Today is the most democratic (small d) day of the year in travel. That’s because it’s January 1, and in many programs everyone’s elite status counters get reset to zero (except for those squirrely foreign programs that have membership years based on the date you joined, and American that has extended the elite earning year by two months).
I have exactly the same number of elite qualifying miles and nights as everyone else today.
Even though elite statuses were largely extended in 2021 and even in a few cases extended again in 2022, most of us are back to zero, only a few programs like Delta and Hilton offered rollover credit. We have to start from scratch. Last year doesn’t matter anymore with regard to qualifying for status next year.
And that always reminds me of a 19 year old post by IndustrialPatent called “Need 75,000 miles for Platinum Elite” a snippet of which is below:
Need 75,000 Miles for Platinum Elite
Questions from an NW Newbie:Can you help me? I need 75,000 Miles in order to achieve Platinum Elite status with Northwest. I want to acquire these miles quickly (by the end of the year) and for as little as possible (no more than $250). I prefer to not to fly, but when I do I want a between seat on America West/British Airways. Thanks!
ITN.net is showing my flight tomorrow as sold out. Can I call NW and ask for a voucher? If so, can I also get a refund for the original ticket? Or will I have to actually fly?
How is Northwest’s World Business Class? Is it better than Southwest’s?
How do I claim PacMan points instead of WorldPerks miles?
If I dial and use 10-10-220 from the in-flight phone, will I save?
Should I ask for a voucher or free ticket if the guy who used the lavatory before me p’d all over the seat and/or didn’t flush? What if he happened to be the pilot?
What’s the address in which I can write NW in order to receive a comp for my FBI: Federal Breast Inspector status?
What kind of alcohol does NW serve in WBC? Will it taste good with my Valium?
When will NW replace their DC-9s, DC-10s and B742s? Will they replace them with planes that have MagicFlush(tm)?
Will Jesse Ventura personally greet me each time I disembark at [Minneapolis]?
Can you help me? I need 75,000 miles in order to achieve MVP Gold 75K status with Alaska. I want to acquire these miles quickly (by the end of January) and for as little as possible (no more than $250). I prefer to not fly, but when I do I want a first class award seat on ANA. Thanks!
This annual article should now be updated to, “I need $20,000 in spending.”
Why does American use a Mar 1 – Feb 28 calendar instead of Jan 1 – Dec 31? It must benefit them somehow but I can’t figure out how.
For the first time in over 15 years, I made no attempt whatsoever to requalify for either a hotel or airline elite status, a luxury that I earned after adding Hilton Honors Lifetime Diamond status to my UA Million Miler/Lifetime *Gold status…not much else left out there to shoot for
DCS – maybe you should try for Hyatt this year and finally realize once and for all Hilton Diamond is a second or third tier membership
I changed jobs during Covid and no longer travel monthly to corporate. My Delta silver and Hilton silver timed out (hahaha) and I’ve been free agent ever since. Being a hub captive, I still primarily fly Delta . But an economy flight is no different on any airline- take the least expensive. I switched my stay to an $85 Comfort Suites from a $140 Hampton Inn and the bed and shower work just as well. It’s very freeing.
Let the fun commence! Wishing everyone safe and smooth travels this year
@Larry – the story at the time of the shift is that it allows Christmas shopping to be incorporated at the end of the member year. When it was rolled out, miles earned from card spend counted when they posted to a member account, so Christmas spend mostly posted in January.
Of course they’ve recently shifted to that actual spend date counts towards status. So that justification no longer holds.
It’s back on the treadmill for me tomorrow with United and my 1K status with an ORD-IAH flight. I’m armed with a Chase Club Infinite Card and Bilt Platinum Status and ready to roll out. I just love the benefits of 1K too much. Boarding during pre-boarding and that guaranteed overhead bin space…just wonderful. I never used to use my miles for travel, but United now allows PQPs to be accumulated on award travel, so I’m headed to Brisbane next month and Iceland in August.
I have stayed off the cycle with hotels, though. I’m Wyndham Platinum and Choice Platinum (have been Choice Diamond in the past), but that’s because I smoke like a chimney and places to stay with smoking rooms tend to be part of those two chains. If Marriott hadn’t banned smoking from all their hotels, I’d use that Bonvoy status I get from my United status more often.
@John L — Thanks but no thanks. I did not go for the top elite status in old Gold Passport when it was practically given away, why would I bother now when the program’s deficiencies (tiny foot print, no 4th/5th award night free, no benefits at the bottom, status expensive to achieve) remain the same, and I am getting everything I need and much more as a HH LT Diamond?
That comment is making references that only people who lived though that time would get and that makes me feel old. And I’m only 36.