Last yearI earned several hundred thousand miles/points. (an upgraded trip to Italy, two upgraded trips to NYC,I-dines, Amex meeting, Brokerage houses,banks, bonds, purchases, flowers, MR transfers and a general timing of changes)As a result of the MQM from the flights, I then received my first "elite" status. Silver on Delta. Watching this board made me submit it to AirTran for comping. Then I thought why not fax these several pages with a courteous letter to United? United then comped me Premier. I've been thinking of submitting the original pages to all of the airlines asking to be comped. Has anyone had experience with this? Any downsides?

I found the thread from GLEFF started in October. Sorry for taking up space.

The downside: most airlines will comp once a lifetime. Thus, you only want to burn a comp for a year in which you will actually benefit.

Several hundred thousand miles and you're silver on DL?

No wonder the whole forum is so pissed off.

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-alan in sitges, home of the new, improved Si-Re-Do

Dear ALANW

You and members of the forum have a right to be p***ed off as I'm one of those people who indeed reduces the number of seats available to real FF. Unfortunately, credit card companies, banks, retail stores, and the US government have decided that it's in the best interests of everyone to earn huge quantities of miles. Since I can't use the miles to buy health (unless you mean a more comfortable seat, or not standing in line) or to get jobs for relatives, I'm going to use the miles for travel. And since my wife and I like Europe and New York City why not do what the airlines are encouraging me to do? Take long trips on upgradeable fares and become a member of their Elite class. I agree with many people both for their lightheartedness and also some times for their knowledge of law and for a general comittment to social justice. On a less serious note. Not wanting to get comped today because it's a once in a lifetime offer. I believe that tomorrow always brings a new "once in a lifetime" offer. However for right now, I think that I've got to avail myself of aeverything the airlines want to offer me. Oh yes. Thank you Randy.


"Life's too short to drink bad wine"

I think you missed part. Are you going to be taking advantage of your status on each of these airlines? If you only fly 25K paid miles a year, why don't you stick with one airline so you get status again next year? Status on 10 airlines will do you no good if you're not flying all those carriers and it will do you less good next year if you've flown each a bit but none enough to have status in '05.

Edited to add: If you plan to fly more than 25K this year (50K or over), you're still better off sticking with one airline. The benefits go up tremendously when you have mid-level status.

[This message has been edited by letiole (edited Jan 11, 2004).]

And even more with top tier I just can't get excited about being entry-level elite at every airline that would comp you in. Yes, you do get some benefits (elite check-in, very limited amount of upgrades), but the serious benefits kick in at mid-tier, and the mega-benefits at top tier. I get the impression that powlan isn't actually flying to earn miles, but building them up via other methods, and maybe not able to qualify, by actual flying, to get to mid or top tier.

As noted earlier, the benefits of status apply only if you're actually going to fly on the airline in question. What's the point in having early boarding and a special phone number for NW (for example) if you're not going to take advantage of them, or will use them maybe twice in the year?

However, if you have some other reason to want status (besides expecting to use it a lot by flying that airline) and charge a lot on credit cards, look into the AmEx Centurion (black) card. The last time I looked it came with mid-tier status on 2-3 U.S. airlines. You don't have to do anything to get the status, other that what you have to do to get the card itself, and you don't use up your one-time shot at getting comped.

There's more on this in the AmEx forum.

BTW, airlines (at least some major ones) are getting pickier about comps. When AA comped me in 1998, they'd match any Delta status except top-tier. By a couple of years ago DL didn't usually do the trick but they'd match United. The latest reports are that they no longer do that automatically either, but that's not yet fully confirmed. More on this in the AA forum, too.

The airlines I fly (almost exclusively) are United and Delta. I don't now and don't think I ever will fly enough to reach mid tier let alone mega tier through actual BIS and so I feel comping is my best shot to fly to where I want in the manner I want. I'm much too frugal to pay for Centurion or Elite clubs but since I don't conduct business, it's not really important. What is important is:
1. A comfortable ride (regardless of the airline)
2. Ease of check in.
3. And as PremEx once said "it's the little bags of peanuts"

Because I don't know who will be using SFO as a hub (SWA and JetBlue fly out of Oakland), who will be in what alliance, what kind of planes they will be using and what their promos are, I feel it's important to hedge my bets.

Not to beat a dead horse, but remember that all these perks will last for only a year. Then you're unlikely to get comped again any time soon. That's why most of us think it's silly to get comped on every airline at the same time.

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Vasant

Most elite comps will not give you club access, if that's what you're trying to get.

I'd pick one program that has a lot of partners (Maybe NW instead of Delta, or United). And then try to get at least the silver (25k) level. You should get 50% bonus miles, and you can still fly a few other airlines and still get some sort of bonuses. You can be a NW ff, and never even set foot on an actual NW metal.

What you are proposing is the most stupid thing you could do.

Asking for comps, just for the fun of it ? And ruining your chances of ever receiving another comp again. Just imagine you have to move someday or similar and actually NEED the comp from a particular airline? You will have wasted your chance, just because you discovered that its fun to send a fax and collect a shiny card.

JohnG -

I'm not certain that it is "stupid" but something that may work for me. If indeed I have messed myself up by choosing the wrong strategy, then so be it.After reading the responses however, I think I will revise my thinking regarding comping and am limiting them to Delta and United. That will cover my bases. As far as moving that is extremely doubtful. But while we're at it why would you accuse me of doing it for "fun" or only to get a "shiny card? Not only are you wrong but you're rude. I may point out to someone that they have made a bad decision and show them why but I don't call them stupid. It's just not good karma.

I believe JohnG was just reacting to your replies. You asked the pros for their opinion and when it wasn't going your way, you kept on saying that what may work for others may not necessarly work for you. I agree with JohnG although I will take the word stupid out of the equation. I've read many of JohnG's posts, replies and I could tell you that while he could have chosen a different word, he did not mean to insult you. Still, you kept on insisting that your plan will somehow benefit you. Can you explain how? You said that you don't fly enough to make the middle tier on any one airline, that you basically just made the basic status on one. All the other miles came from other sources. That's great, but again, why waste the possibility to get comped in the future? If you only fly 2-3 times a year, what is the other status going to do for you? other then put a shiny card in your wallet. Sorry, that's how I'm reading this thread and I'm sure others see it the same way.
You should learn how to relax. You asked a question and many experts here gave you their honest opinion. Take it or leave it, but please spare us from your little temper tantrums.

Advice listened to, advice taken. Sorry JohnG.