With it now being 2024, I thought it would be fun to share my airline elite status strategy for the coming year, following my recent post about my hotel elite status strategy. At this point I probably value airline elite status less than ever before, and I’m happy to be as close to a “free agent” as I’ve ever been.
In this post:
What my airline travel in 2024 will look like
As we enter 2024, I’m expecting that this will be a pretty busy year for me in terms of the number of miles flown, but perhaps less so in terms of the number of nights away from home. What am I expecting from my flying patterns for this year?
- In terms of miles flown, my single biggest kind of travel will be “pure” review trips, intended to review new airline products, mostly while redeeming miles
- For most of my other travel (including with Ford and Miles), my priority is flying as comfortably and directly as possible, while also getting the best value
- Admittedly I live in Miami, and American has a massive hub here, which means that American is my most frequently flown airline
I don’t really care about airline elite status anymore
16-year-old me would be so disappointed to hear this, but I generally don’t think it’s worth going out of your way to attain airline elite status anymore. I tend to think there’s huge value in seeking out elite status with hotels, given how useful the perks are, and also given that status can in many cases be easy to earn. I can’t say the same about airlines, though.
Airline elite status has become so much less valuable over the years:
- Airlines have made elite status much more costly to earn; the days of earning 100,000 elite miles with American for $3,000, while receiving eight systemwide upgrades, are over
- Since airlines mostly award miles based on how much you spend rather than how far you fly, there’s less value in earning miles through flying, not to mention award costs have gone up
- Elite benefits have been hugely watered down, and getting upgrades has become much harder than it used to be; as someone who often flies American due to where I live, complimentary upgrades are so much harder than they used to be, and American will sell anyone an upgrade for cash in the days leading up to a flight, often at a reasonable cost
Let me be clear, though — I still think there’s huge value in leveraging airline loyalty programs, I just don’t think it’s worth going out of your way to strive for elite status. Here’s my strategy, in a nutshell:
- I try to rack up transferable points currencies, and then redeem then for aspirational travel, as that gives me the most flexibility and value
- I value first class domestically (it allows me to be productive), so I’m happy to book whatever airline has the cheapest first class fare (if the premium is reasonable), try to find a route where my status will get me a complimentary upgrade, try to confirm an upgrade in advance using miles or other instruments, or book something like the Spirit Big Front Seat
There’s another element to this. While some people enjoy flying the same airline as much as possible so that they have a sense of familiarity, I enjoy flying as many different airline products as possible. I enjoy seeing how different airlines compare over time, so by default I’d always rather fly an airline I travel with less often, all else being equal.
My 2024 airline elite status strategy
Just because I don’t value airline elite status in the same way that I used to, doesn’t mean that I don’t have any elite status. Still, I only plan to have elite status with one program for 2024, and I’m not even sure I’m going to requalify for the same tier.
American AAdvantage Executive Platinum or Platinum Pro status
I’ve had AAdvantage Executive Platinum status for nearly 15 years now. American made major changes to its loyalty program in 2022, with the introduction of Loyalty Points. It’s now possible to earn status exclusively through credit card spending, if you’d like to. I have mixed feelings about the program for myself, though I think it’s kind of brilliant.
Status is no longer based on the calendar year, but rather runs from the beginning of March until the end of February of the following year.
So, where do I stand, given that the membership year ends in late February 2024? I’m currently at just over 150,000 Loyalty Points. For context, Executive Platinum status requires 200,000 Loyalty Points, while Platinum Pro status requires 125,000 Loyalty Points.
I definitely could go for Executive Platinum rather than settling for Platinum Pro, but I’m also not sure it’s worth it? I love how Platinum Pro also offers oneworld Emerald status, which is probably what I value most about this status. That’s because this offers access to the amazing oneworld Emerald lounges, like the Qantas First Lounge Sydney and Cathay Pacific First Lounge Hong Kong.
The biggest incremental benefit of Executive Platinum over Platinum Pro is a higher upgrade priority, but I’m not sure that’s worth going out of my way hugely for. I find that either my upgrades typically don’t clear (as an Executive Platinum with a low Loyalty Points total), or I just outright find a way to confirm first class.
