Is the game over for marathon mileage runners?

Earning elite status with an airline is priceless.

It's also quite the process for mileage runners, who book and travel on relatively inexpensive flights, usually with multiple stops, for the purpose of gaining elite status for a lower cost.

A super savvy concept for frequent flyers, but unfortunately not appreciated by airlines who, despite having loyal flyers, would prefer to have bigger spenders.

In effort to deter the practice, some airlines have changed their frequent flyer policies to reward money spent rather than miles flown. In 2014, both Delta Air Lines and Unites Airlines announced they will require a set minimum dollar amount for status levels, and many may follow suit.

So what does this mean for corporations whose travelers will now be inclined to book more expensive flights to maintain their statuses?

"Companies who don't have travel policies in place will end up spending more," said Don Jones, Executive VP of Sales and Marketing at Cadence. "This is where the value of a travel management companies shines brightest- in our ability to help implement, enforce and review travel spend guidelines for organizations that really need that transparency."

What do you think? Are airlines taking advantage of their market, or simply retaining the integrity of their elite status programs?

Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.