Some U.S. airlines have special mileage-point bonus programs for only their most elite frequent flyers
-- the travelers who reach 1 million mileage points or more.
Achieving elite
status in airline frequent-flyer programs takes a lot of travel: an annual
minimum of five coast-to-coast round-trips (or equivalent) for the bottom rung
of the elite status ladder, up to 50,000 miles for middle-tier membership and 75,000
to 100,000 miles for hardest-to-hit top tier.
To maintain
this hard-earned status means flying the same number of miles year after year.
When
frequent travelers finally retire they usually don't mind traveling less
frequently but when they do make a trip they crave their customary perks.
For them good
news! Some airlines now give special treatment to members who accumulate 1
million miles or more. These unpublished programs reward over 250,000 top travelers
at American Airlines, Delta
Air Lines and United
Airlines with complimentary lifetime privileges.
These
privileges include free upgrades to first or business class, bonus miles,
priority seat selection and boarding, separate security lines and special reservation
phone numbers.
As with the
standard frequent flyer programs, benefits and qualification vary from airline
to airline, particularly when it comes to complimentary upgrades.
American
makes it easiest to become a million miler because miles from any activity --
including partner credit card spending -- count towards the threshold.
Delta
offers the ultimate prize of lifetime top-tier status at 4 million "flown"
miles, but the best reward is probably with United, where a million "flown"
miles earns Premier Executive status: this mid-tier membership usually requires
10 transcontinental roundtrips every year.
The table
that accompanies this article
details the status levels and benefits that American, Delta and United award
travelers who accumulate 1 million mileage points or more and how the points
must be earned.
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