Tag Archives for elite status.
Many American AAdvantage members who do not have any status at all are being gifted an elite level, upgrades, and a quick path to even earn the Executive Platinum level – with less flying and spending than the airline requires from current elites.
The Emirates credit card in the U.S. has a limited time bonus to earn up to 60,000 miles, and the Emirates cards let you spend towards elite status through end of year.
Carnvial Cruises has an elite status match program. They will match against casino loyalty programs, because they want big gamblers on their ships. And the offer even includes free cruises.
American Airlines has 3 new promotions to accelerate earning status for existing AAdvantage elite members, and it helps put me back on track to where status can be reached this year.
Registration is required, log into your account and click on your ‘promotions’ tab and you’ll see a promotion to register for. There are actually three separate promotions and you need to accept each one separately.
In the fall top American Airlines executives – including President Robert Isom – started cold-calling their best customers “to find out who it is that’s traveling and still earning elite status throughout the pandemic.”
Recently several top American Airlines AAdvantage elite members have reported getting calls scheduled with Rick Elieson, the head of the AAdvantage program. In one of these calls he leaked some great information!
United will let elite members earn 25% of their status requirements with 3 trips, or members can choose a bonus of 10% of their status requirements or bonus miles instead. That’s on top of the 25% credit towards status United has already given.
While some people will earn elite status this year, 2021 is mostly a wash out for an airline’s best customers. And that means airlines need to take steps to extend status again and start over next year or they’ll risk pushing these members into free agency.
Star Alliance carrier Singapore Airlines is letting members earn status credits for things other than flying through February 2022. In addition current Singapore elites earn double status credits for qualifying spend through KrisShop, KrisFlyer Spree and at Kris+ partners.
Current non-status members can earn silver or gold status without ever flying.
Delta is offering at least a 50% elite qualifying bonus on all travel for the rest of 2021, and a 75% bonus for premium cabin travel, under the banner of Medallion Accelerator. For the first time at Delta award travel will count towards earning elite status from April 1 through December 31, 2021 as well.
The pandemic is lasting longer than many had hoped, even though vaccinations create much hope. Airlines weren’t initially aggressive enough in extending status, or reducing requirements for earning status this year.
Travel may pick up as 2021 progresses. People are getting vaccinated, and CDC guidance notwithstanding that means more people who ‘jab and go’. But that isn’t enough to forestall the need for status extensions.
Loyalty isn’t primarily about points or benefits. It isn’t transactional. It’s about building a relationship based on taking care of customers and building trust. That’s difficult to do in a mass way, even with elite benefits because that group can number in the tens of thousands (for top elites) to the seven figures (for lowest level).
A program systematizes how guests are cared through. Benefits are part of doing that. In formulating a set of benefits it’s most important to understand what matters most to the customers that matter most. That’s often how a travel brand cares for the people the member cares most about.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
