Quarterly Status Update

Ok. I'm a little late on my quarterly report...but I've been busy!

I can't believe 2011 is more than half over! It's gone by so quickly. The 77 flights I took flew by. It's interesting to me that with 77 flights I've only rent 20 cars and had about 26 hotel stays. But I guess I share cars a lot and do a lot of day trips that don't necessitate a hotel room.

At the halfway mark I'm more than halfway to Silver status on Delta so I'm sure I'll secure that for next year. I'm thisclose to securing Premier Executive status on United. In past years I probably would have secured 1K status but now you need 120 segments instead of 100. I don't think I'll make the 120 segments. Status for US Airways was gifted to me so I know I won't have that next year. It's come in handy when I've wanted to switch flights on US Airways without paying the $50 change fee. Although if I had those segments on my United account I would be even closer to the next level of status, but sometimes it's more important to me to get home sooner than get that segment!

Quarterly Status Update

With the first quarter of the year wrapping up (um...can you believe we are 25% finished with 2011??) I decided to spot check my progress towards achieving status at the various airlines and hotels I frequent.

3 months into 2011 and I'm pretty darn close to where I ended 2010! I'm only 6 flights short of securing Premier (the first level of) status on United (my primary airline) from 2012. I would be even closer but I moved a few flights on US Airways from my United frequent flier number to my US Airways number to be able to change flights without paying change fees.

This year I have status on United, Delta and US Airways, whereas last year I had status on United for about 3 weeks!  I can't take too much credit for achieving status on Delta and US Airways because colleagues or friends "gifted" me status on those airlines. I rarely use the US Airways status (except as noted above) but the Delta status has come in very handy as they are the only airline with a direct flight from DC to Des Moines. I've been flying more and more Delta but worry that I'm not going to fly them enough to secure status for 2012 and will just be losing miles and segments that would have otherwise gone to United.  

I'm also seeing a change in my hotel patterns. In 2010 I stayed primarily at Starwood hotels, largely, I think, because that was the chain of choice among my colleagues in my previous department. Hilton is definitely more pervasive in my current department. It's also easier to find Hilton's at some of the rando places I travel.

It will be interesting to see how the rest of 2011 shakes out and where I land with status at the end of the year. On the one hand, higher levels of status would mean more upgrades, greater perks and faster points accrual. On the other hand, having a social life is nice too!

Sitting in the Bulkhead...overrated??

I know many consider the bulkhead to be a coveted seating option but, personally, I think its more trouble than its worth! My perspective might be a bit skewed by the fact that I have no need for additional leg room, all 5 feet of me does just fine in coach.  If I do find that I have been assigned a bulkhead seat I routinely move myself!

I nearly always have 2 carry ons, one of which is roller suitcase. Finding overhead space for a suitcase is difficult as it is. But overhead space for a suitcase and my laptop bag is often impossible. Or if I put both up there I end up angering the people around me, also fighting for that overhead space. Not to mention then when I want to get my laptop out it's a hassle.

Fortunately I won't have to worry about that tonight. I'm sitting in First.

Red Wine Tastes Better in First Class...

The apple slices are crisper, the Toblerone bars are sweeter, the sunshine is brighter and the flowers are prettier.

So I got upgraded to First Class today.

(*My name is on that board, it's just a really bad picture)
I didn't think it would actually happen! I have the lowest status on United. There is so much competition for upgrades. I fly a lot of flights with other business travelers, most of whom have higher status than I do and have had status for longer. They get all the upgrades before I do.  Which is fine. Having status/getting upgrades is a double edged sword. On the one hand, it makes your traveling experience better. On the other hand, if you're getting these upgrades, it's usually because you're away from home, family and friends more than someone with lower or no status.

Apparently no one wants to fly back from business trips in the evenings on Friday. So that's when I get upgraded.

The problem is - now I've experienced First Class. So I'm going to be very disappointed when it doesn't keep happening!!

