Alaska Air Group Incorporated

You want free checked bags and extra legroom. Priority boarding sounds nice too.

But those perks are reserved for road warriors, the elite fliers among us, right? Not necessarily.

Fliers in the Southland can reach elite status with as few as six annual cross-country trips. (Generally, if you take shorter hops, you must fly more; international trips mean you don't have to fly quite as much.) Travelers don't necessarily need to buy the most expensive tickets either.

On most airlines, passengers earn elite status based on how much they fly between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31. Each year, the clock starts again, so it doesn't matter how many miles or points travelers have banked...