The fact that American will soon start awarding miles and Loyalty Points for paid upgrades should help me in general with earning status, since I do take advantage of those quite often.
Another reason I don’t feel particularly committed to maintaining Executive Platinum status is because the Loyalty Point Rewards program now has different thresholds than the standard elite tiers. So even if I made it to 200,000 Loyalty Points, I’d only get my next set of Loyalty Point Rewards perks at 250,000 Loyalty Points.
So I’m going to decide what to do soon here. For what it’s worth, I have the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (review), and that has already earned me 20,000 Loyalty Points this year without spending. You earn a 10,000 Loyalty Points bonus after reaching 50,000 Loyalty Points in a status qualification year, and another 10,000 Loyalty Points bonus after reaching 90,000 Loyalty Points in the same status qualification year. I could also actually put some spending on the card to earn Loyalty Points and requalify for status.
Bottom line
While I obviously love airline loyalty programs, nowadays I value the ability to redeem miles, rather than the benefits of elite status as such. I like being a mostly “free agent,” and being able to fly the airline that works best for a particular trip. Thanks to the value of credit cards, I can redeem my rewards across all kinds of airlines.
At this point I only have status with American AAdvantage, and that’s due to living in Miami. I’m not yet sure whether I’ll requalify for Executive Platinum, or will end the year with Platinum Pro. I’m not sure I care all that much, since I don’t see that much of a difference in benefits.
What’s your airline loyalty strategy for 2024? Does it differ from past years?
I've been Etihad Gold for many years (I got upgraded at the gate a ridiculous number of time - I think a record run of 4 out of 5 times). They were happy days. Then I had BA Gold for a couple of years. Now I'm looking at losing even BA Silver and I have decided to give up any status chase. I agree with this article. Things have changed, many lounges are more crowded,...
I've been Etihad Gold for many years (I got upgraded at the gate a ridiculous number of time - I think a record run of 4 out of 5 times). They were happy days. Then I had BA Gold for a couple of years. Now I'm looking at losing even BA Silver and I have decided to give up any status chase. I agree with this article. Things have changed, many lounges are more crowded, gate upgrades are less common etc. I am happy to be the last to board, so I'm not going to queue. Less than what I would spend on status chasing I can spend on premium bars and restaurants open to the public. I can choose the best airline for the job each time, and so on. Of course I'll miss Cathay First Class lounges and BA T5 First Class checkin etc. but in the grand scheme of things, I have come to realise it is great if you stumble upon status naturally, but I don't think it's worth the chase. I'm a savvy enough to ensure my airport and flying experiences are comfortable enough going forward.
I’ve been EXP for 15 years and I am upgraded 95% of the time. I fly 2-3 times per month domestically. All it takes is looking at Expert Flyer and reviewing which flights have good availability in first. I also had one flight this year that was cancelled due to mechanical issues. The gate agents protected me and they had me on a UA flight before the captain told us the flight was cancelled. I...
I’ve been EXP for 15 years and I am upgraded 95% of the time. I fly 2-3 times per month domestically. All it takes is looking at Expert Flyer and reviewing which flights have good availability in first. I also had one flight this year that was cancelled due to mechanical issues. The gate agents protected me and they had me on a UA flight before the captain told us the flight was cancelled. I agree that SWUs are devalued but everything else is still worth it for this business traveler.
Agree with you that airline status is not worth going after anymore. American makes sense for you because you live at an American or oneworld hub. Similarly for me with Skyteam.
I was a Skyteam loyalist for years, mainly because I flew (and still fly) Aeroflot a lot due to my circumstances, which require me to make a monthly trip to Vladivostok. Aeroflot status was absurdly easy to earn, and getting to Platinum was easy, even with flying primarily Comfort Class/Economy between JFK/MIA and VVO every month. With Atlanta being my primary US airport, the Skyteam Elite Plus was very valuable. But of course, now Aeroflot...
