I spent $2,700 flying around the world just to keep my airline status. I got stuck in Qatar and ran out of clothes, but it was worth it.

I flew much than 100,000 miles past twelvemonth for my occupation arsenic an aviation contented creator, making airports and airplanes consciousness almost for illustration a 2nd home.

After that overmuch clip successful the air, a comfortable spot and a quiet airdrome lounge aren't conscionable loyalty perks; they make my exhausting recreation schedules acold much bearable.

So erstwhile British Airways made its Silver position — which gives maine free entree to dozens of Oneworld Alliance personnel lounges and free extra-legroom seats — overmuch harder to keep, I had to get creative.

What followed was a 13,000-mile, three-day "mileage run" crossed Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the US successful July to gain capable qualifying points to clasp onto my elite tier.

I spent $2,700 and 20,000 points crossed 2 airlines, including Qatar Airways and Royal Air Maroc, to make it work.

Mileage runs — aliases flying solely to scope a definite loyalty tier — person go a niche pursuit for predominant flyers arsenic galore awesome airlines displacement really status is earned from region flown to money spent. Still, a clever workaround helped maine portion together flights.

There were immoderate hiccups: I missed my relationship successful a conflict zone, which near maine pinch an unexpected 18 hours successful Doha, Qatar, and I ran retired of cleanable clothes.

Was it crazy to spell to each these lengths to enactment loyal to a British airline, moreover though I unrecorded successful Tennessee? Probably.

Still, it saved maine astir $10,000 and preserved immoderate of my astir valuable travel perks for different year.

I took advantage of a loyalty loophole

I'm US-based, truthful it mightiness look overseas to pursuit British Airways status.

I do truthful because it comes pinch Oneworld Sapphire benefits, including entree to American Airlines' home Admirals Clubs, a perk American's ain mid-tier elites don't get.

Sapphire besides gets maine reciprocal perks erstwhile I alert pinch immoderate of the different 15 Oneworld personnel airlines, including lounge access, privilege boarding, preferred seating, and other baggage.

British Airways, however, precocious overhauled its loyalty program, making "tier points," aliases the credits travelers gain toward elite status, overmuch harder to gain by basing it chiefly connected really overmuch you walk alternatively than really acold you fly.

In different words, you request to walk $10,000 connected airfare to scope the required number of tier points. Once you facet successful taxes and fees, the existent costs balloons to astir $13,000. Before the change, I could scope the aforesaid position for thousands of dollars less.

But there's a workaround: Flights connected chap Oneworld hose Qatar Airways still gain British Airways tier points mostly based connected region flown.

So alternatively of spending 5 figures connected flights to climb the loyalty ladder pinch British Airways, I recovered a $2,700 Qatar Airways business-class itinerary from Casablanca to Washington, DC, via Doha — a 10,500-mile travel that would gain capable tier points to put a immense dent successful my yearly requirement.

I was already successful England for work, truthful I booked a abstracted business-class flight from London Gatwick Airport to Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport connected Royal Air Maroc for 20,000 points.

Although Morocco's nationalist bearer is besides Oneworld, paying rate for the tier points wouldn't beryllium worthy it for the overmuch shorter distance.

It was an OK formation — the spot was dated and uncomfortable, and location was nary in-flight entertainment, but I was served a flavorful chickenhearted tajine.

Ultimately, this hop was a intends to an end. After a short excursion successful Casablanca, I sewage fresh for the seven-hour formation to Qatar.

A astonishment Q-Suite, 18 hours successful a conflict zone, and nary clothes

There are 2 reasons why flights from Northern Africa are truthful inexpensive connected Qatar Airways: There is small business demand, and the hose typically deploys older jets pinch dated seats connected these routes.

Luckily, my level was swapped astatine the past infinitesimal from an aged Boeing 777-300ER to a caller 1 equipped pinch the airline's legendary Q-suite.

This spot is award-winning for a reason; it lets maine vanish into my ain backstage enclosed space, slumber comfortably, and genuinely unwind. My bully luck did not last, however.

When I reached my gate, I saw attraction technicians moving connected the underbelly of our aircraft. It wasn't a speedy fix, and our formation was delayed by 3 hours.

By the clip I arrived successful Doha, my formation location had already departed. My marathon travel was extended by almost different day, successful a state wherever I'd hadn't planned connected leaving the airport.

The Middle East is peculiarly volatile correct now amid the warfare successful Iran. The US State Department has issued a Level 3 Travel informing for Qatar, meaning "reconsider visiting owed to equipped conflict."

That, positive the strikes successful adjacent Kuwait and Jordan successful the days starring up to my trip, had maine questioning whether I should recreation done that portion of the world astatine all.

At slightest Qatar Airways made things easy. When I arrived, an supplier was waiting pinch hotel, transportation, and repast vouchers. He had besides proactively rebooked maine connected the adjacent formation to Washington, DC, 24 hours later.

Eager to get home, I asked astir earlier options. There was a formation to Dallas that would trim my layover to 18 hours. I was happy to prevention six hours, but location was nary avoiding it: My layover would not beryllium short.

Doha was amazingly relaxed. The drivers, edifice staff, and airdrome labor were each astatine ease, which helped settee my nerves.

It gave maine the courageousness to brave the 106-degree power and research the city's main sites, including a locomotion on the celebrated Corniche, a 4.3-mile waterfront promenade.

This is erstwhile I discovered different problem: I'd tally retired of cleanable clothes. As I sweated done my T-shirt, I couldn't thief but chuckle.

All this hassle for immoderate other perks erstwhile I travel. And, oddly enough, I recovered myself wishing I had a spot much clip to research Doha.

There was 1 main metallic lining

If location was a metallic lining to my missed connection, it was this: Dallas is astir 1,000 miles farther from Doha than Washington, DC, truthful the disruption netted an other 500 tier points.

This meant I was stuck connected a level for 2 other hours — and by that point, my assemblage timepiece had wholly fixed up — but astatine slightest I was successful a Q-Suite.

Qatar's dine-on-demand work was particularly valuable: Rather than pursuing a fixed repast schedule and being forced awake astatine definite times, I could eat whenever I wanted.

One serving of caviar, 2 Arabic mezze plates, and a chickenhearted burger later, I was yet stateside.

Altogether, my travel took maine halfway astir the world and lasted 72 hours. Had I chosen the elemental action and taken a nonstop formation location from London, I could person been location successful astir 8 hours.

But the juice was surely worthy the squeeze.

I earned 5,747 tier points total, getting maine 77% of the measurement to keeping British Airways Silver — each of that for a fraction of what I would've different paid. I'll execute the remaining 23% done normal activity travel.

Was this travel thing I'd usually do? Absolutely not, but I'd do it again successful a heartbeat.

Business Insider reached retired to Qatar Airways and Royal Air Maroc for comment.