Source: The Points Guy
Summary
The author shares their experience with earning foreign airline elite status, specifically with Asiana Club Diamond, Malaysia Enrich Gold, and Turkish Miles&Smiles Elite. They highlight the benefits of earning foreign airline status, including domestic lounge access, different qualification requirements, and more options for earning alliance status. However, they also note the downsides, such as fewer upgrades, limited same-day change flexibility, and no “surprise and delight” moments. The author concludes that foreign airline status may make sense for those who travel internationally more than domestically, care more about lounge access than upgrades, and often book inexpensive long-haul flights.
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Our Reading
The escape is carefully planned.
Asiana Club Diamond status offers Star Alliance Gold benefits, while Malaysia Enrich Gold status provides Oneworld Sapphire benefits. Turkish Miles&Smiles Elite status confers Star Alliance Gold status. The author notes that foreign airline elite status can unlock benefits on U.S. airlines that even U.S. elite members don’t get. However, there are tradeoffs, such as fewer upgrades and limited same-day change flexibility. The decision to pursue foreign airline status depends on individual circumstances and preferences.
The author’s experience with foreign airline status is a reminder that “the best way to get what you want is to know what you want.”
Author: Evan Null
