If you think that being loyal to your favorite airline is earning a free upgrade to business or first class on your next international flight, don’t be too high for your hopes. Loyalty isn’t as rewarded as before.
The people who fly the most are not always the customers who spend the most money. And as airlines monetize every aspect of their air travel, from boarding priorities to check bags and seat allocations, the focus of their loyalty program has shifted from frequent flyers to rewarding big spenders.
But don’t give up on your frequent flyer miles yet. Savvy users can continue to save on their travels by leveraging their loyalty programs in a smart way.
A short history of aviation loyalty
Frequent flyer programs have evolved significantly since their appearance on the scene in the early 1980s. In May 1981, American Airlines and United Airlines launched their loyalty program within a few days of each other. (Currently, Texas international airlines launched Payola Passes, the first frequent flyer recognition program, in 1979.)
For many years, the concept of earning miles has been literal. Most programs praised participants for each miles that flew with the airline. By the 1990s, Southwest was awarding free tickets after customers had flew a certain number of round-trip flights (usually 6-8). At these Golden Days, travelers with elite status can expect benefits such as mid-seat blocks and unlimited domestic upgrades and lifetime perks of top-notch flyers.
In pursuit of such desirable benefits, travelers seeking status have begun running their mileage. A quick trip that was adopted solely to earn a large number of miles or achieve a specific goal. The best mileage achieved a triple ecta of flying long distances at a low cost courtesy of travellers’ current elite status benefits, free and premium class seats.
The airline then tweaked its loyalty program to prioritize customers who spent more money than the people who flew the most. As the value of points and miles became more commonly known in the 2010s, airlines began moving their goal posts to gain elite status. While all airlines have had a different approach, common practices include increasing status tier requirements, partnering with credit card companies to offer cardholder-only perks, and assessing the value of each miles by increasing the number of miles required to book award tickets.
The evolving economy of miles
“Even in the economy, there was a time when many flights could win you elite status, upgrades, and fantastic award flights,” said Gary Leff, founder of the consumer aviation site. View from the wing. “But airlines are much better selling all their seats in cash.”
Thanks to last-minute cash upgrades sold before boarding time, fewer empty seats allow airlines to no longer offer generous mileage redemptions or upgrades. Airlines are also releasing award seats per route compared to those that have become available in the past, creating a rarity of artificially desirable redemption opportunities. For example, if you have 10 business class seats on a particular route, it is possible that many airlines have made six seats available in both cash or award reservations in the past. They may release 3 for booking awards on certain routes, even if those seats are not on sale now.
As airlines continue to prioritize shareholder returns, they continue to push cash upgrades at the gate before providing unsold inventory to travelers with their free upgrade list.
“It used to be an upgrade, but it’s very difficult when airlines are more aggressive in selling cheaply to everyone rather than giving it to loyal flyers,” Lev said.
He said the airline’s loyalty program has become a more profitable $1 billion company than the actual flight itself.
“The frequent flyer program sells us those seats for points with a huge discount on stock. They are the biggest buyers of seats on their airline,” Lev said.
Plus, airlines can change how many miles they are worth at any time. A flight that cost 10,000 miles can cost 20,000 or 50,000 miles. Therefore, the loyalty program itself is incredibly valuable to airlines. They can create all the rules about what their miles are actually “value.”
Who currently benefits from airline loyalty?
Despite all these changes, frequent travelers can continue to enjoy the benefits from the airline’s loyalty program. If you travel regularly for work or fly more than six flights a year on the same airline, frequent flyer programs can offer some serious perks.
“For frequent travelers, status can save you the day, like rebooking quickly when your flight is cancelled or earning a business class upgrade with a free upgrade certificate,” said Alberto Riva, CNN’s senior money editor, product review brand for news networks and longtime owner of Delta’s top tier medallion status.
As a result of his biggest diamond elite status, “I’ve been the first to bump from the economy with almost 60% of Delta Flights in the past year,” Liva said. “And with the global upgrade certificate associated with diamond status, my wife and I fly business class to Europe every year.”
But according to Riva, true airline loyalty only makes sense for many people who have been flying these days.
Leff recommends pursuing mid-tier airline status only if you fly for work or leisure, for example, or add specific value to non-human seats or free help during cancellations, for example, if you can make money easily.
“For many people, just buying the exact product you need on a particular flight will work better than chasing loyalty,” Lev said.
The best strategy for everyday travelers
“You only fly once or twice a year, and when you buy the cheapest ticket, you earn an incredible few points,” said Brian Schmers, who publishes a newsletter on consumer aviation materials. Airline observers. “It’s far from the past, and empty seats can slowly bring you closer to free flight.”
That being said, linking tickets to tickets frequently is still worth it, due to benefits beyond miles and status.
For example, Sumers said: “Delta offers free internet to loyalty members. American Airlines allows members to use the board for longer than non-members. Airlines want you in their ecosystem.
If you don’t fly too often, instead of chasing the benefits of airline loyalty, focus on tickets that offer flexibility and value.
Riva recommends obtaining travel credit cards from major banks such as American Express, Chase, and Capital One. These cards will be transferred to various airlines to earn points where you can pay for your trip if your cash interest rate is high or when you want to spend less money.
“Credit cards are key to unlocking good travel experiences,” Liva said. “It’s not about flying more. It’s about spending smarter expenses.”
There is a learning curve to maximize your points, especially if you are a beginner or a rare traveler. However, simple tools like Points Path, a Chrome extension that works within Google Flights, show you in real time whether your flight is cheap in miles or cash. This tool allows you to maximize rewards from unused airline programs and hide award deals.
“You don’t need elite status for better travel. You need better information,” said Julian Kheel, founder and CEO of Path Path.
Not all frequent flyer programs are created equally
If you still earn miles and burn them, then choose faithfully and wisely. One of the originals of 1981, the American Airlines Aadvantage program has achieved a high mark.
“Now you can transfer points of gratitude to Americans to Americans, but earning miles is much easier,” Liva said, referring to City’s Travel Credit Card Rewards Program. “And unlike the Delta, Americans don’t ask you to fly crazy high prices ahead of time.”
Conversely, Delta’s Skymiles program has been frequently criticized for being less valuable for redemption.
“Delta award devaluation – especially in business class, it’s become nearly impossible to get great value,” Kill said. “Even if you have a six-figure mileage balance, it may not go far.”
However, Delta offers strong operational performance and top-notch customer service, especially for elite flyers. “For me, it was worth it,” Liva said. “But that’s because I’m flying a lot and spending a lot. I know how to make the most of the program.”
Conclusion
Airline loyalty is still worth a lot for frequent travelers, especially if you know how the system works. But for everyone else, the rules have changed. Often, the best flight for you is not actually loyalty. Instead, you are looking for an airline that will take you to where you need to go – at the best times at the best prices.
“There’s no need to chase status,” Kiele said.
