The Hidden Downside of Frequent Flyer Programs

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Airlines have frequent flyer programs to reward their most loyal passengers. Discover a rarely mentioned downside of these programs before you sign up. 

Frequent flyer programs are generally considered a good deal for travelers. For starters, they’re free to join. Once you do, you can earn miles every time you fly with that airline, and then use those miles to pay for your flights.

If you travel and spend enough, you could also reach the program’s elite status tiers. Passengers in these tiers get complimentary extras. And the benefits get better the higher you make it in the program. Know how airlines always call passengers in those special platinum and diamond tiers for early boarding? Work your way up in the frequent flyer program, and that could be you!

It may seem worthwhile for those who often travel with the same airline. Everyone likes to feel special. But this is actually one of the drawbacks to frequent flyer programs that doesn’t get talked about enough.

Elite status isn’t that special

Perks of elite status depend on the frequent flyer program and the status tier. But most airlines aren’t exactly reinventing the wheel here. At higher tiers, here’s a rundown of many typical perks you can expect:

Complimentary checked baggagePriority check-in, security screening, and boardingComplimentary upgrades when availableBonus miles on reservationsA complimentary or discounted membership to the airline’s lounge program

These benefits probably look great, and they can be. It’s nice to check a bag without a fee, board early, and maybe score a free seat upgrade.

Here’s the problem: You can already get many of these same benefits with airline credit cards. Priority boarding, free checked baggage, and even a membership to the airline’s lounge program — these are all perks airlines offer through their credit cards, too.

Many of the airline cards with these benefits have annual fees, to be fair. But airline status isn’t free, either. You usually need to spend quite a bit of money with an airline to move up in its frequent flyer program. For example, with Delta SkyMiles, you need to earn Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) to get elite status in 2025. Here’s how many MQDs you need in 2024 for each status tier:

Silver: 5,000Gold: 10,000Platinum: 15,000Diamond: 28,000

For the higher, more valuable tiers, you’re looking at $15,000 to $28,000 in Delta spending. Would you rather do that, or just open one of the Delta credit cards? Even the most expensive Delta card is currently $550 per year — a bargain in comparison.

Don’t overdo it trying to get elite status

Joining frequent flyer programs makes sense so you can earn miles with the airlines you use most. And if you have a carrier you like, you might want to make it your main airline and fly with it whenever possible. You’ll earn more miles with it this way, and you could potentially reach its elite status tiers.

There are also some ways to boost your frequent flyer status more quickly. Getting an airline credit card is one of the best options, because many of them allow you to earn extra points toward elite status.

But some people take chasing elite status to an extreme. They may ignore better flight deals and spend twice as much, just to make sure they earn those status points. There are even those who do mileage runs, taking flights and immediately going home so they can earn extra points (yes, it’s a real thing people do).

Having elite status is nice, but it’s not that nice. The truth is that most people don’t travel enough to get it naturally, and that’s fine. If you can qualify for it without putting in extra time and effort, that’s great. But it’s not necessary, and if you really want extra perks when you fly, travel credit cards are a much easier option.

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The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Lyle Daly has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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