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I like to think of myself as a reasonably intelligent, rational human being and I like to believe that I understand how loyalty programs work, what their real purpose is and what the miles and points game/hobby is all about.
I like to think that I’m invulnerable to the temptations that loyalty programs provide and that, when push comes to shove, I’m more than capable of making well-balanced decisions that stand up to scrutiny.
The problem is that that’s all patently untrue.
I know that loyalty programs have been designed to help travelers make irrational decisions in favour of the corporations that run the programs (i.e. spend more money) and yet, if I’m being completely honest, I’m a loyalty program captive.
I’ll give myself a little credit and point out that I’m not actually a captive of a single loyalty program…..but I am a captive of a combination of loyalty programs called the oneworld alliance.
The members of the oneworld alliance
I’d like to think that I’m a free agent and that I’m happy to book the best/lowest fare on offer….but that’s simply not true.
I spent most of last year doing my very best to avoid giving American Airlines any more of my money than I really had to because I didn’t want to be the type of flyer who complains and complains and complains about an airline….and then keeps flying it anyway.
If you happen to be one of those people and you’re not a hub captive or tied in to a corporate contract then you’re an idiot.
And I don’t want to be an idiot.
Having said that, I still made sure I did enough flying with other oneworld carriers (flying that I credited to the AAdvantage program) to lock in top-tier status with American Airlines for 2018.
Most of my miles in 2017 came from Qatar Airways and Malaysia Airlines Business Class Flights
Why?
Because I like the frills that come with top-tier oneworld status.
I like having access to lounges like the Pier in Hong Kong or the Qantas First Class Lounge at LAX, I like knowing that when things go wrong I can pick up the phone and the agent on the other end of the line will do his/her best to help me out (usually). I like boarding first (or at least very early) even when I’m flying in coach, I like that I can use the First Class check-in lines despite the fact I rarely travel in First Class and I like that I generally get treated very well when I’m flying a oneworld airline irrespective of the cabin I’m traveling in (unless I’m flying with BA in which case my status appears to make no difference whatsoever).
The Pier First Class Lounge Hong Kong….not a bad place to hang out before a flight
Is any of that amazingly significant? No, of course not….but apparently I’m quite shallow.
There are other aspects of having status that I enjoy and that actually make a real-world difference (i.e. save money and have a noticeable impact on my travels)….like being able to choose seats at the time of booking and being able to select exit rows without charge (both of those make travel in cargo class a little more bearable).
But I don’t actually need top-tier status to enjoy both of those benefits so why do I bother chasing it?
Answer: because I‘ve been conditioned to enjoy the frills that come with that status and I don’t want to give them up.
I like being able to use the First Class Wing at London Heathrow T5 even when traveling in Economy Class
Looking at the travel I have planned for 2018 (I wrote about it here) my weakness for the oneworld alliance is apparent.
I may not be crediting my flights to the American Airlines AAdvantage program any more but I’m still flying with oneworld airlines and I’m still crediting my flights to a oneworld airline (BA)….so I haven’t really moved on at all.
I may not be an American Airlines captive but I’m very much a oneworld captive.
Yes, I could try flying with Star Alliance airlines or even airlines from SkyTeam but that would see me having to pay for a premium cabin or doing without the comforts I’m all too accustomed to.
Apparently I don’t want to do either of those things.
If I have to fly in Economy Class at least my oneworld benefits let me book seats like these
In recent months I’ve actively chosen to book flights on oneworld airlines that are more expensive than their counterparts from other alliances (albeit by not really very much) just because I can’t break free from the trappings that top-tier oneworld status offers….and that’s a little bit pathetic isn’t it?
When all’s said and done I have to take my hat off to the creators of the oneworld alliance. The benefits I’ve enjoyed through having top-tier status have done exactly what they were put in place to do – they’ve made me weak and made me make choices that the alliance wants me to make.
Apparently I’m not that intelligent after all.
