I remember flying regularly as a pre-teen, thinking that I’d never be one of those people sitting up front! I’d never be able to pay for it, and even if I could it surely wouldn’t be worth spending for. After all, it was expensive and just a few hours. I was still small, so I didn’t think the extra space comfort was worth it … though I always held my breath hoping there would be an empty seat next to me.
That was at the dawn of mileage programs, and people forget that elite status didn’t start when miles did.