Is It Still Worth It? How Airline Loyalty Has Changed This Decade

For decades, frequent flyers have relied on airline loyalty programs to make flying more rewarding. Well-known programs like AAdvantage (American Airlines), MileagePlus (United Airlines), SkyMiles (Delta Air Lines), and Rapid Rewards (Southwest Airlines) offered the promise of free flights, upgrades, and airport lounge access. For frequent flyers, these programs became a badge of honor, and building status was a natural part of traveling.