I was a Skyteam loyalist for years, mainly because I flew (and still fly) Aeroflot a lot due to my circumstances, which require me to make a monthly trip to Vladivostok. Aeroflot status was absurdly easy to earn, and getting to Platinum was easy, even with flying primarily Comfort Class/Economy between JFK/MIA and VVO every month. With Atlanta being my primary US airport, the Skyteam Elite Plus was very valuable. But of course, now Aeroflot status is pretty well useless. From last year, I switched to Turkish Miles and Smiles, which is nice to use for access to the lounge in Istanbul during long layovers between ATL-VKO, but is useless in Atlanta.
I feel your pain Lucky! I'm a lifetime Global Services member on UA, with ~5m BIS miles. Pre-COVID, when flights weren't packed, upgrades were quite routine. Post-COVID, it's hit or miss at roughly 50%, despite me being #1 on the upgrade list on nearly all flights. Much of the challenge is being based in OC, where the affluent just pay for FC, and there are far fewer flights than there were pre-pandemic.
But there...
I feel your pain Lucky! I'm a lifetime Global Services member on UA, with ~5m BIS miles. Pre-COVID, when flights weren't packed, upgrades were quite routine. Post-COVID, it's hit or miss at roughly 50%, despite me being #1 on the upgrade list on nearly all flights. Much of the challenge is being based in OC, where the affluent just pay for FC, and there are far fewer flights than there were pre-pandemic.
But there are also some intangibles at play in this loyalty game. Over the holidays I flew with my family to Virginia, where both outbound flights were delayed. In both ORD (OB) and DEN (on the way home) my wife and son were smiling as we were met on the jet bridge by a GS agent who whisked us to our gate in a Porsche SUV on the other side of the airport. This happened on many occasions in 2023, which is not a testament to UA operations, but is a great testament to their GS customer service.
So yes, there is value to loyalty. In my case it was earned over decades of loyalty from the beginning of the program in 1988. There were some ugly years in the early 2000s, but I stuck with UA. Alas, I don't believe such opportunities exist in today's chaotic and devalued world of mileage and points. I barely know how to coach my son on his burgeoning journey.
Ron
Ben, are you still thinking of shifting flight credits to BA this year to get domestic Flagship Lounge access?
The real reason I am loyal to AA is that I have the lounge credit card. Lounge access is meaningful because they can help you in the lounge and I want to avoid the hoi polloi. Also, oneworld international first lounges are an experience worth having. I have had Executive Platinum for maybe 6 or 7 years. It's not worth much but I fly enough that I keep getting it. I always buy into First...
The real reason I am loyal to AA is that I have the lounge credit card. Lounge access is meaningful because they can help you in the lounge and I want to avoid the hoi polloi. Also, oneworld international first lounges are an experience worth having. I have had Executive Platinum for maybe 6 or 7 years. It's not worth much but I fly enough that I keep getting it. I always buy into First domestically or I just don't go so upgrades are meaningless to me. The only part that I do like is that you get 11x AAdvantage miles because it is a useful currency. I don't even really put any spend on it excuse I prefer my Citi Prestige card. I can absolutely certify that AA employees care 0% if you are Executive Platinum. Platinum Pro is fine, just like Exec P is fine.
I’ve lost all status moving back to Australia. But I have a ton of points from simply miles and credit cards and I buy the rest on lifemiles to fly biz on Ana etc. I pay for main cabin extra with the fam and take 20mins more sometimes to check in but nothing really lost. Especially with online check in and bag drops these days at airports.
And I use priority pass for lounges and or the American Express lounge when I’m not flying biz on points.
It would be good to mention what lifetime status you have and how that factors into the math. Since United 1MM gets you lifetime *A Gold, that makes it less necessary to chase *A status. Oneworld Emerald is pretty amazing, if United 1K or GS gave you access to Polaris Lounges on domestic F or FCT in J tickets, that would certainly change the math. Oneworld is smart to offer alliance benefits above what you get with baseline lifetime status.
I personally don't feel chasing either status makes any sense anymore. The only thing I'll say contrary to that is that there's not a big difference between the major hotel chains, so picking one isn't that hard.
For me, it's all about the elite line - quick pick-ups, and more empowered agents (though admittedly not as empowered as in the past).
