Is airline status worth it?
46% View from the Wing
19% One Mile at a Time
35% Other
Airline status may still offer value, but its worth depends heavily on your travel habits and goals. With many carriers selling first-class upgrades for as little as $26, the traditional incentive to chase elite status has diminished. However, status can still unlock benefits like priority boarding, lounge access, and better award availability.
Benefits of Status
- Priority services: Early boarding, priority check-in, and faster security lines are still valuable for busy travelers.
- Lounge access: Especially useful for long layovers or international travel, though some programs now offer paid day passes.đ
- Award flexibility: Status can improve access to premium cabin awards, especially on networks like SkyTeam or on carriers like Air France-KLM.
Drawbacks and Shifts
- Upgrades are now often sold: Airlines like American, Delta, and Frontier now sell first-class seats for under $30, reducing the appeal of status for upgrades.
- Cost vs. benefit: Paying $69 for Frontier Gold or $299 for Flying Blue Platinum may not be worth it unless you fly frequently on those networks.đ
- Status is less about perks, more about strategy: For some, status is a way to lock in benefits without relying on flight availability or complex upgrade rules.đ
When Status Might Still Be Worth It
- You fly frequently on a single airline or alliance (e.g., SkyTeam, Oneworld).
- You value consistent access to premium cabins or award seats without relying on luck.đ
- Youâre willing to pay for status to secure benefits that arenât available through standard booking.đ
Ultimately, status is less about exclusivity and more about predictability. If you fly often and value consistency, it can still be a smart move â but for occasional travelers, the cost may outweigh the benefits. View from the Wing +2
Eye of the Flyer 1%
Delta is Selling $27 Upgrades to First Class(!?)
Depending on where and when you shop, twenty-seven bucks may or may not get you some bang for your buck. But that was the price tag for a First Class upgrade on my Delta Air Lines flight â this week! I was scheduled to fly between Los Angeles (LAX) and Las Vegas (LAS) on Tuesday. Just a quick day trip for a special event. I used 20,000-ish SkyMiles to purchase the Main Cabin (coach) roundtrip airfare (and $11.60 for fees). I was fine with an exit row to and from Vegas. I requested a complimentary upgrade to
Monkey Miles 13%
$69 Frontier Gold Status
For just $69 you can buy Frontier Airlines Gold Status through December 2026 and you donât even need status with another airline to match. You only need an account with the following airline loyalty programs: Southwest Rapid RewardsÂŽ, JetBlue TrueBlueÂŽ, Spirit Airlines Free SpiritÂŽ, or Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan⢠Now, if you donât have plans to fly Frontier in the next year and a half⌠this probably isnât worth it. But, if you think there is even a slight chance, I think it is. Youâre spending $69 to secure a carry on bag, seat selection, and priority boarding. Youâd
View from the Wing 27%
Airlines Keep Selling First Class For $26 â Killing The Reason To Chase Their Top Status
Delta Air Lines led the industry in eliminating first class upgrades. Twenty years ago 90% of first class seats went to upgrades and awards. Ten years ago it was about half. Now only around 12% of seats are left for SkyMiles elite members. And that means on many routes and flights there are no upgrades at all. Other airlines have copied Delta, monetizing their first class cabins for âtens of dollarsâ â they will sell once a year coach passengers an upgrade for $26 or $40 rather than giving it free to a $30,000 a year customer. At
Economy Class & Beyond 4%
Flying Blue Status match returns for UK Residents
So itâs been⌠just over 12 months since British Airways did the dirty on its Club members, even though there has been a little backtrack. And most of us have a view if we are on track to retain our frequent flyer status with British Airways. Or not in some cases. Well, a new lifeline has been launched, with a paid status match with Air France-KLMâs frequent flyer programme â Flying Blue. The link to start the match is at https://flyingblue.statusmatch.com/. For British Airways âThe Clubâ Members who are resident in the United Kingdom,
Live and Let's Fly 8%
I Tried Status-Free Airline, Hotel Free Agency And Hated It
After years of frustration with loyalty programs I proudly freed myself of the elite status grind. I hated it and came crawling back to both airline and hotel status. Every year the requirements get higher, the benefits are fewer â whatâs the point in being loyal to a brand when it wonât be loyal to its clients? I had been loyal to American Airlines for more than 20 years achieving status (often Executive Platinum) for more than half that period. But following an experience in which Qatar sold business class for 40% less than American flying to the
PointsMath 4%
Air France-KLM Flying Blue Status Match Offer
Air France-KLM is offering Flying Blue Status Match with other partner airlines. Last year, we also saw promotions for countries such as the UK and the USA. This promotion is available to residents of Canada, India, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Flying Blueâs status match is available with 23 airlines worldwide. However, to status match, you will need to pay a status match fee. The good thing, however, is that you can even status match to the platinum tier. Here is how much you will pay if
Eye of the Flyer 5%
Is it Worth Going After Delta Air Lines 360 Diamond, Diamond, Platinum, Gold or Silver Medallion Status Anymore?
I have such fond memories of my very first ever mileage run to reach Delta Air Lines Silver Medallion status. I drove to Chicago and flew to Texas. I then, very quickly, boarded the exact same jet and flew back. The crew all just giggled and so enjoyed and maybe even respected the fact that I so loved and respected Delta that I would do this one day insanity to have amazing perks the next flying year. My gosh times have changed! Back in my day, really not that long ago, you earned your status on how far
View from the Wing 19%
American Airlines CEO Celebrates Taking Away Free First Class Upgrades â Says Customers Will Pay
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom enthusiastically cheered the end of first class upgrades. Speaking at the Bernstein 42nd Annual Strategic Decisions Conference on Wednesday, Isom was asked by the host about frequent flyer upgrades: > s you think about the technology and that in-app buy-up experience, thatâs something where I know just from my own experience, maybe a couple of years ago, it would seem like you guys were kind of far behind in terms of giving away the upgrades instead of asking to get paid for them. Do you feel like youâve closed that gap relative to the
One Mile at a Time 17%
I Earned AAdvantage Platinum Pro Status, And Thatâs Good Enough For Me!
I finally once again earned oneworld Emerald status, and Iâm really happy about that. Let me provide some background, and then Iâll share how Iâm thinking about status with American going forward. In this post: For 14 years, I had AAdvantage Executive Platinum status, which is Americanâs top (published) tier status. At the beginning of the current elite status year I lost that, and dropped all the way to AAdvantage Gold status, which I receive on account of my million miler status with American. Why did I give up on Executive Platinum status? It actually wasnât due
One Mile at a Time 2%
Air France-KLM Flying Blue Paid Status Match Promotion: Eligibility, Cost, Value
For quite some time, Air France-KLM Flying Blue has been offering a paid status match promotion. This status match has long had residency requirements for eligibility, and that continues to be the case. However, weâve just seen an update to the eligible countries, for anyone who may be interested (so that I donât bury the lede, the United States still isnât eligible). In this post: The website statusmatch.com is currently partnering with Air France-KLM Flying Blue to offer a status match promotion, with the option to earn Silver, Gold, or Platinum status. This offer is available to residents