• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
  • Advertising Disclosure
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
  • Advertising Disclosure
Home  >  Hot Deals • US Airways  >  Top Tier Status on US Airways for Under $4,000 and No Flying Required
Hot DealsUS Airways

Top Tier Status on US Airways for Under $4,000 and No Flying Required

Matthew Klint Posted onFebruary 14, 2011 7 Comments

US Airways, an airline that has become famous for monetizing its frequent flyer program, is now offering a buy-up to elite status at a price low enough to merit consideration.

For years US Airways has sold elite status in their Dividend Miles program, but usually at rates (~$10K for top-tier status) that made little sense to even consider. This year, however, the prices are much more reasonable.

As Gary explains, during the first five months of the year, you can elect to either top-off the elite qualifying miles you earned in your account in 2010 or deposit the credit toward 2011.

Staring in June, you will only be able to top-off 2011 elite qualifying miles. In both cases, the status is only good through January 2012 (you’re not buying actual elite miles or segments).

Preferred miles needed

Preferred segments needed

Buy up to Preferred fee*

1 – 1,999 1 – 2 $249
2,000 – 4,999 3 – 6 $399
5,000 – 9,999 7 – 11 $579
10,000 – 14,999 12 – 18 $789
15,000 – 24,999 19 – 29 $989
25,000 – 49,999 30 – 59 $1,299
50,000 – 74,999 60 – 89 $2,199
75,000 – 99,999 90 – 119 $2,999
100,000 120 $3,999

For those not familiar with the US Airways elite structure, here’s how their four-tier program breaks down:

Silver

Gold

Platinum

Chairman’s

Preferred-qualifying miles needed 25,000 50,000 75,000 100,000
Preferred-qualifying segments needed 30 60 90 120

So say you flew 50,000 miles on US Airways last year. For $2199, you could "double upgrade" your status to Chairman Preferred.

The benefits of Chairman status on US Airways can be found here and are not all that impressive, but among other things include unlimited complimentary domestic upgrades, two free systemwide upgrades, and free changes or re-deposit of award bookings.

If you are planning on doing a lot of flying this year on US Airways and do not currently have status, this offer is definitely something to consider. Just remember, you still have to earn the EQMs or EQSs if you wish to keep your elite status next year. At these prices, however, a businessman who might have paid full fare for a couple domestic trips in first class might as well buy this and two economy tickets.

(tip of the hat to Gary)

Previous Article Lufthansa Welcome Lounge in Frankfurt
Next Article A Flight Attendant’s Duty to Calm a Screaming Baby

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

Related Posts

  • Last Day: Chase Sapphire Preferred 80K Sign-Up Bonus? Yes, This Isn’t A Gimmick

    June 1, 2022
  • Antarctica Seabourn Cruise

    Hot Deal: Antarctica Expedition Via Seabourn Cruise (From $8,999)

    May 28, 2022
  • Dubai Business Class Star Alliance

    Hot Deal: Houston To Dubai In Business Class – $1674+ R/T

    March 1, 2022

7 Comments

  1. FriendlySkies Reply
    February 14, 2011 at 3:47 am

    Only two SWUs? 😮

  2. Nick Reply
    February 14, 2011 at 5:34 pm

    @FriendlySkies Remember, it is US so there are not as many places that you could use the SWUs anyway 😉

  3. FriendlySkies Reply
    February 14, 2011 at 6:24 pm

    @Nick

    Thanks for the laugh 😀 Seems like they are pretty USeless 😉

  4. Randy Morisch Reply
    February 20, 2011 at 10:28 pm

    Even with chairman status US Airways does not release first class seats on cross country for upgrade until the day of the flight. Even though they say chairman get upgrades 7 days in advance.

  5. Ed Reply
    February 22, 2011 at 9:59 pm

    Randy’s comment about not releasing first class seats until the day of the flight is absolutely false. Even though I’m only Gold on US, I get my upgrade notification 2 to 3 days before my cross-country flight. (3 is the max allowed for Gold.) Of course there are times I don’t get an upgrade.

  6. Cathy Reply
    March 15, 2011 at 12:08 am

    sometimes things are not what they seem and money can buy you what you need AND it is not about the seat it is about the ride

  7. Rick Reply
    December 16, 2011 at 10:31 am

    My experience is that the system wide upgrade certificates are completely useless for international flights (which is where they have some value). Even with Chairman’s status, USAirways has not ONCE honored an advance upgrade request on an international flight, and it isn’t realistic to take a risk on a last minute upgrade if you have an important meeting in Europe and need a good night’s sleep on the redeye over.

    Paying to upgrade to Chairman’s Preferred status (which I mistakenly did) is a complete waste of money, a fraud (USAirways’ own reps claimed that the system wide upgrades had no restrictions, which is a blatant lie), and not recommended.