Thanks Delta

I get a lot of junk mail because of my various frequent flier memberships with different airlines. I probably get a new credit card offer at least weekly. So when I got a letter from Delta I almost threw it away, the only reason why I didn't was because it was slimmer than your average credit card offer. It was, in fact, just a letter from Delta. As some might remember, I had a "marathon" day on December 20th and one of my flights ran late. Due to the delay Delta went ahead and put an extra 1000 bonus miles in my SkyMiles account.

I'm not someone who gets too worked up about airline delays. Yes, it's frustrating and if it happens I'm usually disappointed, but rarely do I blame the airlines (and I never get mad at the gate attendant). I can hardly blame Delta for bad weather. And if they need to delay my flight a little longer so they can get a fresh crew, that's fine by me! Sure, I want to get home as much as the next guy, but I want to get there safely.

So I would never expect a bonus like this from an airline. But I sure do appreciate it!  Coincidentally I booked a personal flight with Delta today. (It really was coincidental - cheapest airline with direct flights to Miami). I can't really compare Delta's response to other airlines as I haven't faced major delays with other airlines (yet).

25th out of 27

I finally have status on United! Only the first level but I'm happy with it. As I mentioned before I only really wanted it for the opportunity to board sooner. This is especially crucial when I'm traveling and carrying on luggage.

One of the other "perks" is that I'm eligible for upgrades on regional domestic flights...

I'm currently 25th out of 27 people eligible for that upgrade...

Somehow I don't see myself getting upgraded all that often!

On the cusp...

I'm on the cusp of reaching at least the first level of status with my primary airline, hotel chain and car rental agency. There were times when I thought I would make by year's end. But this time next week I should be Premier on United, Gold Preferred Guest with Starwood and a member of #1 Club Gold Five Star at Hertz.

What does that all mean?

At United I will now be eligible for: 

• Complimentary seats in Economy Plus
• Unlimited Domestic Upgrades
• 25% bonus award miles
• 2 Checked bags for free (as if I ever checked my luggage)
• Priority check-in and boarding (this is key!)

At Starwood Hotels (Sheraton, Four Points, W, etc) I will now be eligible for:

• 50% bonus Starpoints
• Enhanced Rooms
• Late checkout
• Complimentary weekday newspaper
• Gold Preferred Guest Special Customer Service Number
• Check-cashing privileges up the $300 (woo hoo)

At Hertz I will now be eligible for:

• Free rental days (with limited black-out dates)
• Special savings offers that can be used anytime
• One-car class upgrades
• A 10% bonus on #1 Awards Points on qualified rentals

With the drastic increase in the amount of traveling I'm doing I should be able to reach higher levels of status next year. I'm happy to have at least gotten to the lowest level of status primarily for the priority boarding  and slight increases in points I'll be receiving going forward. I should actually hit these goals sometime next week between my 6 flights, 3 hotels and 2 rental car reservations!


This is exciting stuff folks.

Upgrades!

I had my first taste of upgraded travel this week and I want more! My company has worked with Hertz to have the fee for Hertz #1 Club Gold program waived. For some reason I had trouble accessing this program initially and therefore had to actually wait in line to pick up my rental car (the horror)!  However my membership finally kicked in on this last trip to New York.

Words cannot describe the delight I experienced when I saw my name in lights on the board as you walk into Hertz indicating where I could find my paperwork and car. Mere moments later I was in my (baby blue Nissan Versa) car and on the road. But not before I snapped a picture of my name on the scrolling marquee above my car. An hour or so later I arrived at the Mahwah Sheraton to discover I had been upgraded there as well! Ok - so the only difference I noticed was a nicer couch, but still - I'll take it!

This past year I didn't take the upgrades situation too seriously, for most of the year I wasn't traveling that much.. Sure - I tried to be consistent in the airlines I was flying and the hotels I was staying in, but I probably could have been better. So now I'm taking it much more seriously and I have the tracker to back it up. I"ll be monitoring my progress towards various status levels on a recurring basis. And attempting to be much more consistent with the airlines and hotels I book with.

I'm close to reaching the first level of status with United and should hit it by year's end. I've been told I can call and explain that I've started a job where I will be traveling multiple times as week and ask for them to bump me up. But I sort of feel like that's cheating! Although ask me in a few months and I have might have changed my mind about that...