United Airlines is going all-in on money, as in you’ll earn elite status based almost entirely on how much you pay the airline. The amount you’ll need to spend is going up again. And, if you can’t hit the minimum number of flights, you’ll have to spend even more. There is some good news for international travelers. For everyone else, this is going to be a tough pill to swallow.
Where have I been spending most of my time as we hit the midyear mark? On airplanes. Lots of them. More than I’d like to be. Here’s what that looks like so far this year.
How did 2018 turn out for you in regards to airline elite status? Did you stick with the status quo or did you make a change? Here’s how 2018 looked for me.
Another airline is looking to thin out the elite ranks. American Airlines makes an announcement today that will reduce the number of elite members. Is more to come?
Is a swap in upgrade types for very frequent travelers reward enough to spend thousands of dollars more with United Airlines? Is the fact that Delta requires $15,000 in spending from their top elites a good enough reason to make this change for United? Will United actually make more upgrades available to top-tier 1K members?
I spend plenty of time beating on United. When I had a great experience yesterday, I just think it’s only fair that I share that with you to go along with the complaining.
How did you make out with airline elite status in 2017? What are you thinking about in 2018? Here’s a look at my stats for 2017 and my outlook for 2018.
American Airlines is allowing some top-tier Concierge Key members to gift Executive Platinum status. That’s something of a surprise to me.