The benefits of
elite airline status include early boarding, higher rewards rates and free seat upgrades.
Whether you're working toward a revenue requirement for
elite airline status or you can't find award availability for your travel dates, sometimes you have to pay for a ticket with cash rather than miles or points.
Not exact matches
There are many ways to get to first class without breaking the bank, including using frequent flyer miles to purchase your flights or getting
elite status on a particular
airline to get complementary upgrades on every flight.
As far as qualifying for
elite status, flying exclusively on a specific
airline helps your chances of ranking.
All told, that gave him 66,456 miles and put him over the top in his annual quest to re-qualify for the
airline's top
elite status.
You'll also get an annual $ 200
airline fee credit, up to $ 200 of credits for Uber each cardmember year, access to more than 1,000 airport lounges around the world, complimentary
elite status at major hotel chains, and more.
It is similar to other
airline loyalty programs in that you sign up, earn points and
elite status, and redeem for rewards.
Moving up to A-List Preferred, free inflight Wi - Fi is a benefit provided by no other U.S.
airline elite status.
While it's true the
airline industry is financially healthier than it has been in years — thanks to cost - cutting and its new pay - as - you - go approach (United
Airlines is even offering passengers who don't qualify for
elite status the opportunity to pay $ 500 a year for seat upgrades and another $ 350 a year to avoid baggage fees)-- the changes have made flying a truly trying experience that is only likely to get worse.
Between the $ 200
airline fee credit, the $ 550 in hotel benefits, free lounge access, and automatic hotel
elite status, this card easily pays for itself.
This is unique, as most
airline credit cards simply earn bonus miles and points that do not go toward any type of
elite status.
Other
airlines (like American, United, and Delta) thrive on the
elite status benefits and other luxury offering like airport lounges, so their cards have benefits that cater towards these offerings.
Some of the other $ 450 credit cards will typically throw in
elite status with some
airline or hotel chain, which can be invaluable to travelers.
If, on the other hand, you fly often and are interested in building brand loyalty and
elite status with an
airline carrier such as United, Delta or American
Airlines, your best bet is to opt for a credit card with one of these a
Airlines, your best bet is to opt for a credit card with one of these
airlinesairlines.
However, the benefits are significant as long as you continue to travel with that
airline, because the perks add up: a free checked bag can save you up to $ 75 - 100 on each flight you book, while soft rewards long - term often include accelerators for racking up miles and
status, as well as
elite access to
airline lounges and similar VIP treatment.
For example, an
airline credit card will often give you a free checked bag and priority boarding, while a hotel credit card user will receive
elite status that can offer room upgrades, late checkouts and even free breakfast.
You are automatically enrolled in high - tier
elite status across multiple hotel and
airline brands, including Starwood, Delta, Hilton, and IHG.
Earning
elite status from
airlines and hotels doesn't make sense for everyone.
The Capital One Spark Miles card doesn't offer the opportunity to earn
elite status with any
airline or hotel program.
Some
airline cards automatically bestow
elite status after you sign up for them, while others grant
elite membership after you spend a minimum amount on the card.
Co-branded cards make it easier for you to achieve
elite status membership with a particular
airline.
These miles help you attain and maintain
elite status with American
Airline.
I'll cover credit cards which earn
elite miles or points (which count towards
airline or hotel
elite status) in a later post in this series.
These cards are the best cards to spend large amounts of money on if you don't really care about earning
airline elite status, cash back, companion passes, etc. via credit card spending and want to fly in First or Business class and stay in nicer hotels.
But the card also comes with mediocre cardholder benefits, steep spending requirements for
elite status and minimal options for international getaways (thanks, in part, to a shortage of
airline partners).
Although this is a great card for earning Membership Rewards, the card isn't tied to any one specific hotel or
airline program, so putting a lot of spend here won't help earn
elite status.
Members still earn
elite tier
status through stays, nights, and eligible spending — no changes there — and can convert their Hilton Honors Points into miles with participating
airline programs around the world.
I wrote an eight part series on the perks of Big Spending on a credit card — from hotel
elite status, bonus points,
airline elite status to companion passes.
Although your Capital One mileage balance will add up fast, any spend you put on this card won't help you earn
elite status since your rewards aren't tied to any one specific
airline or hotel chain.
While many
airlines require you to fly segments to earn
elite status qualifying miles, with Delta you can earn Medallion Qualification Miles when using the Platinum Delta SkyMiles ® Credit Card from American Express.
Unlike United
Airlines, every level of
elite status is eligible for the spend waiver.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve does not offer a way to earn
elite status with any
airline or hotel program.
It would best for frequent American
Airlines flyers that check bags, enjoy lounge access and are chasing
elite status.
This card is good for someone who flies frequently and values
elite status with the
airline.
With continuing cuts to American
Airlines Executive Platinum, many road warriors now rank Delta's Diamond Medallion as the top
airline elite status in the U.S.
This fee is most often found on travel credit cards that offer benefits like airport lounge access, premium rewards earning, and complimentary
airline or hotel
elite status.
For every $ 2,500 you spend on your Virgin Atlantic credit card, you will be awarded 1 tier point that help you qualify for the
airline's different
elite membership
statuses.
EDQ requirements mean that you must spend a certain amount of money with the
airline in addition to flying a certain number of miles or segments to qualify for
elite status.
The card comes with many luxury travel perks, including airport lounges, $ 200
airline travel credit, and
elite status with certain hotel chains.
Quick clarification, if I want to book an American
Airlines flight through the Chase Sapphire Travel Portal, will I earn EQM (miles) and EQS (segments) like normal towards
elite status since you said it was a revenue transaction?
You'll also get free access to a lot more airport lounges, no matter which
airline you're flying on, plus
elite status with SPG and HHonors.
Or to meet a spending threshold to earn
elite status with an
airline, including Delta, or with a hotel chain.
Elite qualifying miles are different than redeemable miles, in that they help you earn
elite status membership with American
Airlines.
The following are purchases not included in this offer: car rentals, hotel reservations, American
Airlines Vacations packages, purchase of
elite status boost or renewal, duty - free purchases, and AA Cargo products and services.
It is a non-publicized
elite -
status program that American
Airlines runs to take care of its top - paying customers.
TQPs are used to earn
elite statuses with Southwest
Airlines that qualify for additional flight benefits.
One of the best features of a premium co-branded
airline card is the ability to earn miles towards
elite status, and the United MileagePlus Club card doesn't allow you to do that.
Hotels follow different rules than
airlines when it comes to granting
elite status to credit card holders.
Those miles count towards
elite status and are hard to earn on any
airline.
Some
airline cards offer
elite status after signing up, while others require a minimum amount of spending before granting
elite membership.