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The once-fervent annual “mileage run” in which travel enthusiasts fly strategically and earn airline miles to earn elite status by the end of the year won’t be around for much longer. Maybe.
For years, earning these miles has allowed air travelers to secure elite status for the following year and access substantial benefits such as seat upgrades, lounge access, and priority service. But now that is changing.
As 2023 draws to a close, many major airlines are changing their loyalty programs to focus on money spent based on distance flown, effectively changing the travel hacking landscape. wall street journal report.
Related: Business travelers: Is loyalty dead?
American Airlines and JetBlue Airways exclusively reward customer spending on a store-by-store basis. And while United Airlines and Southwest Airlines still track the number of flights their customers take, both primarily account for the amount of money spent on compensation.
NerdWallet reported that the quickest way to earn elite status on United Airlines is to buy more expensive tickets and use the airline’s credit card.
Delta Air Lines, which previously resisted the shift, faced backlash for modifying its SkyMiles program earlier this year, but later reversed its decision.
RELATED: ‘This is a terrible day’: Delta Air Lines, American Express restrict access to Sky Club, customers lament ‘brutal’ and ‘outrageous’ changes
“There’s no question, we probably took it too far,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said at an event at the Atlanta Rotary Club in September. . “Our team wanted to rip the band-aid off and we didn’t want to keep going through this situation year after year with changes and nickel and diming, but we think we acted too quickly. Masu.”
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