I flew more than 100,000 miles last year for my job as an aviation content creator, making airports and airplanes feel almost like a second home.
After that much time in the air, a comfortable seat and a quiet airport lounge aren't just loyalty perks; they make my exhausting travel schedules far more bearable.
So when British Airways made its Silver status — which gives me free access to dozens of Oneworld Alliance member lounges and free extra-legroom seats — much harder to keep, I had to get creative.
What followed was a 13,000-mile, three-day "mileage run" across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the US in July to earn enough qualifying points to hold onto my elite tier.
I spent $2,700 and 20,000 points across two airlines, including Qatar Airways and Royal Air Maroc, to make it work.
Mileage runs — or flying solely to reach a certain loyalty tier — have become a niche pursuit for frequent flyers as many major airlines shift how status is earned from distance flown to money spent. Still, a clever workaround helped me piece together flights.
There were some hiccups: I missed my connection in a conflict zone, which left me with an unexpected 18 hours in Doha, Qatar, and I ran out of clean clothes.
Was it crazy to go to all these lengths to stay loyal to a British airline, even though I live in Tennessee? Probably.
Still, it saved me roughly $10,000 and preserved some of my most valuable travel perks for another year.
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I'm US-based, so it might seem odd to chase British Airways status.
I do so because it comes with Oneworld Sapphire benefits, including access to American Airlines' domestic Admirals Clubs, a perk American's own mid-tier elites don't get.
Source: Read the original article on www.businessinsider.com
