5 Disadvantages of Airline Elite Status

All major U.S. airlines have loyalty programs that allow passengers to earn miles. If you fly with an airline often enough or spend enough with one of its credit cards, you can also earn Elite status.

Earning elite status with an airline sounds exciting. We all like to feel special. When you fly, boarding early because you’re part of the Platinum or Diamond group makes you feel like you’re among the privileged few.

But before you strive for elite status, it’s helpful to know the downsides.

1. Status requirements can be confusing and difficult to achieve

Each status level in an airline’s loyalty program has its requirements, and they can be complex. You may need to complete a certain number of flights. You may need to earn a certain number of qualifying points. Or you may need to do both.

Let’s take the United MileagePlus program as an example. If you want to earn Premier Gold status, you need to earn 24 PQF (Premier Qualifying Flights) and 8,000 PQP (Premier Qualifying Points). There is also an alternative option of 10,000 PQP.

Not only can these requirements be confusing, they’re often difficult to meet. You have to be a frequent flyer and spend enough money with the airline to even stand a chance.

2. You must meet status requirements each year

Airline Elite status is not a lifetime status. Once you earn it, you keep it for the remainder of the calendar year and the next full calendar year. For example, if you earn it this month, you will keep it for the remainder of 2024 and all of 2025.

To keep it, you must continue to meet the status requirements. This may be reasonable if you earn it through your travel and spending habits. But if you struggle to meet the requirements, you’ll have the same problem every year.

3. Upgrades are not guaranteed

Complimentary upgrades are arguably the best perk of airline elite status, but they aren’t guaranteed. When you have elite status, you’re eligible for complimentary upgrades. You can get one, but it depends on who’s ahead of you on the upgrade list and how many seats are available on the flight.

Passengers in higher status levels have priority on the upgrade list, so unless you earn your place in the highest status level, you could still find yourself behind several other passengers.

4. Not all benefits are equally useful or exclusive

Aside from upgrade eligibility, the perks of elite status are hit or miss. For example, with many airlines, elite status includes free checked bags and priority boarding. These perks can be nice if you plan on checking a bag and want to board the plane early. But if you’re only traveling with a carry-on and don’t mind boarding with the main cabin group, these perks don’t really enhance your travel experience.

It’s also worth mentioning that you can often get the same benefits through travel rewards cards. Some airlines also have their own credit cards that include free baggage check-in and priority boarding.

5. It encourages you to book with that airline, even if it doesn’t offer the best prices

In most cases, you only get Elite status if you fly with that airline. This can put you in a difficult position when another airline offers flights at lower prices.

Do you spend $50 or $100 more to fly the airline of your choice and maybe get a free upgrade? Or do you go for the lowest price and forgo the benefits of elite status? You won’t have that dilemma if you’re a free agent with no ties to a particular airline.

Elite status can be a good idea if you travel frequently, have an airline you like, and it flies the routes you typically fly. But for most people, sticking with one airline isn’t worth it.