Domestic

Insider Tips to Reach Elite Status Sooner

In this tough economic climate, it's survival of the fittest, and the one with the most metal wins. This mentality not only pertains to the airlines but also to you when you reach elite status. The more premium status you have, the more benefits of extra legroom, waived fees, and free upgrades you enjoy, making your in-flight and on-the-ground experiences more productive and comfortable.

With airlines vying for your business, cost-saving opportunities for travelers are plentiful, and so are the chances to reach silver, gold, or platinum status on your preferred airline. But often the opportunities aren't obvious and thus you need to become an "elite sleuth" to uncover promotions and deals to reach premium status.

Wing Tips has ferreted out some of the best ways to get to elite status quicker. We don't want you to spend one more day shelling out money for baggage and award ticket fees. Let us help you keep money in your pocket and enjoy the view from 33,000 feet ... from the front of the plane.

Double, Even Triple EQMs

One way to get elite status is through elite-qualifying mileage (EQM) bonus promotions. To woo customers, airlines have been known to offer double, and even triple, mileage-earning opportunities for certain routes. These deals are one of the quickest ways to rack up miles that can count toward elite status. (Reminder: Airlines require flyers to earn a certain amount of EQMs during a calendar year. For most airlines, 25,000 EQMs earn entry-level elite status. EQMs can't be used for award tickets or upgrades.)

As bonus EQM offers are constantly changing, it pays to be a frequent visitor to the carriers' Web sites and to sign up for their e-mail alerts. And here's an important tip: Airlines often will match each other's offers, so if you see a good EQM promotion from American, be sure to check competitors such as United.

More Ways to Capture Gold

Another way to fast-track elite status is by flying with partner airlines that offer EQMs. Plus, partners sometimes have better seats.

The definition of partners, by the way, can extend beyond the airline alliance your carrier is in, and beyond the airlines themselves. Credit card companies, hotels, and other non-traditional "partners" often have EQM deals. Just another reason to read your airline's monthly award account statement, or sign up for your airline's promotional e-mails to stay on top of any EQMs promotions, and to read mailings by potential partners too.

Mileage Runs and Back Doors

You can also earn EQMs by going on a mileage run ... a flight specifically to collect miles ... which is smart if an airline has a double or triple EQM offer and the ticket is inexpensive in terms of the cost per EQM, a metric even The Wall Street Journal says that travelers "frequently use to measure cost-effective routing." If you're planning on doing a mileage run this year, one Web site worth knowing about is MileCalc.com. The site calculates the costs of routes you might fly to collect miles.

Another strategy to get to elite status that is often not talked about is the "back door," which is simply asking your airline to give you elite status if you're a loyal customer or if you know you will be flying that carrier more often due to business or personal reasons. You can also ask if the airline will match the elite status you have on another airline.

The Benefits of Being Elite

There are many benefits to being a premium flyer: upgrades, more leg room, and waived fees. In our last Wing Tips, we showed you fees that are waived when you reach elite status.

To get more smart tips on reaching elite status, read this feature from First Class Flyer's March issue on Three Ways to Get Instant Elite Status. Don't get First Class Flyer yet? Perhaps it's time to. Your subscription is fully guaranteed and you get 11 free Bonus Reports just for trying it. Get more information.

For more insider tips and strategies on how to make your travels more comfortable and productive, visit the Wing Tips archives page.