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Over on the InsideFlyer UK forum, member ‘Tcworldwide’ recently asked for thoughts on an elite status conundrum. We thought it would be fun to share it with a wider audience here on the main blog, as it raised an interesting general point – what do you do when you are tantalisingly close to an elite status threshold, but not quite there?

Here’s the original question:

“I currently have 74 xp (status points in KLM/Air France Flying Blue programme) expiring end of April 2019.

I’m about to take a flight this evening which will put me up to 89 XP.

I’m not sure I’ll be taking another qualifying flight before the XP expiry date. Most likely would be a short european thing which would get me 5xp each way.. putting me to 99… 1 short of the 100 needed for Silver…

Or… I could maybe spend £45 ish to upgrade the short leg of the flight I’m about to take to business. Also giving me 99.. 1 short..

Or I fly premium economy or business on a short haul trip later (despite really not being worth cost for such a short flight) which would put me safely over 100, but be a bit of a waste of money.

If I was at 99 how likely would I be able to call them and persuade them to bump me up anyway do you think? I fly long haul for work around 3 times a year, plus a personal trip if it’s a route I want…”

You can’t get closer than being just 1 point short of hitting an elite status level – what would you do in that situation? Come and share your thoughts (and any other questions of course!) over on the forum here.