Million Miler Standing — What It Is and Methods to Attain It

For those who are inclined to guide whichever flight is most cost-effective, you would possibly need to rethink your technique. Loyalty is commonly rewarded, and frequent fliers that persist with one airline for the lengthy haul can achieve unique perks. Million miler standing is an elusive, hard-to-reach standing awarded to those that fly a million miles or extra with an airline.

A handful of airways acknowledge million miler standing, however, argues Gilbert Ott, the director of partnerships at Level.me, “Two million or three million is the brand new a million.”

“At a million, individuals are sometimes getting a lifetime of low or center tier elite standing which can assure bolted-on advantages when flying with the airline (and sometimes with companions),” he explains. Persons are flying greater than ever, so it is sensible that coveted advantages are tougher to achieve now than they may have been a couple of years in the past. Right here’s the whole lot that you must learn about million miler standing. 

Methods to Qualify

The {qualifications} to achieve million miler standing are literally fairly easy: fly a million miles. That is simpler stated than carried out, nonetheless. David Rimmer, CEO at AB Aviation Group, says it took him over 15 years to achieve million miler standing, which he has with Delta and American. “Simply as standing has develop into harder to realize, million miler standing has, too, over time,” says Rimmer.

Advantages of Million Miler Packages

The advantages of being one million miler will rely on the particular program and your stage. Primarily, you’ll earn lifetime elite standing. “So far as presents, there’s not quite a bit,” says Ott. “Typically it is a piece of bags, typically it is only a sterling silver key chain or bag tag, or bottle of champagne.”

Every time you add one million miles, your perks improve. “Two million and three million is admittedly the brand new threshold for these George Clooney, ‘Up In The Air’ model advantages, and realistically, it is truly over 4 million the place these actually occur,” explains Ott. “5 million on Delta will get you annual “invite solely” 360 standing with the airline, which regularly consists of Porsche rides to connections and a private meet and greet for some flights.”

Aside from elite standing and some presents right here and there, the primary profit is understanding you’ve reached a threshold few others have reached.

Evaluating Million Miler Packages

4 U.S. airways provide one million miler program: Delta, United, American, and Alaska. Though the packages are primarily the identical, there are a couple of distinct variations to concentrate on.

American Airways

After flying a million miles, you earn lifetime AAdvantage Gold standing and 35,000 bonus miles. After two million miles, you earn AAdvantage Platinum standing and 4 one-way upgrades, plus 4 extra for every extra million miles you earn.

“American, curiously, hasn’t prioritized these lifetime milestones,” says Ott. “They’ve one million miler program, nevertheless it does not ramp up with every threshold of million miles the best way the opposite two do.” With lifetime AAdvantage Gold standing, you get perks like precedence check-in on the enterprise class counter, Group 4 boarding, and one free checked bag.

Delta Air Traces

Delta has a number of ranges of million miler standing. Every stage comes with an annual medallion standing, larger precedence for complimentary upgrades, and particular bag tags. You can too select from a number of presents every time you hit one million miles.

• A million: Gold Medallion standing
• Two million: Platinum Medallion standing
• Three and 4 million: Diamond Medallion standing
• 5+ million: Delta 360

“Even when my flying falls off, I nonetheless have entry to complimentary space-available upgrades and complimentary most popular seating and mileage bonuses,” says Rimmer. He additionally says you get a devoted customer support line and talked about that you simply get a greater expertise than you sometimes do with out standing. When Rimmer grew to become one million miler, he acquired a Tumi curler bag from Delta, which he nonetheless makes use of in the present day.

United Airways

United works equally to Delta. Every stage comes with an annual Premier elite standing and the chance to share your standing with a partner or somebody who lives with you. With every million miles, you obtain a better stage of standing.

• A million: Premier Gold standing
• Two million: Premier Platinum standing
• Three million: Premier 1K standing
• 4 million: United World Providers

Alaska Airways

At a million miles, you earn lifetime MVP Gold standing and a complimentary meal when meals are served in the primary cabin on their flights. At two million miles, you’ll obtain lifetime MVP Gold 75k standing. If you wish to intention for a fair larger standing, you’ll obtain 20,000 elite qualifying miles every calendar yr. You can too share your elite standing with somebody in your family for all times. For those who earn a better elite standing than your lifetime standing provides you, it’s also possible to share that one.

Backside Line

Loyalty is rewarded, however typically it’s much less rewarding than anticipated. For those who fly ceaselessly sufficient to make it to at least one million miles, you in all probability have already got elite standing with that airline. The packages that mean you can prolong standing to somebody in your family or ship million miler unique presents can present some worth, however you’ll doubtless get considerably extra advantages by simply reaching a better tier of elite standing together with your favourite airline. Nonetheless, there’s at all times the perk of getting million miler bragging rights.