Paid Airline Memberships Explained: Buying Status, Perks, and Points

As airlines continue to look for new ways to monetize their loyalty programs, a handful of carriers are beginning to sell status or status-like benefits through annual memberships available for purchase.

Historically, elite status and its associated perks were off limits when it came to being sold outright. Instead, airlines indirectly offered status-adjacent benefits through partnerships with co-branded credit card issuers. Some carriers are now cutting out the middleman and selling either full elite status or benefits traditionally associated with status directly to members.

The airline industry is largely copycat driven, so if these early membership models prove successful, there is a strong likelihood we will see many more airlines adopt a similar approach in the future. Let’s have a look at the first of these memberships and see what we might get for our money.

Paid Airline Program Membership: What Is It?

A paid annual airline membership is a bundle of benefits sold directly by the airline that can include automatic elite status, elevated earning rates, discounts on redemptions, lounge access, airline miles, and shortcuts to status, packaged together for purchase at a fixed price that is valid for a 12-month period.

Let’s take a closer look at a few of the airline memberships currently available, break down the benefits they offer, and assess whether any of these annual memberships are worth the cost.

AAdvantage Pass

Benefits

American Airlines AAdvantage members can purchase a bundle that includes a nice chuck of AAdvantage miles and a shortcut to elite status for a year.

The AAdvantage Pass includes the following benefits:

• AAdvantage Gold Status – This is American Airlines entry-level elite status, and comes with the following benefits:
  •  40% more miles and Loyalty Points on eligible flights
  • Priority check-in, security and Group 4 boarding
  • Complimentary upgrades (if eligible seats are available), as early as 24 hours before departure
  • First checked bag free
  • Complimentary Preferred Seats at booking; Main Cabin Extra seats at check-in
  • oneworld Ruby status
    
• 100,000 AAdvantage bonus miles – Redeemable miles that can be used toward an award flight on American Airlines or any of its partner airlines.

• 15,000 Loyalty Points – A boost toward AAdvantage Platinum status.

The cost of the AAdvantage Pass is $5,000 (USD).

Who Is It For?

Since AAdvantage Gold is American Airlines’ entry-level elite status, this bundle offers limited incremental value for travelers who already hold Gold status or higher. Therefore, the AAdvantage Pass is best suited for travelers with no existing status. This likely includes members who want instant elite status and a lump sum of miles without committing to significant flying or credit card spend. However, occasional travelers may be less likely to benefit, as they typically won’t fly enough to fully utilize elite perks.

Valuing the 100,000 AAdvantage miles is relatively straightforward. Based on the figures in our How Much Are Bank Loyalty Program Points Worth? article, Citi ThankYou Points, which transfer to American Airlines AAdvantage at a 1:1 ratio, are valued at 1.7 cents USD per point. Using this valuation, the 100,000 bonus miles included in the AAdvantage Pass have a conservative value of approximately $1,700 USD.

However, at the other end of the spectrum, it’s entirely possible to extract value well above our baseline valuation. For example, American Airlines AAdvantage is one of the few programs that can book Etihad first class awards, including the famed Airbus A380 Apartments and Residence. Unique experiences like this are harder to assign a precise dollar value to, as the appeal for some may lie in the rare opportunity to enjoy one of the more unique and aspirational first class products available to book using points that would otherwise be impossible.

By comparison, the value of the 15,000 Loyalty Points is rather underwhelming. While a 15,000-point head start toward the next elite status tier sounds appealing, you would still need an additional 60,000 Loyalty Points to reach Platinum status. Anyone considering purchasing the AAdvantage Pass is unlikely to fly frequently enough to realistically earn that many Loyalty Points over the course of a qualification year.

That’s not to say the Loyalty Points would be useless, as there would still be opportunities to earn Loyalty Point Reward Milestones between the two status levels, which could provide some value.

The US$5,000 price tag is likely to be an immediate non-starter for most people. Based on our baseline valuation of roughly US$1,700 for the miles, that means AAdvantage Gold status and 15,000 Loyalty Points effectively cost the remaining US$3,300. That is an outrageous price for entry-level elite status and something I have a hard time recommending.

However, one factor that may take some of the sting out of the US$5,000 cost is that the membership is processed directly by American Airlines, meaning it would code as an eligible airline purchase. Therefore, using a credit card that earns a high multiplier on airfares could help offset the high cost.

