Frequent Flyer Before High School: A Kid’s Life with Elite Status

Having 1K before I was old enough to rent a car meant seeing airline status through a completely different lens. While most travelers chase status through years of corporate travel, I was doing it as a teenager—learning the perks, tricks, and unwritten rules along the way.

I'll explain exactly what Premier 1K is, share some of my best secrets to maximizing its hidden perks, and walk you through the funny, surprising, and occasionally awkward moments that came with holding elite airline status at such a young age.

Disclaimer: This post is based entirely on my personal experiences. I’m not affiliated with any airline or credit card company.

For those that don’t know, Premier 1K is United Airlines’ highest achievable status tier. To earn it, you need to rack up 28,000 PQPs (Premier Qualifying Points) in a calendar year. As a cardinal rule, 1 PQP = $1 spent on qualifying airfare. Given the price tag, it makes sense the luxuries that come with it.

There’s something about walking past a packed gate area and boarding before almost everyone else that hits differently - even if it is to seat 27A. With 1K, you can bring whole groups with you during preboarding, but out of etiquette (and not wanting to look like I was taking advantage), I always limited myself to two guests. Preboarding was the perk I would use most often and was one of my favorites.

Especially because no one likes this.

Perhaps the benefit that was both the most cost efficient and I felt no shame utilizing was free economy plus seat selection. Coming from a family of eight, managing reservations where I could put everyone together with some extra legroom was terrific. Admittedly, after having 1K for years, I actually forgot people had to pay for seats...

The complimentary premier upgrades were always exciting. Apart from notoriously busy flights, I regularly enjoyed first-class upgrades. Domestic First isn't exactly luxurious—just extra legroom and free champagne—but commonly getting upgraded as a teenager always felt like a win (even if some people think CPUs are long gone).


Another perk I genuinely loved—especially as a kid—was the complimentary snack box and drinks. These were normally around $15 normally, but the flight attendants would hand them to me with a warm smile, always adding a cheerful, “Thank you for your business.” Occasionally they’d have to pause to verify I was actually the one entitled to it. This made for some priceless reactions. Of course, I never turned down the snacks, even if I ended up giving away half the box to appreciative seatmates (especially given United’s lack of meal service on most domestic routes).

Priority check-in was also fantastic, and flying with free checked bags was especially great when traveling with others. Anyone with status will admit they have checked someone else's bag under their name before, because why not. If you haven't, maybe this is your sign to make someone's day :)

Surprisingly, no one ever questioned or side-eyed my status, even though I dressed like a 16 year old who picked out his outfits blindfolded. To be fair, I earned it! Multiple trips to Southeast Asia, a couple of mileage runs, and plenty of domestic flights for sports travel add up quickly.

If it’s not obvious by now, I went all in on maximizing every possible flying perk. Part of that is just how I am, but it was also driven by the fact that I couldn’t take advantage of United’s reciprocal benefits like hotel or car rental status—even if I wanted to.This isn’t on United—just the joys of being underage in America. Someone get me in touch with Capitol Hill!

Although, the best part of 1K was always traveling with others. Getting friends and family into lounges, securing complimentary upgrades (which happened far more often than some people might lead you to believe), and all those perks I've mentioned—that's what made having status truly special. Sharing these benefits always felt like the least I could do, especially since I often felt a bit indebted to my family for all the time I'd spent traveling without them. After all, what's the point of having great perks if you can't share them with the people who matter most, like the old adage, sharing is caring.

Frequent (and non frequent) flyers can acknowledge the luxury of free checked bags and exclusive check in areas.

In the Golden Ages with Star Alliance Gold (*G)

While not limited only to 1Ks, holding Star Alliance Gold (*G) through United granted me major benefits—especially (and practically only) during international travel. Many status holders don't realize they're sitting on a GOLDmine, as *G often seems worthless domestically due to the lack of lounge access.

I could dedicate an entire separate blog to trips through Europe and Asia, but I'll slim down those experiences to keep this engaging.

Lufthansa, one of United’s primary partners, often faces criticism, yet the “Senators” lounges that *G members can access are consistently impressive. This perk extends throughout Europe, with major airports featuring lounges from various Star Alliance members. These lounges typically offer local foods, decent wine, and guest privileges, all complemented by open bars.

Lufthansa also offers a very unique lounge experience at their Panorama Lounge in Munich. This lounge was previously an independent VIP lounge, hence the layout of many rooms.

The Panorama Lounge offers a fresh alternative to the familiar Senator Lounge design.

I reminisce often about one memorable trip to Singapore, where my friend and I visited 13 lounges across airports in MUC, ZRH, SIN, DPS and KUL. There's something uniquely enjoyable about lounge-hopping, meeting interesting travelers, and soaking in different cultures—all within the comfort of complimentary lounges.

One unforgettable experience occurred after redeeming miles for Lufthansa's First Class. We arrived early at the First Class Lounge in Munich, finding ourselves as the only guests. While enjoying the outdoor terrace, we began chatting with a newly arrived traveler. From his relaxed demeanor and the familiarity he shared with lounge staff ("Hello again Mr..., your cappuccino is on the way"), it was clear he was a frequent flyer.

