Airline status. We all want it—the upgrade, admission to the lounge, priority boarding, and no bag fees.
Once upon a time, we could actually earn it by flying a certain number of miles in a calendar year.
But now, that status on a few airlines is being sold—and it’s not cheap.
Frequent flyer programs on American, United, and Delta reward miles are not based on how far you’ve flown, but how much you paid for each ticket.
Worse, there are now more people enrolled in each airline program, which means more passengers competing for a fewer number of perks.
American Airlines has sent an email to some of its highest tier members letting them know that they can renew their status by sending the airline nearly $2,500.
That’s for status that—based on the numbers—is hardly guaranteed…and not worth it.
As for me, I’m not writing a check. I’ll sit in the back of the plane and save $2,500 with my new status: smarter.
For more information about frequent flyer miles programs, check out:
- How Frequent Flyer Miles Programs Will Change This Year
- It’s Getting Easier to Use Your Miles to Purchase One-Way Tickets
- Another Airline Changes Its Frequent Flyer Miles Programs
Keep reading for more travel tips.
