Whether you fly frequently or not

In an era when we all seem to be at the mercy of the airlines, it comes as a surprise when the carriers actually do things to make it easier for you to attain elite status and otherwise retain your loyalty. Granted, they don't knock themselves out, but if you take advantage (and in one case take AAdvantage) of the three tips I'm about to reveal, your life in the air will be better in 2008. Just remember that you heard them here first. I originally uncovered these strategies in 1996, and made them the lead article in the inaugural issue of
. (Since then I've experienced the sincerest form of flattery in chat rooms, on blogs, and in newspaper columns.) December is a good time to reprise this trio because we're all thinking about our strategies for next year.

‍The Fast Track to Elite Status When it comes to flying within North America, the easiest and least expensive way to get an upgrade to First Class (okay, some luck is also involved) is to be an elite member in one or more frequent flyer programs. At this membership level you receive the most perks, including mileage bonuses of 25% to 100% (which gets you a free-travel award twice as fast), complimentary upgrades, and segment upgrades.

One airline that makes this elite upgrade easy to attain is American, which offers a fast-track program to Gold and Platinum status in the AAdvantage program called The Challenge. To get Gold you have to earn 5,000 points in 90 days (beginning on the 1st or 16th of any month); to attain Platinum requires earning 10,000 points in the same period. Points are awarded on a rising scale, corresponding to fare paid. Deeply discounted coach fares earn 0.5 points per mile flown; less restricted coach fares earn one point per mile; full-coach, Business Class, and First Class earn 1.5 points per mile. Do the math: If you take one flight in First Class of at least 3,334 miles, you attain Gold Status, which under normal circumstances requires flying 25,000 miles in the course of a year. For the Platinum Challenge, you have to take a flight in First Class of at least 6,668 miles.

Once you log the points, the status is confirmed immediately and is usually valid through February of the following year (which makes January a good time to start). Points can also be earned toward the Challenge by traveling on American’s partner airlines.

[aside headline="Best time to get a new elite card?" alignment="alignright" width="half" headline_size="default"]Speaking of a good time to get an elite status card, it’s usually best to earn it in July, because it offers membership through the end of the current year, the full following year, and even two months into the year after that![/aside]

As an AAdvantage Platinum member, you can purchase electronic upgrades for $30 per 500 miles, and confirm upgrades up to 72 hours prior to departure on any fare. That means you could buy American's $658 economy class ticket from Los Angeles to New York (no advance purchase) and upgrade to First for only $150 (or $808 in all). Same goes for the return flight. Coast-to-coast and back for $958 on American Airlines in First Class—not bad considering the seat next to you goes for $1,704 if the person occupying it isn't an elite member (and hasn't read First Class Flyer).

How to Earn Elite Status Without Flying As an elite-level frequent flyer member with American, you can be eligible for matching status with its competitors – Alaska Airlines, Continental, Delta, Northwest, and United. All you have to do is ask. In many cases, these airlines will enroll you in their equivalent elite-level program if you can prove you are an elite member in another airline’s program. Send copies of your statement and elite card to the other airline’s mileage-service center (details next page), along with a note stating that you want them to match it – because you’d like to give them your business (sell them).

Just think…for a year you can get up to 100% mileage bonuses, complimentary upgrades, and access to free and low-cost upgrades.

Hedge Your Bet With a Second Card As an elite frequent flyer member, have you ever had difficulty securing an upgrade for a domestic flight? If so, this strategy could be of interest to you.

When making flight arrangements, you’d normally purchase a single ticket on an airline with which you have elite privileges. Then you hope against hope that an upgrade seat will become available – right? Why not book a second ticket for the same trip, on another carrier with which you are also an elite member. (You might just obtain that second elite card by using the status-match strategy.) A second booking means that your upgrade opportunity will double!

As for the ticket that doesn’t get used, you can always apply the value of that ticket for travel on another date, less a $100 change fee. You’ll use that ticket for the same procedure next time – only costing you the $100 change fee. Think of it as ‘hedging your bet’– for $100. Full-fare coach travelers have no excuse not to use this tactic because their tickets are completely refundable.