moulder3

All the time I hear about how SPG comps gold memberships to people that have the elite level in airline freq. flyer clubs, but has anyone ever heard of the reverse? I was thinking about how transferrable SPG points are (can be transferred to airlines...etc.) but airlines points can't be transferred to anything but magazine subscriptions. (So why would *wood go out of the way to get these airline members...when their airline won't even let their miles be used for *wood stays?)

There have been quite a few times where, if an airline would have comped me gold status on their airline, they would probably have me as an exclusive cutsomer. Any idea why none do this?

kdog311

I'm just guessing here . . . but one would assume that if you travel frequently enough to gain status on an airline, you are traveling on business - and given that you are traveling on business, you will need a place to stay when you get there. All that being said, I can see how a hotel would value these individuals who travel the most because they are bringing in the most revenue to their hotel. Now, as you pointed out, none of the airlines have done the reverse - trying to switch the loyalty of their customer base. But perhaps the reason why hangs in the thought that the hotel room is the dependant variable - you wouldn’t need a place to stay had you not flown to another city. They know that you already travel and that there’s a good chance you already have status on some airline.

It's a great suggestion, especially with the airline industry hurting so much in the past few years - maybe more talk about it will enlighten those responsible for such promotions!

ILUVCITIBANK

Actually, I got an offer from United last fall to "earn my way" to PREMIERE or even PREMIERE EXEC, based on flying a certain number of [qualifying] flights.

I am 95% certain it had some sort of tie-in to spg, whether United just screened their target list against the spg PLAT list, or how it was tied in I don't recall.

It was very tempting to take mileage run flights just to get the comp through Feb, 2006 I think was the window, because I've got a decent load of United MP miles stashed away and we could have taken a family vacation using United this summer (don't really want to use MP miles unless I have some nominal status)...but when I tried to book "qualifying flights", it was clear they were only "qualifying" higher-rate flights. As in 200-300% more than travelocity-priced comparable flights. IE, a sneaky way for me to indirectly "buy" my status.

No thanks.