Delta is a great place to start when it comes to earning
airline elite status because Delta's co-branded credit cards make earning status achievable even for those who don't fly nearly enough to earn status the traditional way.
Not exact matches
However, the benefits are significant as long as you continue to travel with that
airline,
because the perks add up: a free checked bag can save you up to $ 75 - 100 on each flight you book, while soft rewards long - term often include accelerators for racking up miles and
status, as well as
elite access to
airline lounges and similar VIP treatment.
If you book an Aer Lingus flight, they have their own lounge, and
because Aer Lingus is not a Oneworld member, you can not use Oneworld
elite status to access Oneworld
airline lounges such as Galleries when traveling on Aer Lingus.
They won't simply hand over
elite status just
because you've earned it with another
airline.
And those perks certainly make your travel experience more luxurious — I have enjoyed
elite status with various
airlines and hotel chains and it makes a noticeable difference in experience, resulting in many travelers «chasing
status»,
because they don't want to loose those benefits.
It means you can actually use the credit if you already don't pay baggage fees
because you already carry an
airline co-branded credit card, have
elite status, solely carry - on or fly an
airline like Southwest where bags fly free!
These cards all have steep annual fees ($ 450), but are generally worth it to frequent travelers
because they are so packed with bonuses, perks and benefits that we value most, such as airport lounge access, automatic
elite status in hotel & car rental programs,
airline spending credits, primary car rental insurance and reimbursement for PreCheck or Global Entry, among others.
I also like using Avios
because American is my preferred
airline and I can still get my
elite status benefits (like priority boarding and better seat selection) on a partner award ticket.
In fact, TPG is even considering quitting American
Airlines elite status, partially
because of these new rules.
Because I'm aiming for American
Airlines Executive Platinum
status this year, I banked my purchase of Mileage Plan miles to American, which in addition to being a partner
airline, offers special benefits to
elite members of Alaska's Mileage Plan.
If you're loyal to a particular
airline or hotel chain
because of a hard - to - find route that you frequent or business - travel requirements, a branded card may give you extras such as free checked bags, priority boarding, and other perks of
elite status.
Those last two words are key,
because there are of course many travelers who earn far more than 1 million frequent flyer miles and points per year, although a good portion of them are from flying and from their frequent flyer
elite status, sometimes with more than one
airline.