Losing All Status
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: USA
Programs: Current: Delta Gold, Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Diamond. Former United 1K, JetBlue Mosiac, SPG Platinum
Posts: 34
Losing All Status
Since graduating college I have worked as a consultant for a large company. During the last 5 years. I have gained
United 1k
AA Gold
JetBlue Mosaic
National Executive
Marriott/SPG Platinum 100
Other randoms
I left my consulting role to go to industry. At the end of this year I will lose all my status (maybe be UA silver). What dawned on me right now is I havent boarded in a group lower than Group 1 in over 3 years!!
It will be strange adjusting to this new lifestyle when I travel. Group 5 and in economy no upgrades. Though also relieved I can now just book flights that are convenient and not to figure out how to remake statues. No more company paid business class or frequent upgrades on personal travel. Anyone else go through this?
United 1k
AA Gold
JetBlue Mosaic
National Executive
Marriott/SPG Platinum 100
Other randoms
I left my consulting role to go to industry. At the end of this year I will lose all my status (maybe be UA silver). What dawned on me right now is I havent boarded in a group lower than Group 1 in over 3 years!!
It will be strange adjusting to this new lifestyle when I travel. Group 5 and in economy no upgrades. Though also relieved I can now just book flights that are convenient and not to figure out how to remake statues. No more company paid business class or frequent upgrades on personal travel. Anyone else go through this?
#3
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,574
It's pretty easy to keep hotel statuses at no net cost to you. If you want them, even for the occasional leisure stay, you can have them.
As for airlines, it can be liberating to hold no status. ULCCs if you want to go bare-bones Y or, in many markets, affordable J/F fares if you need to fly a legacy carrier.
As for airlines, it can be liberating to hold no status. ULCCs if you want to go bare-bones Y or, in many markets, affordable J/F fares if you need to fly a legacy carrier.
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
If you wish, you can earlier boarding with some airlines by holding their credit card, and even earlier boarding by buying their extra legroom seats.
Meanwhile, what's the last time you flew on AA? They've recently added many numbers to the boarding groups, so it's no longer case that all elites are in group 1. AA Gold is now in group 4, unless you happen to be in First.
But you still are in an early enough group that board ahead of most people. But, like I said above, if you get the credit card and/or buy extra legroom seats (called Main Cabin Extra at AA), you also board ahead of most people, because at AA that's now group 5, and so right after AA Gold. And, in fact, one expensive AA credit card gets you the same Group 4 boarding as AA Gold! See here for all the details on the new AA boarding groups:
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...ng-process.jsp
Just make sure you never buy "Basic Economy" fares, as with those you board dead last, don't earn miles, etc, etc.
Meanwhile, what's the last time you flew on AA? They've recently added many numbers to the boarding groups, so it's no longer case that all elites are in group 1. AA Gold is now in group 4, unless you happen to be in First.
But you still are in an early enough group that board ahead of most people. But, like I said above, if you get the credit card and/or buy extra legroom seats (called Main Cabin Extra at AA), you also board ahead of most people, because at AA that's now group 5, and so right after AA Gold. And, in fact, one expensive AA credit card gets you the same Group 4 boarding as AA Gold! See here for all the details on the new AA boarding groups:
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...ng-process.jsp
Just make sure you never buy "Basic Economy" fares, as with those you board dead last, don't earn miles, etc, etc.
#5
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: SFO/SJC/OAK
Programs: OZ Diamond (*G), KQ Asante Gold (ST+), Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,511
As long as you have the airline credit card, you're exempt from having to board last or having to pay for a carry on when flying basic economy. So the airline credit card really helps there.
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, HH Gold, Hertz PC, Marriott Titanium LTG, CO, 7H, BA, 8E
Posts: 42,953
Please follow the redirect as we move this query.
~beckoa, co-moderator Information Desk
~beckoa, co-moderator Information Desk
#8
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Virginia City Highlands
Programs: Nothing anymore after 20 years
Posts: 6,900
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: ORD
Posts: 14,231
I've been status-less (well, aside from UA silver that I hardly ever use) for several years now. It's lovely. You really notice how differently the different airlines treat nonstatus fliers. UA treats them like dirt. Delta and American are better. And I no longer feel beholden to fly UA like I used to. It helps living in a place that just has a small regional airport where I have to connect to get anywhere.
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
Programs: UA 1K, MM *G for life, BAEC Gold
Posts: 10,224
Don't I know it. My wife and I are UA 1K but my adult children have no status. Even as a 1K my wife says the FAs treat her (and everyone else) like dirt (I guess I'm used to it) but she enjoys the E+ and lounge access and TSA Pre.
My children, however, whom I treat to a flight out to CA once a year now say they will pay whatever extra is needed to fly BA, VS or Norwegian because they loathe UA so much.
My children, however, whom I treat to a flight out to CA once a year now say they will pay whatever extra is needed to fly BA, VS or Norwegian because they loathe UA so much.
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,046
The solution to having no status is just paying cash for First or Business Class tickets instead. Then you get all the key benefits anyway - certainly on airlines, I never understood the benefits of hotel status.
If you buy in the sale and are carrier agnostic then most of the time leisure travel in these cabins is entirely affordable.
If you buy in the sale and are carrier agnostic then most of the time leisure travel in these cabins is entirely affordable.
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: LAX
Programs: AAdvantage EXPLAT, Hilton Diamond, SPG/Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Citi Exec MC, Amex Plat
Posts: 1,443
#13
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: WN A+ CP, UA 1MM/*A Gold, Mar LT Tit, IHG Plat, HH Dia
Posts: 6,284
The pain of losing status can also be mitigated by focusing your travel during the busy years on providers with a lifetime status program. Then instead of dropping to nil you keep at least something.
#14
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: PDX
Programs: AS DL
Posts: 9,038
I am either cattle or silver, depending on the airline. Basic economy helps because then the chance of a gate checked bag is much less. The advantages of silver is then only a slightly better location of seats. I rarely check bags and don't mind boarding around the middle.
#15
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: DL, Marriott & IHG Platty; HH Diamonte
Posts: 861
Since graduating college I have worked as a consultant for a large company. During the last 5 years. I have gained
United 1k
AA Gold
JetBlue Mosaic
National Executive
Marriott/SPG Platinum 100
Other randoms
I left my consulting role to go to industry. At the end of this year I will lose all my status (maybe be UA silver). What dawned on me right now is I havent boarded in a group lower than Group 1 in over 3 years!!
It will be strange adjusting to this new lifestyle when I travel. Group 5 and in economy no upgrades. Though also relieved I can now just book flights that are convenient and not to figure out how to remake statues. No more company paid business class or frequent upgrades on personal travel. Anyone else go through this?
United 1k
AA Gold
JetBlue Mosaic
National Executive
Marriott/SPG Platinum 100
Other randoms
I left my consulting role to go to industry. At the end of this year I will lose all my status (maybe be UA silver). What dawned on me right now is I havent boarded in a group lower than Group 1 in over 3 years!!
It will be strange adjusting to this new lifestyle when I travel. Group 5 and in economy no upgrades. Though also relieved I can now just book flights that are convenient and not to figure out how to remake statues. No more company paid business class or frequent upgrades on personal travel. Anyone else go through this?