I question the success of this from a loyalty/perks perspective. Not for the business traveller, but for the employer. Most people don't realize this, but when

I question the success of this from a loyalty/perks perspective. Not for the business traveller, but for the employer. Most people don't realize this, but when your company signs deals with airlines and hotels, they get big perks in return for pledging dollars to those businesses. You get to designate X number of people for platinum status, even if they only fly or stay a few times a year. Those perks translate into huge upside for the occasional business exec who has to pay for a business class ticket, but be at the top of the list for a free first upgrade. It might sound trivial to most people here, but it's a big part of the sales pitch when you're managing a large corporate travel department.