Frequent Flier Programs- Always a Good Deal?
If you are a frequent flier that is extremely loyal to a specific airline, you might want to consider whether you’re getting the most for your money, time, and loyalty. While frequent flier programs were extremely valuable in the past, many frequent flier plans are making it more difficult to acquire certain status levels and the perks given to frequent fliers have diminished greatly in the past few years.
If you are enrolled in a frequent flier program, you should consider the time, effort and expense that you give a specific airline in order to be eligible for a specific level in the program. Many times you can actually do better by choosing the best deal or connection with other airlines than by only sticking to one airline.
Many people are concerned at the ways airlines constantly raise their eligibility requirements and the amount of effort it takes just to get menial benefits. With aircraft capacity near 90% there are less first class and upgrades to go around. Many travelers pay a premium in order to get into frequent flier programs, money that can be spent in other ways in order to make their traveling much more comfortable. In these uncertain times, airline bankruptcies are a fact of life. If your favorite airline declares bankruptcy, could the frequent flier program be changed or scrapped by restructuring?
If you are a frequent flier, do an analysis on your own traveling requirements to see if frequent fliers programs are worth the time, money and effort.