I recently crossed the 900k mile mark flying United. Not redeemable miles, but actual 'I sat on the plane' miles. There are many that probably wouldn't care about this, except, in the flying world one million miles is a milestone. There's even one person that has flown over 24 million on United!
Each of the carriers in the US have a program for million mile flyers. There are benefits at each tier, though the first million means you no longer have to chase initial airline status and you get that level indefinitely. For United, the benefits for one million include Premier Gold, Star Alliance Gold (which allows access to international airport lounges), and companion access for another individual.
In hindsight, I should have achieved this milestone a year or so ago. Due to program changes about 10 years ago, I had a brief stint flying American which was more convenient at the time. During that timeframe I flew nearly 300k miles on American, which is great, but not helpful for the closer million mile marker.
One neat thing that often happens when you cross the million mile marker is a small recognition from the flight crew (which is why many plan their million mile flight for a longer overseas segment). Some people have reported getting a special coin and/or a signed flight plan from the crew noting where you crossed the threshold. I'm hopeful that I can plan a similar trip around the same time!
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