were no Starwoods in the area or the rates were much higher than a comparable hotel in the area.

With Continental, however, the domestic upgrades are chancy (especially transContinental), and interContinental upgrade chances are just about nonexistent at anything but an exorbitant fare. The extra points that I get are hard to use. The Business First seats seem to be non-revs first over Platinum memebers internationally. My next trip is scheduled on American. I may not have status, but the fare was about 50% lower than on Continental. I know American wants my business and will give me a match or at least a challenge. Just not sure I want to take AAdvantage of it yet.

I just wish Continental would get the message. I have enjoyed flying them for so long.

The way this question is worded is self-canceling. To make top-level elite, requires loyalty. Therefore a top-level elite is quite obviously more loyal than a mid- or low-level elite. Do you mean once making top-level are elites more likely to head to another airline?

I disagree, letiole. A 100k flyer who flies exclusively with one airline is no more loyal than a 50k flyer who does the same thing. A 200k flyer who splits 100k/100k between two programs, on the other hand, is arguably less loyal than the 50k flyer who does it all on one program.

FewMiles..

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This is an interesting thread. I suspect mid-level frequent flyers are more loyal, as they are often aspiring to achieve the next level. In the AA program for example, Golds want to be Platinum, PLT want to be EXP.

Fewmiles wrote:
Hmmm ... interesting. Trying to follow the rationale here. So someone who only flies 5K a year, but always on the same carrier is also more loyal than the 200K who splits his loyalty? I guess by the strict definition of loyalty this is true. Somehow I think anyone who flies 100K on a single carrier in a year will consider himself loyal even if they fly another later on.

Obviously, it's pretty easy to be loyal the less one flies. I'm extremely loyal to my obstetrician - thank goodness I've only needed him once.

I jsut want some status. Some status is better than no status.

Lets say I have no status, and will fly 60,000 miles one year. I could alternate between AA and UA. Get low level status on both. But while I did that, I would experience a long stretch of time with no status. If I concentrate, I can get status quicker, then *enjoy* it for a longer period of time.

I fly just enough to get gold some years and platinum in others, and that's only if I line it up on the same airline or alliance (which I always do).

Comped status is very important for keeping airlines competitively in check. I comped over to CO at gold after DL did their LUser switch, and have been very glad I did.

I might comp out of CO, though, after four years because of a less favorable situation there now.

Still, I'll have to requalify for status on whatever airline I comp over to. I don't do it just to do it.

Those who fly enough to earn multiple gold or plat status if they spread out the earnings are such a coveted minority that I'd think the airlines would bend over backwards for them. But at that level it's almost entirely business travel (even more coveted)and there's usually a hub carrier in the person's hometown that has the big advantage.

Still, airlines like CO try to go after those with programs like Continental Select, where they award a large number of extra miles for a large number of flights.

Someone who flies 5000 miles a year may be more loyal, but no airline cares very much for them!!

Interesting (to me, anyhow) to see an airline acknowledge this:

From FT chat-
http://www.flyertalk.com/transcripts/111501.html
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Randy Petersen
Renee and Carol. Much has been made of extending elite level benefits to members of many programs brought about because of the rather slow year long economy problems and companies cutting back commercial travel. Is there any decision BA Executive Club has made in this area for 2002?

Carol Spano
We have extended tier memberships in the past. What we noticed was that the flying pattern of those members dropped off dramatically; some stopped altogether. The reason, they told us, was that they had no need to achieve Gold since they already had it, so they were looking to fly other carriers and achieve status in other programs. This does both us and our members a disservice... We do look at individual cases in which extenuating circumstances may have arisen and make decisions on a case-by-case basis where necessary. Thanks for your question.

Randy Petersen
I appreciate the answer because i had thought that was the case. Very well put, thanks for the honesty.
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I was extremely loyal up until this year when benefits in Air Canada's program were clawed back yet again.

I look for three things: value (not just price), destinations and service. All play pretty heavily in my decisions. Until 2001, AC had all those things and was at the top of the choices I had.

This year I am hedging my bets and going for top tier in LH Miles and More since AC Aeroplan has not/will not guarantee that there will be no further clawbacks of things that I consider important.

I would say I am extremely loyal but only if the airline reciprocates. I had opportunity last year to earn top status in two programs but stuck with Air Canada and tried to fly on Air Canada planes as much as possible. This year, with the downgrade of service and benefit clawback, I have been flying on whatever Star Alliance metal I want and it is somewhat liberating.