For example, the U.S.-issued American Express Platinum Card earns 5x points on airfare, which would generate a meaningful return on a US$5,000 purchase. Alternatively, paying with an American Airlines AAdvantage co-branded card could be a solid option, allowing you to earn a large haul of miles along with 5,000 Loyalty Points toward elite status.

This is only the first iteration of the AAdvantage Pass, so hopefully we’ll see some tweaks to the plan over time. While I do appreciate the idea of an airline offering something genuinely different, no matter how you look at it, I don’t think the math will add up for the vast majority of users. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the American Airlines AAdvantage Pass?

The AAdvantage Pass is an annual paid membership bundle that includes AAdvantage miles, Loyalty Points, and AAdvantage Gold elite status for a fixed upfront cost of US$5,000.

What are the benefits included in the AAdvantage Pass?

You will receive 100,000 AAdvantage miles, 15,000 Loyalty Points, and AAdvantage Gold elite status for one year.

What benefits does AAdvantage Gold status provide?

Gold status includes priority check-in, Group 4 boarding, complimentary upgrades on eligible routes, a free checked bag, and oneworld Ruby perks.

Is the AAdvantage Pass available as a subscription?

No, the AAdvantage Pass is a one-time upfront purchase only.

Is the AAdvantage Pass better value than earning status organically?

No. Earning American Airlines status through flying, co-branded credit card spending, or other qualifying activities will be significantly cheaper for anyone with a moderate level of engagement in the AAdvantage program.

Is the AAdvantage Pass refundable?

No, the purchase is non-refundable.

Is the AAdvantage Pass good value for the average traveler?

For most people, no. Even using a generous valuation for the miles, a large portion of the cost is effectively paying a premium for entry-level elite status.

Flying Blue Extra

Similar to American Airlines, Air France KLM Flying Blue has introduced an annual paid membership open to all Flying Blue members. Flying Blue Extra is significantly more affordable and is offered in two separate tiers. However, despite the lower price, the key question remains the same – are either of Flying Blue’s paid memberships a good deal?

Essential Plan Benefits

The Flying Blue Extra Essential plan is priced at €379 (CA$614) for a 12-month term.

The Essential Membership includes the following benefits:

• 5 Extra Miles per €10 Spent – Equates to 0.5 extra miles per €1 spent
  
• Exclusive Promo Rewards – Access to a select number of Promo Rewards only available to Flying Blue Extra subscribers.
  
• Better Cash & Miles Rate – 10% discount on the miles portion when making a Cash & Miles booking.
  
• Extended Miles Validity – Miles will never expire with an active Flying Blue Extra membership.
  
• 2 Free Lounge Vouchers – Two single-use lounge vouchers for entry to Air France or KLM lounges in Amsterdam, Paris, and Munich.
  
• 10% Discount on Reward Upgrades – 10% discount on an upgrade to a higher cabin class when paying with miles.

Extended Plan Benefits

The Flying Blue Extra Extended plan is priced at €699 (CA$1,132) for a 12-month term.

The Extended Membership includes the following benefits:

Since most of the Essential Plan benefits also apply to the Extended Plan, I’ll highlight only what’s different and what’s been added.

• 10 Extra Miles per €10 spent – Bonus earn rate is bumped up to 1 extra mile per €1 spent.
  
• 4 Free Lounge Vouchers – Extended Plan provides two additional lounge vouchers, for a total of 4.
  
• 10% Discount in Reward Tickets – 10% discount on the first two reward bookings made during a membership year.
  
• 20% Extra XP – Earn an additional 20% XP toward status on Air France and KLM flights.

Who Is It For?

Much like the AAdvantage Pass we’ve already looked at, a Flying Blue Extra membership is only likely to appeal to members with Flying Blue Explorer or Silver status. For those holding higher-tier status, there is too much overlap between existing elite benefits and what these paid bundles offer.

A closer look at the benefits of each plan shows that both offer an increased mileage earning rate per euro spent. However, the boost in earning rates is rather weak, amounting to just an extra 0.5 miles per euro on the Essential plan and 1 additional mile per euro on the Extended plan. 

Both plans provide access to exclusive Promo Rewards. Flying Blue Promo Rewards are monthly discounted award flights to select destinations, offering up to 25% off the standard points required for a redemption. A few of these Promo Rewards each month are reserved exclusively for Flying Blue Extra subscribers.

