Keeping your flight status and frequent flyer privileges is critical to maintaining an advantageous position in the world of business travel. Without status, you are left scrambling for available seats, considering alternate airports, and signing up for a costly membership with another airline just so you can remain competitive. Fortunately, there are a few simple things that you can do to keep your flight status at an advantageous level without sacrificing too much of your time or money. Here we’ll explore some of the best strategies for increasing your flight status.
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Change Your Travel Dates
If you’ve booked a flight that doesn’t put you on track towards achieving your desired flight status, you can always change your dates. This is especially true if you’re trying to maintain an elite status while traveling with an airline that is having a less than stellar year. This can be especially helpful if your travel dates are in the early part of the year as airlines tend to have higher loads of business travelers in the first few months.
Keep Track of the Miles You’ve Already Earned
Every airline has a different policy when it comes to how many miles you need to earn in order to achieve a certain flight status, there are also apps that can help you track mileage. If you know your desired ranking, you can keep a close eye on how many miles you’ve already earned so you can plan accordingly. Recalculate once a month to stay on track towards achieving your goal. If you know that you need to earn around 3,000 miles per month to achieve your goal, you can use that number as a way to keep yourself accountable.
Fly With a Premier Member Airline
While this is an expensive strategy, it can be one of the most effective. Premier member airlines offer the best deals on seat upgrades, waived change and cancellation fees, priority boarding, and a host of additional perks. Although you may have to spend upwards of $1,000 to $3,000 on a single ticket, you’ll be rewarded with the miles you need to achieve your desired flight status. Once you’ve achieved status with a premier airline, you’re likely to remain there for the foreseeable future, making this a one-time investment. If you choose this approach, be sure to fly with a premier airline that also honors the miles of a less premier airline that you fly regularly. This will help you to retain the benefits of your premier status without losing your current flight status with your preferred airline.
Check Out Frequent Flyer Promotions in Advance
For many frequent flyer programs, the fastest way to earn the miles you need is to sign up for a special promotion. Be sure to check for current promotions that give you the most bang for your buck. Be aware that promotions come and go, and many airlines will have different offers during different times of the year. These are just a few proven strategies for increasing your flight status. What strategies do you use to keep your flight status at an advantageous level? Let us know in the comments below.
