Lifetime elite airline status

As part of a review of my frequent flyer strategy for the year ahead I have been thinking about lifetime elite status. If one year of elite frequent flyer status is good then a lifetime is better - travel can be focussed on purposes other than requalification of elite status.

As the term suggests, lifetime elite status gives status benefits for the rest of your life, or the life of the frequent flyer program, whichever ends first. In respect of alliance benefits there is an additional caveat that the host airline remains in the airline alliance.

In 2007 I achieved lifetime Oneworld Sapphire status through Qantas Frequent Flyer. I was also well on the way towards lifetime Star Alliance gold status through Singapore Airlines before they pulled the plug by grandfathering existing lifetime PPS Solitaire members and stopping any new qualification of the status. Since then I haven't paid too much attention to lifetime statuses, since most of the programs I use either do not have lifetime elite status, or have a long time period qualification (in one case decades for me).

The last couple of years my travel patterns have changed markedly, and as I continue to seek out more difficult to reach places they will keep changing for the foreseeable future. Thus, removing the requalification hassle will be welcome. I haven't yet finalised my approach but in the meantime, here are some lifetime elite airline statuses that are available together with their requirements.

Lifetime status earned by a period of time with high status

Air France/KLM - 10 years platinum for lifetime platinum (Sky Team elite+)
bmi - 10 years gold for lifetime gold (Star Alliance gold)

Lifetime status earned by a period of time with high status and minimum status mileage

Lufthansa - 10 years senator/HON circle at or above age 60, and 1 million status miles for lifetime senator (Star Alliance gold)
SAS - 10 years gold at or above age 60 for lifetime gold (Star Alliance gold)
South African - 6 years of platinum earned by flying 100,000 miles per year on South African or by the requisite tier points (only South African flights count) for lifetime platinum (Star Alliance gold)

Lifetime status earned by lifetime status mileage (restricted)

Air China - 1 million status miles on Air China for lifetime platinum (Star Alliance gold)
Alaska - 1 million status miles on Alaska and Horizon for lifetime gold
Asiana - 1000 flights on Asiana for lifetime platinum (Star Alliance gold)
EgyptAir - 1 million status miles on EgyptAir for lifetime platinum (Star Alliance gold)
Philippine - 1 million status miles on Philippine for million miler
United - 1 million status miles on United for lifetime premier executive (Star Alliance gold)
United - 2 million status miles on United for lifetime premier executive (Star Alliance gold) and lifetime Red Carpet Club membership
United - 3 million status miles on United for lifetime 1K (Star Alliance gold)

Lifetime status earned by lifetime status mileage (unrestricted)

Asiana - 1 million status miles for lifetime platinum (Star Alliance gold)
Continental - 1 million status miles for lifetime silver (Star Alliance silver)
Continental - 2 million status miles for lifetime gold (Star Alliance gold)
Continental - 4 million status miles for lifetime platinum (Star Alliance gold)
Delta - 1 million status miles for lifetime silver (Sky Team elite)
Delta - 2 million status miles for lifetime gold (Sky Team elite)
Delta - 4 million status miles for lifetime platinum (Sky Team elite+)
Korean - 500,000 status miles for morning calm premium club (Sky Team elite+)
Korean - 1 million status miles for million miler club (Sky Team elite+)
Qantas - 7,000 status credits for lifetime silver (Oneworld ruby)
Qantas - 14,000 status credits for lifetime gold (Oneworld sapphire)

Lifetime status earned by lifetime mileage (any source)

American - 1 million miles for lifetime gold (Oneworld ruby)
American - 2 million miles for lifetime platinum (Oneworld sapphire)

Comments

Sky Team appears to be the easiest to earn lifetime top tier status. For me that isn't much help as I very rarely fly Sky Team airlines.

Star Alliance has a number of options for lifetime top alliance tier status. Easiest would have been bmi, if you've already had bmi gold status. The expected merge into Lufthansa Miles & More within the next year scuppers hopes of lifetime status for most people. For someone starting now Asiana may be easiest except for those who predominantly fly United.

Oneworld has no lifetime top tier status. Lifetime middle tier status is most easily earnt with American since all mileage counts.

In all cases lifetime status requires a significant commitment and a lot of flying (except for American). So an important consideration is whether or not the lifetime status benefit will still be available for long enough to earn it, and whether the requirements may go up significantly in the meantime.

Something for me to think about.