The 3 Most Misunderstood Aspects of Frequent Flyer Programs

Many people assume frequent flyer status is only for business travelers who take several trips per month or who spend tens of thousands of dollars on air travel each year. But that's simply not the case. In fact, you can earn elite status without much flying at all in many cases, and you might be surprised at some of the perks you can get with even an entry-level status level.

With that in mind, let's clear the air. Here are three of the most misunderstood things about frequent flyer programs, and what you should know.

1. You can earn status in other ways besides flying

To be sure, the primary way most people earn elite status with an airline's loyalty program is by flying. And dollar for dollar, it's usually the most economical way to earn status qualification. But it's usually not the only way.

Some airlines allow you to earn status qualification by shopping or dining with certain partners. Some partner with hotel brands and rental car companies to earn frequent flyer miles and status qualification for purchases. And more recently, several major airlines have started awarding credit towards elite status for credit card spending.

For example, if you have certain Delta-branded cards, such as the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, you can earn Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs), which is what Delta frequent flyer status is based on. (Terms apply.)

Most airlines have some sort of "ways to earn" page on their loyalty program's home page, so be sure to check the different ways your preferred airline allows members to earn frequent flyer status. You might be surprised at how many different options there are.

2. It can be easier than you think to become a frequent flyer

In order to reach the top levels of most airlines' frequent flyer programs, you'll have to fly rather often or spend a lot of money with the airline and its partners. However, most frequent flyer programs have several tiers of elite status, and getting your foot in the door might be easier than you expect.

For example, to earn AAdvantage Gold status, which is American Airlines' entry-level elite status, you'll need 40,000 "Loyalty Points." You can reach this by spending $8,000 on flights, which may seem like a lot, but you can also get there by charging $40,000 worth of purchases on an American Airlines credit card throughout the year, such as the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®. Or (like most people do), you can earn status through a combination of ways.

3. Frequent flyer programs have many benefits you probably don't know about

Some benefits of frequent flyer programs are well-known, such as priority check-in lanes and a chance at free first-class upgrades on domestic flights. However, there are some little-known perks that you might also find valuable. These vary by airline and status level, but just to name a few common benefits:

• Free checked bags for you and everyone else traveling on the same reservation
• The ability to select seats in preferred locations for no charge
• Elite status with rental car companies
• Better mileage earnings rates than general travelers get

Should you pursue frequent flyer elite status?

To sum it up, it can be easier than you think to earn frequent flyer elite status, and there are some excellent benefits that come with it. But that doesn't mean that pursuing elite status is a good idea for everyone, especially if you don't fly often enough to make the benefits valuable to you. It's important to carefully weigh the personal finance costs versus the benefits before deciding to alter your travel or other spending habits to achieve airline status.