I doubt this very much. Remember the typical high status member is someone who travels a lot for business. Many simply don't have the time or inclination to check out all the options. Some would be unaware there are other options.

I moved to AA due to 100% PLT/EXP bonus and easier to reach tier levels. The fact that cheap AY tickets get 50% points at AY but 100% miles at AA helped as well.

When Finnair joined 1W there was in the news reports of first people reaching Emerald already a few months after the big change. My boss said he would have reached AY Platinum if not for the unfortunate timing of membership year change and reset of all counters. And he was very far from "high level management".

I very much doubt that AY's Platinum is in the range of 100.

The Emerald Line also allows AY's Golds in, which is sometimes why it is easer just to do the business class checkin counters. You are right on the other point, AY Y checkin is typically disasterous.

And if they are sane they deposit the miles to another OW program instead of Finnair Plus.

The thing is that AY's Plat recognition is supposedly really, really good, so if you are, for example, interested in making the huge amount of on-business travel you do with them more bearable (in the form of upgrades and general preferential treatment), then it might easily be more "sane" to go for AY instead of another program that might give you a better bang for the buck in the miles department.

Is there a single AY top-tier member on FT? It would be nice to hear whether these informal benefits materialize ... I�ve heard both good and bad about the AY and IB programs, but never did manage to find out. The only program that I know for sure has special informal benefits that may be worthwhile is CX Diamond (good thing too, as the official program is poor, but they seem to sweeten it just enough unofficially).

LAN Comodoros get some very interesting unpublished perks. I know that for a fact, although I prefer not to say more than that.

Do tell..... Don't throw that comment out and keep us hanging.

I know a few AY Plat fellows and they seem to enjoy flying with AY. Preferential treament in general, skiing trips (Finnair hosts a major event in the spring), gifts (e.g. aluminium flying case, Suunto-watch or B&O phone), etc. Some of the advantages are not offered to foreign AY Plat's. If you travel a lot for business, either a lot of shorthaul trips or longhaul in business class, becoming AY Plat is not that difficult. I don't know if the rules have changed since but at one point you could become AY Plat with just domestic flights (HEL-OUL-HEL is a busy route).

As I'm personally not flying a lot for business, just vacations and short holidays, I'm now preferring BAEC as you can maintain BA Silver relatively easily and it does all I need -- business class check-in and occasional lounge access. The only drawback is that it was much easier to use AY miles than BA miles.

Interesting comment - why is that?

I suspect all the benefits are oriented strictly to those living in Spain (or more accurately, Madrid). I know nothing about the unpublished benefits, but I remember that one of the published benefits was free preferential parking at MAD airport, with valet service and things like free car wash. Rather interestingly LH also offers something like that, but at their HON level (earned status that is roughly BA Premier equivalent, quite a bit harder to get than Emerald). QF used to send 6 bottles of wine for Christmas presents, but that was a few years ago. Maybe IB is sending some iberico ham.

Do you think? 150,000 LH miles a year outside Germany gives status for 2 years. Don't forget that J earns 2x and F 3x towards status miles.

Also as BA Premier (as well as CX Invitation and QF Chairmans Lounge) are invitation only and as such I don't think it can be compared.

Some of those benefits are Iberia benefits, available in Madrid, Barcelona and Santiago (Chile) to Iberia full fare J passengers and/or top tier IberiaPlus members. My post was about LAN.

Your probably right KF maybe its just me but I always read about anything I'm getting involved in.

When I got my AY Plat card (personally delivered by an AY account manager), I had a one hour chat with him. He told that with the growing Chinese market there even starts to be some Chinese AY Plat card holders.

I've been rather pleased with AY Plat, especially on long-haul MD-11, where an upgrade to full J class or J class with Y class service is almost always guaranteed. This upgrading policy was confirmed to me by the AY account manager. Also it feels rather nice to have an account manager at AY, who encouraged me to be in contact with him, if there's any problems. He helped me for example earlier this year by checking if my flight would have the new J seats. Also the welcoming gift certificate for a pair of taylor made shoes was also a nice gift (my best shoes ever).

However some of my colleagues have signed up for the AA Plat challenge and leaving AY Plus.