This could be one of the more compelling benefits of the bundles; however, there is no guarantee that your preferred airport will be included as a Promo Rewards city at any point throughout the year. Thus, the value here largely depends on luck and timing.

Though, as we discussed on our Miles Ahead podcast episode covering Flying Blue, the Essential membership can effectively be viewed as purchasing Flying Blue miles at a very competitive rate provided you can maximize the value of an Exclusive Promo Reward booking for a large party.

The next two benefits, a 10% discount on miles for Cash & Miles bookings and extended miles validity, are worth nothing as far as I’m concerned. Cash & Miles bookings are not recommended because you’re effectively buying miles at a less favorable rate during checkout. Plus, keeping your miles from expiring is trivial since any account activity within two years is enough to reset the clock.

The lounge vouchers may seem like a useful addition at first glance, but limiting their use to Amsterdam, Paris, and Munich significantly reduces their practical value.

The discounts on upgrades and award redemptions sound appealing, but I’m not convinced a 10% discount is enough to move the needle. On a transatlantic business class redemption priced at the saver rate of 60,000 Flying Blue miles, the savings amount to just 6,000 miles per passenger. While the value does increase when multiple travelers are included on a single booking since the discount applies to all passengers, this benefit is capped at only the first two bookings per membership year.

The flat rate 20% bonus XP for an entire year has the potential to be the most impactful benefit, particularly if you plan to take several long-haul Air France or KLM flights over the course of the year. This is especially true for travelers who already hold Flying Blue Silver status and are aiming to reach Flying Blue Gold, where the program’s most meaningful benefits begin to kick in.

It’s frustrating that the 20% bonus XP applies only to Air France and KLM flights. Any flights on a SkyTeam partner airline that you credit to Flying Blue won’t earn the bonus XP, which means you’ll need to fly exclusively with Air France or KLM for the bonus XP to have any meaningful impact on your progress toward status.

It’s worth noting that Flying Blue offers a paid status match for members who already hold elite status with another airline, granting up to 12 months of Flying Blue status for significantly less than the cost of either of these memberships. As such, it would be far more prudent to pursue that option before even considering a Flying Blue Extra subscription.

Provided the steep price for either of these two yearly membership tiers, I don’t think either of these will appeal to the vast majority of Flying Blue members. However, if all the stars align perfectly and you’re certain that you can take advantage of the majority of the benefits, there’s definitely some value here. 

I wouldn’t recommend taking a gamble in the hope of saving a few miles if your preferred city is later announced as an Exclusive Promo Reward city. Instead, it’s far better to wait until an Exclusive Promo Reward is available from your desired city and only then consider purchasing one of these memberships.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Flying Blue Extra?

Flying Blue Extra is a supplementary paid annual subscription that is available alongside a regular Flying Blue membership that offers additional benefits such as bonus miles, exclusive Promo Rewards, lounge access, award redemption discounts, and more. 

How many subscription tiers are there?

There are two tiers:

Essential (€379) – lower cost with core perks.

Extended (€699) – higher cost with additional benefits like bonus XP and redemption discounts.

How long is the subscription valid?

Each subscription tier (Essential or Extended) is valid for 12 months from the date you enroll.

What are Exclusive Promo Rewards?

Exclusive Promo Rewards are discounted award flights that are only available to Flying Blue Extra subscribers. New Exclusive Promo Award routes are announced at the beginning of each month.

Is Flying Blue Extra refundable?

Flying Blue Extra is non-refundable outside a 14-day window after subscribing. 

Is Flying Blue Extra worth it?

Flying Blue Extra can be worth it for members who regularly fly with Air France/KLM and can make the most of the lounge vouchers, discounts, bonus miles, and Exclusive Promo Rewards. For casual travelers, the benefits are unlikely to justify the cost.

Conclusion

Airlines are beginning to experiment with selling status and benefits directly to loyalty program members. While neither of the memberships discussed here is a slam dunk, and will require a certain degree of mental gymnastics to finesse the numbers into a positive light, it’s still interesting to see airlines attempting something different. Despite the extremely muddy value proposition from both memberships, there are a handful of scenarios where any of them could make sense.

The biggest drawback of these memberships is that they require a full-year commitment and are non-refundable, leaving you with no off-ramp if the value doesn’t meet expectations. For that reason, starting with a lower-tier option and avoiding a speculative purchase is likely the most sensible approach.