- Tommy Obenchain
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- Airline Status
Welcome
Friends,
This week is off to a bad start. Delta evacuated a 717 in Atlanta Monday morning after a smoky haze filled the cockpit and cabin shortly after takeoff. Then, Asiana’s daily A350 from Seoul to San Francisco came within a few hundred feet of the bay on final approach.
Those are not great optics for an already concerned flying public in 2025.
Whether you are a frequent flier or not, events like these are hard to ignore. However, it is also wise to pause and recognize how extraordinarily safe flying ordinarily is. That alone is remarkable, although not a “check the box” sort of thing.
Life is precious and fragile. In that, I am grateful to be able to write to each of you today.
Let’s get going.
Links
A tarantula bit an Iberia pilot yesterday.
Book I am currently reading on the early years at JetBlue (it is fascinating).
What flying was like 30 years ago.
I qualified for AAdvantage Gold status when I was sixteen years old. It meant more then than it does now, and for my teenage self I thought I had been given the world. I landed a shocking number of upgrades in those early years with gold status.
Slowly, I expanded my airline status rolodex out to other carriers as well through a combination of flights, promotions, and status matches. Then, the economy fell apart in 2008 and the already struggling airline industry was hit hard.
Having status now means more than just premium freebies like upgrades: it provides a checked luggage allowance on your reservations and access to better seat selection options, plus a special phone number to call (among other things).
Airlines have become smarter and the perks generally associated with entry-level status can be reasonably purchased a-la-carte and/or by having the right credit card. Being a loyal frequent flier still has its benefits, but they are not what they used to be.
What does this all mean for you? And how should you think about airline status today? Three things:
If you do not fly frequently then, as they say in the UK, it is “best to let sleeping dogs lie”. Pay for what you want and do not make an irrational loyalty choice. When you board in group five instead of group two remind yourself gleefully that you get to sleep in your bed at home more than the people in front of you.
If you fly with any frequency (2+ times per month) or spend materially on a credit card every month (because you own a business, etc.) then go all in. Pick an airline and a hotel chain, learn their programs, and set some aspirational goals. I can help you with this if you need direction and inspiration.
Status is a hamster wheel: in virtually all cases, you must requalify every year. Do not let this overwhelm you: instead, put the power of your credit card spending and regular flying together for the strongest outcome.
Status is great when you need bags or a free assigned seat, fun when you score a complimentary upgrade, and an absolute lifesaver when you get directly through to an agent during irregular operations while everyone else spends hours on hold.
Many will tell you frequent flier program status is no longer worth it, and they are not wrong. When pushed, though, I bet those same people would be hard-pressed to give up their gold or platinum status.
What to do? Keep it rational, straightforward, and know what you are getting.
When you do this, you might (like me) be shocked by all that is out there for you. Most people just do not know this exists in the first place.
Big Picture: Status is worth it if you fly a lot or spend a lot on a given carrier credit card. Go all in, learn your program of choice intimately, and make it a game (so try to have fun).
The perks of status, while sometimes underwhelming, remain a great help while traveling in 2025.
Also, remember that you are a champion: Happy flying.
Forward
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Remember, this life you are living has meaning. Be well today.
-Tommy