Business Travel: Loyalty Pays... And Pays... And Pays

As a travel incentive company, there is one concept that every employee and traveler alike should know, that is the value of loyalty.  If we could offer one piece of advice to any frequent traveler, it would be to accumulate as many miles and achieve as high a status as possible with ONE airline.  Loyalty pays and airlines reward this loyalty with their elite-level membership programs. 

The top perks of the various elite-level programs: 

·      Complimentary upgrades – the point at which the upgrade will be confirmed varies, but top-level elites generally clear 100 hours before the flight departs, mid-level elites 48 hours in advance and entry-level elites can confirm within 24 hours of flight departure.

·      Dedicated Check-in, Security lines & Customer Service Desks – when you’re running late, you’re at a major airport or there are flight delays, the extra, dedicated services that are offered to elites is sometimes the difference between making a flight and spending another night on the road. 

·      Free Checked Baggage – at $30+ per checked bag on most airlines, this represents a huge savings for those that travel regularly.  Plus with your elite status, your bag is usually tagged as Priority and is the first off the plane.

·      Bonus Miles – are generally award as a percentage of the flown miles and are tiered to give the top-elites an even larger bonus.  Often times airlines offer double mile promotions to aide travelers in keeping their elite status. watch the miles rack up once you hit elite status. 

·      Preferred Boarding & Seating – this may be the most important now that everyone tries to carry-on their luggage.  With preferred boarding, your virtually guaranteed to find overhead space plus you’ll enjoy stretching out in the exit row in case your upgrade doesn’t clear. 

Now that we’ve convinced you that having Elite status is the ONLY way to fly, you’re probably asking how do I get there?  You can try to earn the status one flight at a time or if you have a large amount of travel scheduled for a short period of time inquire about an “Elite Challenge”.   

Many airlines offer an elite-level challenge that will allow you to quickly qualify for elite level status – all you need to do is call the frequent flyer customer service number and request to participate.  There is usually a charge to participate and it won’t be easy, but you’ll see immediate benefits upon completion.

Happy Travels from FUSION!