Don’T Live On Loyal To Frequent Flier Programs
Updated: 6/29/18 | June 29th, 2018
A few years ago, I wrote a postal service near joining frequent flier programs. At the time, I was inwards the procedure of picking ane to join, but instantly I experience the postal service is a flake dated, together with my thoughts on the dependent champaign possess got changed equally I’ve started to acquire to a greater extent than into mileage programs together with accumulating frequent flier miles. Which agency it’s a practiced fourth dimension to write a novel postal service on the topic.
Back inwards 2008, I was going to bring together the JAL awards computer programme because it partnered non exclusively with Oneworld but also a few other airlines I enjoy, similar Emirates. In the end, I joined American Airlines, which is also a Oneworld partner.
I joined American over JAL because I realized that when you lot don’t wing that much (and dorsum then, I didn’t), it’s much harder to earn airline miles when you lot aren’t racking upwards points past times using a travel credit card. So I picked American since it partnered with JAL, together with I could piece of occupation its credit bill of fare to acquire bonus miles together with miles from my day-to-day spending.
Now, closed to 10 years subsequently that showtime post, I believe that unless you lot are a super flier, you lot shouldn’t stick to ane airline or airline alliance. Using credit cards together with special offers volition acquire you lot all the extra points together with miles you lot demand to acquire gratis flights on whatever alliance. There’s no demand to hold out loyal. The exclusively affair gained past times beingness loyal to ane airline is elite condition together with the amazing perks that come upwards with it.
(But if you lot spread out your flights alongside besides many unlike carriers, you’ll dilute your mileage balance. It volition accept you lot ages to earn plenty miles to redeem them for a gratis flight, together with you lot definitely won’t wing plenty on ane airline to gain elite condition — it takes 25,000 miles on most airlines to acquire the lowest elite status, together with nowadays, they require a sure as shooting aeroplane of pass with the airline or on their credit bill of fare too. Most people don’t wing or pass that much per year.)
That said, elite condition is all I tending about. I desire the extra perks — the gratis baggage, aerodrome lounges, priority boarding, together with gratis upgrades. I volition pay to a greater extent than for a ticket together with hold out loyal, because, inwards the end, the perks brand the higher cost worth it — for me.
For the casual flier, I don’t believe loyalty is worth it.
I used to say that if you lot tin wing 50,000 miles or more, it’s worth focusing on ane airline together with alliance because the perks are worth the extra cost (especially the international lounges). But now, the major airlines inwards the the U.S. do non value your loyalty anymore. They are exclusively rewarding their high-spending clients with deep pockets — non their frequent clients. Travel 100,000 miles a year, but on precisely a few inexpensive tickets? Great — that volition earn you lot a pat on the back. Spend $20,000 on a few high-priced tickets? The ruddy carpeting is rolled out for you! So with the heightened spending requirements, reduced benefits, together with overall “F U” mental attitude airlines have, it doesn’t brand feel to hold out loyal to an airline if you lot aren’t a high-spending traveler.
Right now, I possess got no airline status. Most of my flights for the repose of the twelvemonth are long-haul international flights — the variety I ever piece of occupation points on, thence I tin wing for gratis inwards concern class. Most of my paid, status-earning flights volition hold out inexpensive domestic flights. I’m precisely non going to hold out able to run into the novel spending requirements for condition — for whatever airline.
I’m flying Alaska/Virgin, JetBlue, together with Southwest a lot to a greater extent than lately. These airlines don’t possess got baggage fees; they do possess got friendlier staff together with meliorate in-flight products (hello, gratis gate-to-gate wi-fi on JetBlue!), together with the experience is leagues meliorate than the big three!
So, it makes feel to hold out loyal when you’re a high-spending route warrior. If you’re ever staying inwards hotels or flying tens of thousands of miles per year, staying loyal volition acquire you lot a lot of added benefits.
But why pay to a greater extent than if you’re exclusively going to wing a few thou miles per year? Don’t hold out loyal. Just acquire on price. If you lot know you lot aren’t going to run into the elite condition threshold, why pay extra? Unless you lot possess got a existent affinity for ane airline, the benefits you lot acquire for your “loyalty” aren’t worth the added cost you’re going to pay for your fare.
There are thence many ways to acquire gratis miles these days that if you’re precisely a casual, few-times-per-year flier, you’re meliorate off using those methods to acquire free concern or fantabulous tickets, which laissez passer on you lot all the elite perks for that ane flying anyway.
I do retrieve everyone should sign upwards for frequent flier programs. That way, when you lot piece of occupation a company, you’re accumulating rewards. Never girlfriend a risk to acquire rewards! I’m a fellow member of every airline together with hotel loyalty computer programme for this reason.
But if you’re exclusively taking a couplet of trips per year, there’s no argue to hold out loyal to ane program. Save yourself coin together with acquire with the cheapest ticket.
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