People who travel frequently generally find access to an airline lounge to be quite useful. It’s by far my favourite perk of having status with my airline.
Chilling out in a nice space before flight starts a holiday or business trip nicely. Frequent flyer programmes offer lots of other advantages, but which one is the most useful?
Is This The Most Useful Benefit?
One of my favourite benefits is fast-track security. This saves a stack of time, meaning I can leave home later and breeze through the whole security experience in a stress free manner.
It is particularly handy at busy times in the airport, such as early in the morning or throughout the high season. Avoiding the queues of once a year travellers, often with children in tow, is excellent.
Or Maybe This Is The Most Useful?
The other perk I particularly enjoy is free seat selection at the time of booking. I’m a creature of habit and I like to sit in certain seats on certain flights.
Also, this saves me real money, as without status I would have to pay for the seats if I wanted to choose before I fly. Considering this is a total win for me, I think this could edge out security as my favourite.
Overall Thoughts
Other perks such as extra baggage are not useful to me at all. Travelling light is something I’ve learned over the years, so being able to bring two or three pieces at 32kg each is not something for me.
Business class check-in when travelling in economy is certainly appreciated. That said, I only use it on long-haul flights as usually I check-in online and take hand luggage for short-haul.
What benefits are the most useful to you apart from lounge access? Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.
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IMO the next most valuable is free changes and cancellations on award tickets (DL Plat or above). This allows for speculative bookings, much more flexibility, and greater realized value for my miles.
That’s a good point, when I had BA Gold status it was the same thing for changes and cancellations of award bookings. That came in handy more than once. Thanks for the comment (and for reminding me of that benefit!)
I would say expedited screening and priority boarding are pretty awesome.
I agree with you on that – less time in airport security makes me happy, as does always having an overhead to put my stuff into! Thanks for the comment!
After lounge access the biggest benefit is visibility of more Award seats and earlier availability which is a core benefit with QFF.
Excellent point there! There is more availability at BA the higher up you go as well – that had slipped my mind and is a great benefit. Thanks for pointing that out! Appreciate it!
For me, it’s been the ability to board in an earlier zone. I travel frequently for work, but not business class, and often on Air India domestic flights, so being able to board early and settle in (and not stress about competing for overhead bin space) has been such a sweet perk. It’s the little things!
I can relate to that actually, I like to board as early as possible on all my flights, no matter what class. Sitting down while the general boarding panic goes on around me is so relaxing. I completely agree with you there – definitely is the little things! Thanks for the comment 🙂
With AK I’d say it’s receiving the bonus miles based on distance traveled followed by no fees for changing or canceling paid or award reservations.
That’s interesting that the bonus miles come out that way. Great to see – and another vote for no fees. I guess people must make and cancel award reservations a lot more than I do! Thanks for the comment.