[clubm8]

Not unless you're doing 80 or 100% travel -- I got to visit the EU only because I put all my reimbursements for grad school on a credit card that accrued Star Alliance points -- I never traveled enough to get so much as the lowest level status even if I'd been allowed to pick other than the cheapest flights... and cheapest often meant whoever had a layover between my shitty midwest city and the real destination in Chicago on a plane with a single row of seats on each side that felt like if I rested my overly sized head on the window it might pop out the other side and take us all down.

Look for nonstops, save your money to afford nonstops.

(A hotel because a long layover became a night or two will eat up costs saved by not getting the nonstop)