Status match to Alaska? Then you can credit all your one world there and most likely earn 100k easily if you do some paid first and business. I’ve had Alaska 100k for the past few years and much prefer it over Exec Platinum. You’d still be emerald and get benefits on AA
Depends where you fly out of. Alaska outside of the west coast, is way more limited than AA
Despite living in a major hub city for 3 major US airlines (Chicago) after moving from a major Star Alliance hub in Asia, I am sticking with my Platinum SkyMiles status with Delta which I've held for the last several years. Beside simply enjoying flying DL over the other three juggernauts in Chicago, my personal/family travels bring me to places DL serves which still land me upgrades or very cheap paid upgrade regularly (domestically), or...
Despite living in a major hub city for 3 major US airlines (Chicago) after moving from a major Star Alliance hub in Asia, I am sticking with my Platinum SkyMiles status with Delta which I've held for the last several years. Beside simply enjoying flying DL over the other three juggernauts in Chicago, my personal/family travels bring me to places DL serves which still land me upgrades or very cheap paid upgrade regularly (domestically), or to places where I prefer flying their SkyTeam partners (VS, AF, KL, and KE) over Star Alliance, in particular, or oneWorld. I also appreciate being about to grab Comfort Plus seats (or the equivalent on VS, AF, KL, or KE) at booking, essentially, if booking an economy ticket. In my case, sticking with one carrier makes sense, but it's interesting to see how many bloggers seem to be approaching this similarly (pseudo or full free agent).
Interesting, I thought Delta has a weaker presence than UA and AA in Chicago. I know they are getting bigger with T5 Delta SkyClub but overall less than UA and AA.
You are right, Delta flies to it's hubs and second tier destinations from ORD. I regularly fly them out of ORD and domestically find their ground & in flight experience superior to their competitors. But if direct flights is your thing, you wont beat UA out of ORD
@Reynold as Miles Ahead stated, yep: Delta only flies to its hubs out of ORD and MDW...but for my travels, it doesn't matter - whether on DL, UA, or AA, I typically still have to make a connection to get to my frequent domestic destination (ILM and, sometimes, if the price is much lower, which it can be, MYR or OAJ). In the summer, there are direct flights to MYR and ILM on UA and...
@Reynold as Miles Ahead stated, yep: Delta only flies to its hubs out of ORD and MDW...but for my travels, it doesn't matter - whether on DL, UA, or AA, I typically still have to make a connection to get to my frequent domestic destination (ILM and, sometimes, if the price is much lower, which it can be, MYR or OAJ). In the summer, there are direct flights to MYR and ILM on UA and AA, but because I live south of the Loop and can get to MDW in 20 minutes on the L, I usually still take DL out of MDW. DL is the only one of the Big 3 that fly out of MDW now, so that makes it an even easier decision for me. There's no lounges at MDW currently. but when I can get from door-to-gate in 30 minutes flat (thanks, PreCheck) for $2.50, it's a no brainer. That said, now that the SkyClub is open at ORD, I have shifted some flying out of T5...sometimes, domestic DL flights out of ORD can be several hundreds less that out of MDW. Ultimately, this works for me, and I second Miles Ahead's sentiment that domestically, DL's ground and in flight experiences are far superior to their competitors. I also like flying them internationally, though I tend to take Korean, Air France, and KLM more than DL when flying to Asia or Europe.
Unless you're a big time flyer in paid premium sticking with one airline makes sense. It's now all about how much you spend on flights and retail partners, particularly credit cards. Being top status (not the opaque invite only status) still has perks but complimentary domestic upgrades are far less assured now.
Surprising that you aren't going for 250K LP. With high income and big spend - should be easy for you.
I find I am spending less than $5K on tickets (used to be $12K+) - but finding it easy to make AA status with all the options - CC, shopping, hotels, etc. Will be over 300K LP and usually earn EXP by September.
I have switched some spending now to my U, so...
Surprising that you aren't going for 250K LP. With high income and big spend - should be easy for you.
I find I am spending less than $5K on tickets (used to be $12K+) - but finding it easy to make AA status with all the options - CC, shopping, hotels, etc. Will be over 300K LP and usually earn EXP by September.
