If you're a travel manager or a line level traveler responsible for their own budgets, it's very important to find any opportunity for cost savings.
If you are one of those travelers that is on the road constantly, logging thousands upon thousands of miles each year, you may think it odd that I'm always telling travelers that they need to obtain status with more than one airline.
They tell me there's no need because they are loyal to one airline in particular.
Who could blame them? If I can stick with one carrier and accumulate miles more quickly, I can take the family on that vacation next summer on the cheap.
My response is that there are a couple of compelling reasons to get that status on an alternate carrier.
First of all, if you have status on a second airline, you have something very valuable: OPTIONS.
If you are open to the possibility of flying with your secondary airline, you have the option of several schedules to choose from.
For busy travelers whose time is very valuable, multiple options can be critical.
With multiple options you become that much more efficient.
That means more business productivity and maybe even more time home with your family.
And who wouldn't want that? Secondly, with the option of flying on a second carrier, you may find that you can save yourself or your company significantly.
Many people believe that if two airlines are flying into the same market, the fares must be equal.
While the airline industry is certainly very competitive, you'd be surprised how often you can nab a lower fare on the same routing on different airlines.
So it can pay to be open to that second option.
How can you get status with an airline that you never fly? Well the first way to do it is to actually log miles on that airline, but that really defeats your original purpose of traveling comfortably on your preferred carrier.
It can take a year or more to get status with another airline.
But the faster way to get status is through a STATUS MATCH.
Most airlines will match your status on a competing airline because they want to earn your business.
All you need to do is contact the competing airline and talk to their frequent flyer department.
You will most likely need to supply them with some kind of documentation that proves you have a certain status on your favored airlines.
You'll usually be immediately bumped up to the comparable status on the new airline.
For example, an American Airlines Gold status traveler will be given United Airlines Premier status.
Your miles won't transfer over, so you'll still have to build miles to keep your status indefinitely.
But you will still get the extra perks of space available upgrades, preferred boarding times, exclusive seating options in coach class, shorter lines at the counter and at security and so on.
So it really can be a benefit to get status on multiple carriers.
And it's easier than ever.
Keep in mind that some airlines will grant you provisional status for a certain period of time and ask you to fly a certain amount in that 3 or 6 month period.
After you do so, your status becomes permanent for a year.
If not, you're knocked back down to your original status.
Usually if you travel frequently, these hurdles can be easily obtained.