…is airline status worth it?
37% View from the Wing
25% Eye of the Flyer
20% Live and Let's Fly
18% Other
Airline status may still offer value, but its benefits have shifted significantly in recent years. What was once a major perk—like free first-class upgrades—has become increasingly rare, with many carriers now selling premium seats at low cost. This change has made chasing elite status less compelling for many travelers.
The Shift in Status Value
- Many airlines now sell first-class upgrades for as little as $26, reducing the incentive to pursue top-tier status.
- Delta, for example, offers $27 upgrades to first class, which some see as devaluing the status experience.🔗
- American Airlines has moved to selling over 80% of first-class seats upfront, making upgrades less reliable and less valuable.🔗
When Status Might Still Be Worth It
- Frequent travelers on a single airline network: If you fly regularly with one alliance (e.g., SkyTeam, Oneworld, Star Alliance), status can still unlock lounge access, priority boarding, and better seat selection.
- Travelers with specific needs: Those who rely on upgrades for long-haul flights or need priority handling during disruptions may still benefit.🔗
- Hotel and multi-airline loyalty: Status with hotel chains like Hyatt or multi-airline programs (e.g., Flying Blue) can offer real value beyond air travel.🔗
When It’s Not Worth It
- Low or infrequent flyers: If you don’t fly often, the cost of maintaining status (e.g., $69 for Frontier Gold, $299 for Flying Blue Gold) may not be recouped.
- Travelers using points or flexible bookings: Many now find it cheaper to book flights with points or pay for premium fares than to chase status through spending or flight counts.🔗
- Those flying multiple carriers: If you fly across multiple airlines, status with one may not offer consistent benefits across your travel pattern.🔗
Ultimately, status is less about luxury and more about convenience and reliability. For some, it’s still a smart move; for others, the cost and effort outweigh the rewards.
Eye of the Flyer 9%
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 — 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 5%
$69 Frontier Gold Status
For just $69 you can buy Frontier Airlines Gold Status through December 2026 and you don’t even need status with another airline to match. You only need an account with the following airline loyalty programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards®, JetBlue TrueBlue®, Spirit Airlines Free Spirit®, or Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan™ Now, if you don’t have plans to fly Frontier in the next year and a half… this probably isn’t worth it. But, if you think there is even a slight chance, I think it is. You’re spending $69 to secure a carry on bag, seat selection, and priority boarding. You’d
View from the Wing 19%
Airlines Keep Selling First Class For $26 — 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 ‘tens of dollars’ – 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 5%
Flying Blue Status match returns for UK Residents
So it’s 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-KLM’s frequent flyer programme – Flying Blue. The link to start the match is at https://flyingblue.statusmatch.com/. For British Airways “The Club” Members who are resident in the United Kingdom,
Live and Let's Fly 20%
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 – what’s the point in being loyal to a brand when it won’t 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
Eye of the Flyer 16%
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 18%
American Airlines CEO Celebrates Taking Away Free First Class Upgrades — 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, that’s 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 you’ve closed that gap relative to the
Your Mileage May Vary 1%
What Southwest A-List Status Gets You Now
Southwest has changed a lot over the past year, and not all of those changes have been good for travelers. But after my wife Sharon matched her JetBlue Mosaic status to Southwest A-List, we had a chance to see what the new version of Southwest elite status actually gets you. The short version? It was more useful than I expected. We booked the cheapest Southwest tickets available using Rapid Rewards points. That meant we weren’t buying up to a more expensive fare just to get extra flexibility or more benefits. It turns out, quite a bit.
One Mile at a Time 7%
I Earned AAdvantage Platinum Pro Status, And That’s Good Enough For Me!
I finally once again earned oneworld Emerald status, and I’m really happy about that. Let me provide some background, and then I’ll share how I’m thinking about status with American going forward. In this post: For 14 years, I had AAdvantage Executive Platinum status, which is American’s 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 wasn’t due