How so? Someone who obtains the status cheaply takes away *nothing* from the airline nor other customers if they don't continue to fly. If they do continue to fly, they contribute revenues that boost profits, and therefore the ability for the airline to provide more routes, better service and perks, etc. It's actually a perfect system.

Case in point: I utilized this promo last yer to boost my status *purely* to help me reduce the cost of redeeming a few awards I was considering using in the coming year. It saved me a few hundred dollars in fees, which was greater than the cost of the three flights I took to qualify (only two were beyond what I would have taken anyway). US got some extra revenue from me up front, and though they lost out on the fees, I wouldn't have redeemed and paid them anyway if I hadn't gotten the status. A win for me, a win for US, and a win for other customers from whom I took nothing.

I would have never seen BTR and the small pizza joint there without this promo or met an FTer on a similar MR en route. Anyway, I did not take anything away from US or most people this year, so perhaps my status was wasted, but it felt good to know, just in case that I would be OK. My DL - CO match kept me on UA/CO most of the year.

I should have then done the CO-AF-LH Sen status match route. That would have given me free *A lounge for next 18 months instead of buying it. Here's to the next h/s/j!

Seeing this thread quickened my pulse, until I saw the date the thread was started.

I like the way you explained this. I paid for the tickets to earn my way to Chairmans.. and I continue to fly US .... and I will work towards maintaining this status.

As you said, it's a win for the airline... a win for me too.

+1

I'd love to see it this year as I missed out on it last year, but given the high loads and airline quarterlies offering Profits, I'm not holding my breath.

Me neither, unfortunately. :(