 TITLE: How Can a Credit Card Help You Earn Airline Elite Status? CONTENT: Things to Consider\n------------------\nWhether you're hoping to earn the base level of elite status using your credit card, or you want to use it to get a boost up to the next one, you should keep a few things in mind:\n*   First, airline credit cards that reward spending with elite-qualifying points or miles tend to charge expensive annual fees and require you to have excellent credit even to qualify.\n*   Second, the spending requirements for elite status are usually tens of thousands of dollars per year, so be sure you can take them on responsibly.\n*   Finally, many airline credit cards already offer elite-style perks like priority boarding and free checked bags. These might not be as comprehensive as those enjoyed by actual airline elites, and they don't include upgrades. However, they will still make the airport and flight experience better, all without having to put in the time and money to earn elite status by actually flying. If you regularly earn elite status and spend a lot on your credit cards anyway, though, it might be worth getting one of these credit cards to help you get to that next level of status.\nIf you think an airline credit card would make you a happier traveler without causing you to unnecessarily rack up debt in pursuit of rewards, check your credit score for free through Experian to see if it's in good enough shape to qualify you for a card. END