The Season? Wasn’t that last year when we referred to it as the “Holidays?” Uh, not if you’re a frequent flyer.From Jan. 1 through roughly March is “the season” for frequent flyers when  we find out just how well we did last year with our loyalty choices. I know, many frequent flyers focus on their miles, but it’s the hardware that really counts. Hardware. You know: gold, platinum, silver, bronze, all those lovely metals and jewels, including diamonds. You think they are only a woman’s best friend? Sorry, we frequent flyers have best friends as well.Last week I got my first hotel reward of the season when I got my credentials for re-qualiflying for Priority Club Platinum Elite with the side of “Ambassador” thrown in. Cool you might say? Well, to be frank, I was extremely disappointed in my performance last year. I had a choice to remain top elite in several programs or super elite in one or two and I went for a broad assortment of elites. Why so glum? Well, I just barely missed Royal Ambassador with Priority Club. Hey, it’s not to be ashamed of to be at the Ambassador level, but when others I know invite me over to their room at an Inter-Continental Hotel stay or other and the goal is to raid the mini-bar, well, they are bragging and I have to let them because over in my nicely upgraded room, I’m paying for the mini-bar. There’s really nothing like this elsewhere in a benefit that allows a Royal Ambassador this benefit: Complimenary mini-bar [including the alcohol]. Stay refreshed with as many items as you like, free-of-charge.It’s somewhat an obsession on mine because years ago i screwed up “royally.” I had made Royal Ambassador for a single year and unfortunately it was one of those years in which I had scaled back my travel, I’m thinking right after 9/11 and as a result I did not get to enjoy the “raids” as I had hoped. For whatever reason I had thought I was still a member and did the mini-raid on a stay the following year and upon checkout was faced with a mini-bar bill that easily exceeded my room rate. You could have blown me over with a feather and the only good thing was that I was not traveling with anyone so was only faced with personal rejection and despair, no witnesses (until now)But I’ve been back on the road as best I can to manage my miles and points for the best laid plans of Platinum and beyond and this morning was surprised and relieved to get via email a note from United Mileage Plus that I had been invited into the exclusive Global Services program. I have worked my way up over the years, first as a Gold member, then 1K for several years and now this. With United being the largest carrier out of Colorado Springs and of course Denver, it does help, but I have other loyalties as well. I actually took some notes during a recent trip in which I note my mental condition at the gate when wielding such vast power as the ultimate elite. I’ll post that later on because for just a moment, I truly was a Master of the Universe which is not typically like me as I come from meager roots of 22F, having earned and flown and studied my way toward the front cabin.Anyway, welcome to “The Season” and with more elite cards to come, this is truly my favorite time of the year.