After talking for a bit and mentioning our plans for the day in Munich, he handed me a book from his bag, finished his cappuccino, and casually left. The casualness of waltzing into an international first-class lounge for just 15 minutes—no meal, no shower—was completely ridiculous to me. But it made sense when I discovered he was a HON Circle member, Lufthansa’s invite-only tier.

Adding to the surreal experience was seeing a 12-year-old kid in Lufthansa First playing on his tablet the whole flight—further proving there are always bigger fish in the sea. And speaking of

The world's best gaming chairs.

As you might guess, this part gets interesting.

Denied Lounge Entry: My most embarrassing (and disappointing) 1K moment happened at LaGuardia Airport. Traveling with a girl, I planned to visit Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounge, which I'd used before as a Star Alliance Gold member. Free food and drinks before a flight seemed like a pleasant idea—romantic even. However, my plan was quickly shut down when the lounge attendant incorrectly claimed I couldn't bring a guest.

Though, I knew this was false (as guest access is clearly permitted), I decided not to make a scene. Thankfully, my companion handled the situation gracefully, though sitting awkwardly at the gate afterward stung. Air Canada - I've read your terms and conditions, so I still don't forgive you for this.

Strict Flight Attendant: On that Lufthansa First flight, the crew knew my age, and this wasn't a positive. I was politely informed they couldn't serve me alcohol within seven hours of landing in the U.S., despite the common European practice. I had assumed both myself and the younger kid onboard (hypothetically, of course) could have been served if requested, but this turned out to be incorrect…
Domestically, the benefits had their quirks. Priority security, for instance, was slower than TSA PreCheck, which I already had. Additionally, not having United Club access became noticeable—especially when companions with branded United credit cards had lounge access while I sat outside. Then again, who genuinely enjoys United Clubs?

Another Lounge Rejection-Flagship: As I will talk about below, I had oneworld emerald status. This meant for a trip to California, my friend and I should be able to access the AA’s Flagship Lounge. This was not the case. The concierge said we were not eligible to enter - as minors can't access certain lounges due to their open bar service. Even if the passengers are premier status holders, you cannot go in without an “adult”- I vehemently disagree with this policy.

Returning from LAX, we tried once again to enter a Flagship Lounge. This time, the attendants did their best to accommodate, giving us vouchers that allowed us to enter the exclusive lounge, but only under surveillance. A staff member would walk with us whenever we wanted to get the higher quality food in the Flagship, then kindly escort us back to the Admirals Club.

Not only was our age noted, but all vouchers are specifically marked so that you cannot re-use them.

Part of me felt like I was a little kid under the watchful eye of a parent poised to be corrected. Yet, another part appreciated the lengths they were willing to go to accommodate status holders given AA’s strict policies.

No lounge AGAIN- a similar experience: Before trying to go to the Flagship Lounge in LAX, we tried making use of my oneworld status with other partners. Success? No. The Qantas' First lounge, AND Qantas business lounge both denied us. By this point I was getting pretty good at handling rejection, and this was one of the first times I genuinely wished I was a lot older than I was. Regardless, both experiences were not ideal.

American Airlines:

I flew with Executive Platinum once after status matching from my United 1K for a California trip—a choice I somewhat regret, as you can only match once every five years. Still, this was my most notable experience for recognition. Before takeoff, a flight attendant warmly greeted me and provided a charcuterie box, clearly surprised by my age but still very welcoming.

My seatmates gave me a look too—kind of like a “This guy? Really?” moment.

To be fair, just minutes prior I had cracked open my iPad and fully immersed myself in some very serious, career-defining work—Geometry Dash.

Later, needing a pen, I went to the galley and was met by some intrigued flight attendants who asked how I achieved EP status at just 17. Laughing, and not wanting to ruin the moment, I briefly explained how I accumulated the miles—leaving out the part that they weren't from AA...

The crew playfully nicknamed me their "little EP" and checked on me frequently, keeping my water topped up (I had seven cups!). I hope to fly more with AA in the future, provided they don't go bankrupt!

British Airways:

The status match process with BA was straightforward, and within a week I had British Airways Gold, providing Oneworld Emerald status—similar to AA’s Executive Platinum but with the added allure of an international airline. Flying domestically within the US suddenly became luxurious. Flagship First at ORD and LAX (at LAX this is a private entrance), escorted security, and American Airlines' Flagship First Lounge. This was extraordinary, especially given I've never flown on BA metal before.

Flagship First check-in, normally accompanied by a red carpet.

Having top-tier airline status as a teenager was never something I planned—but it ended up giving me some of the more interesting, surprising, and memorable travel experiences I’ve ever had. Sure, the perks were great, but what stuck with me most were the moments: helping my family board early, chatting with frequent flyers in lounges, or getting called “little EP” by a flight crew.

If there’s one thing I took away from having 1K at such a young age it is this: the perks matter less than how you use them. Whether it's sharing a snack box, upgrading a friend, or just making someone's travel day easier. Status IS cool, but making the most of it for others is what makes it worth it.