Up For Sale: USAirways/Star Alliance Elite Status!

This is the first time that I can remember ever seeing an airline willing to sell elite status.

You can buy 90 day elite status ranging from Silver to Platinum, for prices ranging from $200-$600, depending on whether you currently have any elite status on USAirways.

If within those 90 days you fly between 7,500 and 22,500 miles (depending on the elite level that you bought into) you will be able to keep the status until February 2009.

Offer Linky
Elite Benefits Linky

Shhh...Airline Elite Status Matching...

In the past I've written about shortcuts to elite status with AA and United, and about Airtran offering lifetime elite-status matches.(All accessible in the knowledgebase)

All of this stuff is unofficial-so YMMV-your mileage may vary, and you won't find any of this information on the airline's websites.

United is known to match up to 1P (mid-tier) status.
Send a copy of your current elite status card or statement to:
Mileage Plus Service Center
Attention: Premier Status Match
P.O. Box 28870
Tucson, AZ 85726

Or fax it to:
605-341-6140

It won't hurt your case if you explain why you might switch your business to United.

Stay tuned for more airlines that offer status matching...

Planning On Spending A Lot Of $$$$ On AA? Prepay And Get Automatic Elite Status!

American Airlines Prepaid Travel Card Linky
$5,000 travel card=Gold
$10,000 travel card=Platinum
$20,000 travel card=Executive Platinum
Executive Platinum is arguably the best top-tier status of any airline, some of the benefits include things such as 8 free confirmed international upgrades, unlimited top priority domestic upgrades, double miles on all flights, waived award fees, and a special CS phone number where the AAngels will make sure that you get whatever you need...

United Airlines Offers An Elite Challenge!

I have blogged in the past about AA's secret challenge program that is a fast track to Gold or Platinum Elite status.

United now is offering a similar program, although it differs in many details.

You can get 2P(Premier) or 1P (Premier Executive) status through the program.

To enroll call 1-800-421-4655 and ask to sign up for promo MPP597
The cost is $100.
Fly 6,250 EQM's within 90 days of registration and you get 2P status.
Fly 12,500 EQM's within 90 days of registration and you get 1P status.
Status lasts from the time when you complete the challenge until 02/08.

(For those of you not familiar with EQM's it means elite qualifying miles. On united all fares earn 100% eqm's except full fare coach, business, and first which earn 150% eqm's. Basically if your flight is 10,000 miles and you're in a regular coach fare you will get 10,000 EQM's, if you are flying in first you will get 15,000 EQM's.)

If people request it, I can make another post hammering out the exact details between the AA and UA challenges...