Or those who are really cunning can do it in 4 trips. As an academic exercise I worked out the maximum for an AONE6, and it is 3800 status credits (also 170K QF miles). Not bad for approx. AUD 16K, and almost all of the cities are ones that I would want to visit (great places like Easter Island, for example, though I suppose IPC can't be called a city). I suspect another 10% could be added to the mileage and status credits if the routing is picked solely for maximum credit.

No they do not.
I have e-mailed them suggesting that they consider it. If enough people e-mail them maybe they will.

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"A day without Points/Miles is like a day without SUNSHINE"

DL had responded to someone (as reported in the DL forum) saying they don't use lifetime any more b/c you could be 1MM and get Silver, then hit 2MM and get Gold - so to call it "lifetime" would be a misnomer.

That being said, we all know what happened to TWA's "lifetime" lounge membership.

Of all the things they mess with, I doubt denying benes specifically to million-milers will be on DL's agenda. (They may dilute the SM/GM/PM status, but I doubt they'll back away from the multi-million mile clubs.)

I do find it odd that American has never officially publicised its lifetime programs. They will tell you about it over the phone and they will send you a letter in the mail saying that you are lifetime gold/platinum, but there is nothing on their web site about it.

PremEx - AA counts all miles. Credit Card, phone, partner, anything that hits your account, transfers, not just bonuses....

Continental had a program in the early to mid 90's whereby if you achieved gold 5 years in a row, you got infinite elite for life. Holders of that status are today actually Platinum Elite for life. The program was created to lure passengers onto an airline that was last choice for many. The qualifying period ended long ago while the few that qualified continue the status.

Lifetime Status
 

An AA rep once told me that if I accumulate 1,000,000 program miles (not necessarily EQM) I will have Gold status for life. I have never seen this actually printed anywahere. As I am currently at 961K lifetime program miles and am very curious. Can anyone confirm this? If there a way to get Platinum for life (I find being Platinum is tons better than Gold from a customer service/free upgrade perspective). Do any other airlines do this?

[This message has been edited by pushback (edited Jan 22, 2004).]

Yes, at 1mm you'll get lifetime gold, and at 2mm you'll get lifetime plat. Take a look in the AA forum, as you'll find various threads on this topic there.

Does anyone know of any other airlines that offer lifetime status counting miles rather then EQMs?

Just AA that I know of.

Alaska Airlines will give you MVP Gold for life also at 1mm.

Yes, but you only have to fly 2873 segments between SJC and SEA to get it!

(Yes, I know... they go to Russia and Mexico too... but I don't!)

In all fairness, I did ask the question.

Will they comp lifetime gold against AA? That I would love to sea! ;-)

[This message has been edited by pushback (edited Jan 23, 2004).]

United gives lifetime Premier Executive status for 1,000,000 actual miles flown on UA metal. I have lifetime status on AA (2MM including all sources of miles) and UA (1MM only from flown UA miles) and I can attest to the far greater difficulty of achieving it thru miles flown.

KLM are offering lifetime PE status after ten years at that level.

"Complimentary lifetime Platinum Elite membership
KLM’s most loyal customers, Platinum Elite FD members, now can be eligible for a complimentary lifetime Platinum Elite membership after having qualified as a PE member for ten consecutive years.* Lifetime members are entitled to all PE services for the rest of their life without having to qualify for PE membership each year**!
*Threshold options may change annually.
**Eligible PE members currently holding an extended membership will receive their lifetime card on completion thereof "


Nigel

Many used the "valuemags" promotion a couple of years ago to get the AA lifetime status.