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Recent Posts

  • Review: Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea January 28, 2023
  • American - Delta JFK Incident Pilot Analysis
    A Veteran Commercial Airline Pilot Analyzes American – Delta Runway Incident At JFK January 28, 2023
  • Pre-Boarding With Children: How Old Until They Are Too Old? January 27, 2023
  • Dog Business Class Turkish Airlines
    Dachshund Flies Business Class To Paris…In Her Own Seat January 27, 2023

Categories

Popular Posts

  • Casting Couch? Kuwait Airways Forces Prospective Flight Attendants To Undress For “Research Purposes” January 4, 2023
  • Spirit Airlines Captain Runs Out Of Cockpit After Woman Yells “I Hope Y’All Crash And Die!” January 17, 2023
  • SWISS First Class Awards Bookable With United Airlines MileagePlus January 5, 2023
  • United Airlines 2023 Status Extension
    United Airlines Quietly Extends MileagePlus Premier Status…Again January 14, 2023

Archives

January 2023
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  
« Dec    

As seen on:

live_and_lets_fly

The new United Polaris Lounge at Washington Dulles The new United Polaris Lounge at Washington Dulles is the most beautiful of all Polaris Lounges. Stay tuned for a detailed look and many more photos on the blog tomorrow. Well done @united.
@malaysiaairlines just announced it would retire i @malaysiaairlines just announced it would retire its A380 fleet. While not surprising, it is sad to see the growing list of carriers retiring this superjumbo jet. On Malaysia Airlines, I flew the #A380 once from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to London (LHR) and had the entire first class cabin to myself (full review on the blog). It was a beautiful flight that I will always remember.
Welcome to @fly_bur @aveloair! I am so excited tha Welcome to @fly_bur @aveloair! I am so excited that a new carrier, Avelo, has launched, especially from an airport just 12 minutes from my home!
I greatly miss the @lufthansa #747-8 at @flylaxair I greatly miss the @lufthansa #747-8 at @flylaxairport. Hopefully this summer it will return.

.
.
.
.
#Lufthansa #FirstClass #747 #747-8 #StarAlliance #Miles #Points
I recently spent a weekend at the @ventanabigsur. I recently spent a weekend at the @ventanabigsur. This is not only a lovely, all-inclusive resort, but one of the best properties to use your @hyatt World of Hyatt points.
.
.
.
.
#Hyatt #BigSur #California #WorldofHyatt #CA-1 #Points #Hotels
In terms of a spacious first class product, the @E In terms of a spacious first class product, the @Emirates suite on a 777-300ER is hard to beat. My preference is Suite 2K.

.
.
.
.
#Emirates #777 #firstclass
Nearly five years ago, I took a “break” from I Nearly five years ago, I took a “break” from Instagram ahead of the birth of my first child. Goodness, how time flies. While I’ve enjoyed catching up on others over the years, now it is time for me to return to Instagram. In this first post, I highlight two joys in my life, my two children, whom I trust will grow up to be prolific travelers that circumnavigate the globe as ambassadors of love and respect.

.
.
.
.
.

#travel #airplanes #airlines #miles #points #familytravel #human #integrity #honor
United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improv United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improvement over UA's current business class seat. Check out my blog at liveandletsfly.com for 70+ photos of how @united is transforming its entire business class experience starting this December!
The perfect @flysas name tag for #Longyearben! The perfect @flysas name tag for #Longyearben!
Spotted four #polarbear outside of #longyearbyen - Spotted four #polarbear outside of #longyearbyen -- oh, and I love 40°F summer weather!
One of the best crews I have ever had the pleasure One of the best crews I have ever had the pleasure of flying with in all my years of flying. Thank you @flysas SK940 on 11 Aug 2016
Next stop ARN! But dear @flysas , next time if I a Next stop ARN! But dear @flysas , next time if I assign a window seat months in advance, don't move me to a center seat "for my convenience" with no way to get my original seat back... 😞
Ready for #PIA from #MAN to #JFK -- we will be rac Ready for #PIA from #MAN to #JFK -- we will be racing the #Delta flight to JFK at the gate next to us, which also departs at 12:45p. With @onemileatatime
Another room with a beautiful view... #hyattregenc Another room with a beautiful view... #hyattregencycasablanca #cassablanca #hyatt
Enjoying #shanghai with @onemileatatime from the i Enjoying #shanghai with @onemileatatime from the inside of the @grandhyatt_shanghai ... It is 40°C outside! 😓
From my front gate to my boarding gate in 15 minut From my front gate to my boarding gate in 15 minutes flat. I ❤️ #bur #burbankairport
@malaysiaairlines #747 out of retirement and in se @malaysiaairlines #747 out of retirement and in service at #kul -- beautiful livery!
View from my 61st floor room at the beautiful bran View from my 61st floor room at the beautiful brand new @parkhyattguangzhou -- look for a full review coming soon on the blog #hyatt #parkhyatt #guangzhou #parkhyattguangzhou
Will miss the @united #globalfirstlounge at #ord, Will miss the @united #globalfirstlounge at #ord, which closes tomorrow and the Queen of the Skies #747 which will be retired in 2018.
The colonial #architecture of #mumbai is stunning. The colonial #architecture of #mumbai is stunning. If you're ever here, get up at 5am and have a walk around the city before it gets busy. You can hear the birds instead of honking horns.
Load More... Follow on Instagram
facebook twitter instagram rss

This site is for entertainment purposes only. The owner of this site is not an investment advisor, financial planner, nor legal or tax professional and articles here are of an opinion and general nature and should not be relied upon for individual circumstances.

 

Advertiser Disclosure: Some links to credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission. Outside of banner ads published through the Boarding Area network, this compensation does not impact how and where products appear on this site. While we do try to list all the best miles and points deals, the site does not include all card companies or credit card offers available in the marketplace. Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners.

 

Editorial Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any entity mentioned herein. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.