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Earn elite status on US Airways for 7,500 miles
The jockeying for elite passenger revenue continues. Earlier this year, most of the major carriers announced double "elite qualifying mile" promotions, specials that drastically reduced the number of airline miles that one needed to fly to enjoy special perks. Usually, one needs to fly at least 25k miles to start earning low level perks such as bonus miles, preferred seats and upgrades.With those promotions over in the spring, everyone reveled in their fortune of finding a shortcut to elite status this year -- until this month, when American Airlines and United Airlines relaunched their promotions. Now, scrappy passengers (myself included) are racing to top off their frequent flyer accounts to reach even higher levels of status, a fall season full of mileage runs, lost sleep and airports.
The latest in a spate of elite promotions comes from US Airways. The Arizona based carrier just announced massive reductions in earnings tiers, now requiring only 7,500 flown miles to reach low level elite status. That's only 30% of what you would normally have to fly. Their top tier of status, Chairman Elite, can be reached with only 30k miles.
Why the race to lock in elite passengers this year? Business travelers are one of the most reliable, return customers for airlines, and the better that they can be catered to (via elite status,) the more likely they'll stay with an airline. In today's global recession, they're an important demographic to hold on to.
Check out US Airways' page for more details on the promotion.
[Thanks to moody75 for the tip]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rob Sep 21st 2009 7:31AM
Is that an act of desperation to drop the qualification level for elite status on US Airways. I was reading today that airlines are headed for big losses and there will be a reduction in air passengers by 20 per cent. That was actually in the Wall Street Journal.
Airlines are scrambling to attract customers. Looking at the way fees are structured now I guess they hope to attact customers into their planes and then hit them for the cost of snacks or for the selection of an aisle seat or for the luggage.
Things sure have changed over the years.
Rob
http://cheapflightscruises.com/traveltalk
Malaycobra Sep 21st 2009 8:24AM
What's the point in having elite status if so does everyone else on the plane? I mostly fly Continental, and when they call for elite access boarding, it seems like half the plane steps forward already...
Jamie Sep 21st 2009 1:32PM
MalayCobra is right; elite status is becoming pretty widespread as a benefit.
With any airline, even my own beloved Continental, elite-level flyers don't stay with an airline because they're *told* that they're special. They stay because they are *treated* like they're special, and if that erodes through saturation, those passengers will look elsewhere.
That's why you see Delta making a new fourth level called Diamond, and lavishing special perks on the people who reach it.
Ironically, U.S. Airways already has a four-tiered system. But it's also the most fee-hungry and cut-focused of the airlines, so being elite in their program is basically just a fee waiver that brings a passenger back to parity with what was standard service two years ago.