I have switched some spending now to my U, so my AA rate is down until March. I find UA miles easier to use than AA - and UA changes availability frequently, where as AA does not.
But I agree - EXP doesn't give you upgrades like it used to.
I’m around 150k LPs as well and the strategy now is to earn some Hilton Honors points until March 1st then go back to using the Citi Executive card.
If Ben can make EXP again I’d say go for it. Being American captive in MIA ; upgrades will only get harder as PPRO. I would say the early morning flights are easier for upgrades but not the case in MIA with all those overnight...
I’m around 150k LPs as well and the strategy now is to earn some Hilton Honors points until March 1st then go back to using the Citi Executive card.
If Ben can make EXP again I’d say go for it. Being American captive in MIA ; upgrades will only get harder as PPRO. I would say the early morning flights are easier for upgrades but not the case in MIA with all those overnight flights from Latin America. GRU, GIG , EZE etc. There’s also an extra calendar day this year 2/29 so y’all should be taking Aadvantage and flying. Remember there are tie breakers. You can have 6 more LPs than another EXP and beat them to the upgrade.
Hotel status worth it?
Only Hyatt. Get an Aspire and you're Hilton Diamond looking forward to "high floor" upgrades and $12 breakfast credits. Marriott? Enjoy your SNAs that never clear. And who cares about bottom feeding chains like IHG and Wyndham.
Meanwhile, airline status gives real benefits like free E+/MCE/Comfort+ seats, occasional upgrades, expanded award inventory. Plus better treatment when things go pear shaped. Plus on two of three main carriers you can achieve it...
Hotel status worth it?
Only Hyatt. Get an Aspire and you're Hilton Diamond looking forward to "high floor" upgrades and $12 breakfast credits. Marriott? Enjoy your SNAs that never clear. And who cares about bottom feeding chains like IHG and Wyndham.
Meanwhile, airline status gives real benefits like free E+/MCE/Comfort+ seats, occasional upgrades, expanded award inventory. Plus better treatment when things go pear shaped. Plus on two of three main carriers you can achieve it purely by credit card spend.
My situation requires me to fly QR a lot. Having OneWorld Sapphire status (via being AA PL) allows me lounge access, priority boarding as well as a choice of good economy seats on QR at time of booking. We recently flew to Madrid over the holidays on QR (via Avios) and I was able to get 4 great bulkhead seats at time of booking.
Also, I've taken advantage of the paid upgrades on AA. Flown...
My situation requires me to fly QR a lot. Having OneWorld Sapphire status (via being AA PL) allows me lounge access, priority boarding as well as a choice of good economy seats on QR at time of booking. We recently flew to Madrid over the holidays on QR (via Avios) and I was able to get 4 great bulkhead seats at time of booking.
Also, I've taken advantage of the paid upgrades on AA. Flown in J/Y+ a few times. Would've been really nice if those paid upgrades went to Loyalty Points -which they will now.
Maybe I'm a "sucker" for sticking with AA however its been very advantageous for me over the years and continuous to be so - even though I'm a "west coast-based" flyer. Plus I'm closing in on LT PL so there's in incentive for me to stick with what's working.
Interesting you've reached this conclusion as my view is exactly the opposite despite similar travel patterns - i.e. airline status remains incredibly valuable, whilst hotel status almost isn't worth chasing any longer. Why?
- Hotel status has been devalued by how easy it is to earn (you can't just take out a credit card and get given top tier airline status). As a result, a very high percentage of guests at an average Marriott /...
Interesting you've reached this conclusion as my view is exactly the opposite despite similar travel patterns - i.e. airline status remains incredibly valuable, whilst hotel status almost isn't worth chasing any longer. Why?
- Hotel status has been devalued by how easy it is to earn (you can't just take out a credit card and get given top tier airline status). As a result, a very high percentage of guests at an average Marriott / Hilton / whatever are now high status elites (at five star hotels we're talking 25%+ of the guests sometimes) and this negatively impacts elite treatment
- Hotel status only gives you something you could have just paid for anyway, whereas airline status sometimes gives you a 'money can't buy' experience. If I stay at a big chain hotel I get free breakfast, an upgrade to a room I could have just bought anyway, late checkout I could have paid for, etc. In contrast, my BA status allows me to access First Wing check in and security and then the Concorde Room at Heathrow even on intra-Europe flights which would be impossible without status. Same with, e.g., being first in the queue for rebooking and getting home the same day in the event of disruption whereas without status I'd be spending the night in an airport hotel. Yes, some airline benefits like free seat selection etc. are about saving costs, but there is much more to airline status than this
- Hotel status locks you into using a particular chain or chains and you end up staying at suboptimal hotels because of status. Whilst the same is true to an extent for airlines, for those of us based at hubs it's not like we really have choice of airline anyway so you aren't forcing yourself into a suboptimal situation like you are when you have to stay at a dated Marriott despite it clearly being inferior to the brand new Hilton / Hyatt around the corner
- When staying at five star hotels most benefits of hotel status can be obtained just by booking via the correct channel anyway (Amex FHR, Virtuoso, Marriott STARS, Hyatt Privee, etc.)
If I earn hotel status organically, great, otherwise not convinced it's worth chasing any more.
Seems like getting emerald status is really the difference for you - do you prefer to pay out of pocket to review a lounge (if you don't have that status) or pay American to get the status.
What a treat for those in the US by being able to transfer points from credit card spending to all kinds of loyalty programs all over the world. Those of us in the EU only get the airline branded cards which are very far from being a good deal....shame on us
These days, it honestly seems like it is just better to buy the premium ticket (using cash or points) to get auxiliary benefits than to have status and fly economy.
What benefit does tier status provide that is not included with a premium cabin ticket? Like Ben, on AA, I shoot solely for OW first class lounge access. Nothing more. On Delta, I don't seek status at all.
Easier access to customer service (and sometimes better agents), higher earning multiple on paid tickets. Additionally, though not directly related to your question, for those of us who don't believe in paying the premium for domestic short-haul first class (not nearly worth it, IMO), the complimentary MCE seating is a big help.
@ Ben,
Since hotel elite status isn't something, you really need to chase.. Why not book a few stays with AA hotels to earn that extra 50k ? I've been able to earn 10k per night at $300-500 per night hotel stays (sometimes you also do better book several single night stays vs. all the nights on a single booking). Put it on the Citi Executive Card and $5k in hotel spend would earn you 50k in LPs and 100k miles.
Are you sure about the additional LPs on Executive Card sending eith AA Hotels? I've seen the 10x Miles offer/benefits before, but assumed it was BONUS Miles and not BASE miles. There is a huge difference. I've also never read any Miles blogger who hawks this card mention that. Just confirming that you have indeed had them post to your AADVANTAGE Account before.
Did I say it gave extra LPs ? I didn't. You can just get 10x miles for paying with that card over something else that only give you 3x.
@ Ben, I think your morning coffee lacked its usual effectiveness ;) - "Since airlines mostly award miles based on how much you spend rather than how far you far, there’s less value in earning miles through flying, not to mention award costs have gone up."
@ Jesse -- Whoops, fixed, thanks! I had to read that about three times before I realized what was wrong with it, so I guess my brain really isn't working today.
Value of upgrades is long lost on me given the premium to buy first is so much more reasonable - but I stay loyal to delta (Slc based) because of the service, especially IROPS. The peace of mind knowing I have the best shot getting where I need to be is worth foregoing an occasional trans-Pacific flight on a better airline.
They'll still protect EXPs on a second flight in case of IRROPS. I don't believe PPs get that. EXPs are highlighted on the manifest for long-haul, so theoretically, you should get better service. PPs don't get a free drink/snack in economy. That's not A LOT more, but it's definitely worth a measly 50K LPs.
+1. "They'll still protect EXPs on a second flight in case of IRROPS."
It rarely happens, but when it does, it can be a lifesaver. The difference between getting home the same night or be sing stranded on the opposite coast. Huge benefit, often taken for granted.
But PP's do get MCE, so drink/snack value minimal