Alaska Airways MVP elite standing: What it’s and how one can earn it

Along with being rewarded with beneficial miles, when vacationers select to fly Alaska Airways and its accomplice airways and credit score flights to the Alaska Airways Mileage Plan loyalty program, they might qualify for MVP elite standing. You may entry unique and beneficial advantages and perks by attaining elite standing, enhancing your general journey expertise.

Relying on which MVP elite standing is achieved, you may take pleasure in perks like complimentary first-class upgrades and most well-liked seating, plus bonus miles that may be redeemed for future journey on Alaska or its airline companions.

In case you are contemplating striving for these perks, weighing the advantages in opposition to the drawbacks of remaining loyal to at least one airline program is necessary. Whereas pursuing elite standing and remaining loyal to at least one service generally is a no-brainer for some — notably those that dwell close to an Alaska Airways hub — others could also be higher off remaining airline free brokers, selecting one of the best service for every flight.

On this information, we’ll consider MVP standing and clarify the totally different standing tiers, how one can obtain them and if striving for this standing is definitely worth the effort for the occasional or frequent Alaska Airways flyers. Plus, with Alaska’s current acquisition of Hawaiian Airways and a plan to overhaul Mileage Plan in 2025, acquiring elite standing with this airline might now be in your radar.

What’s Alaska Airways standing?

Alaska provides totally different MVP standing tiers based mostly on the variety of elite qualifying miles earned by way of the airline and its international companions and spending on Alaska’s cobranded bank card.

Your Alaska elite standing is activated whenever you move the required threshold for that tier, is subsequently legitimate for the remainder of that calendar yr and sometimes expires on Dec. 31 of the next calendar yr. For instance, for those who attain your 2024 MVP Gold qualification in October 2024, your standing will probably be legitimate by way of Dec. 31, 2025.

Associated: Alaska Airways overhauls Mileage Plan with milestone perks and extra

Alaska elite standing tiers

Anybody can be part of the Mileage Plan program without spending a dime on-line as a base member. Doing so will make you eligible to gather Alaska miles, and as you spend extra time flying Alaska or its companions, you can even accumulate standing.

Alaska Airways’ printed elite standing tiers from lowest to highest are:

• MVP
• MVP Gold
• MVP Gold 75K
• MVP Gold 100K

To qualify for MVP standing, you should attain various thresholds of elite qualifying miles based mostly on Alaska, Oneworld and international accomplice airways’ flights and cobranded bank card spending.

As you fly extra on Alaska or spend on a cobranded bank card, you may climb the standing ladder. As you stay loyal to Alaska and attain greater tiers, the perks turn into extra profitable. For instance, you may obtain complimentary lounge entry or free upgrades.

The identical is true for the 4 printed elite standing tiers of rival airways United and Delta.

Associated: 6 nice advantages I acquired as an American Airways elite flying Alaska Airways

The right way to qualify for Alaska elite standing

Fly on Alaska-operated or accomplice flights to earn EQMs

Regardless of many airways transferring away from calculating elite standing based mostly on precise mileage flown towards a model of the quantity spent with the service, Alaska has been a holdout. For Alaska flyers, the elite standing is calculated through the variety of elite qualifying miles earned, to not be confused with redeemable Alaska base miles.

Nevertheless, the variety of elite qualifying miles earned is predicated on the service flown and fare class. For example, a first-class ticket on Alaska within the J fare class earns 200% elite qualifying miles. However, a Savor financial system ticket within the X fare class will earn solely 30% elite qualifying miles.

Be aware that Alaska has unveiled its 2025 earnings charts, with notable will increase to EQMs earned on worldwide first- and business-class flights booked on accomplice airways through alaskaair.com.

You may try Alaska’s 2024 and 2025 earnings charts right here.

Earn Alaska elite standing by way of bank card spending

In 2023, Alaska introduced modifications to how elite members earn standing. Starting this yr, incomes standing by way of elite qualifying segments is not attainable; you will solely earn standing by accruing elite qualifying miles. Due to this fact, it’s attainable to earn Alaska elite standing with out ever stepping foot on an Alaska Airways airplane.

Plus, following Alaska’s acquisition of Hawaiian Airways, the service expanded how members can earn EQMs from bank card spending, which is presently capped at an incomes fee of 20,000 EQMs per yr. Starting on Jan. 1, 2025, Alaska Airways Visa Signature® bank card and Alaska Airways Visa® Enterprise card cardholders will earn 1 EQM for each $3 spent (as much as 30,000 EQMs every year on certified purchases).

Due to this fact, for those who spend $60,000 in your private or enterprise Alaska card every year, you’ll earn 20,000 EQMs, which suggests you will have achieved MVP standing simply by way of bank card spending.

Earn Alaska MVP standing by way of a standing match

Following the merger of Alaska and Hawaiian Airways, in case you have standing with both service, your standing will probably be matched as follows:

And, even when you do not have standing with both airline, loyalty members can mix their elite qualifying miles from each applications to realize standing.

Extra methods to earn Alaska EQMs

In 2025, there are a number of extra methods Mileage Plan members can earn elite qualifying miles. Alaska executives introduced that members will earn 1,000 EQMs for each 3,000 miles earned on nonflight actions, similar to by way of Lyft, Mileage Plan buying portal and the eating program.

Moreover, members will start incomes EQMs on award flights. Mileage Plan members will earn the identical quantity of EQMs as they’d on a paid ticket; nevertheless, members won’t earn Alaska base miles on award redemptions.

What are Alaska’s elite standing advantages?

Whereas the perks are nice for all members with Alaska Airways elite standing, as you progress up the tiers, the advantages turn into much more worthwhile.

MVP

That is the bottom elite tier in Alaska’s program, the place you’ll obtain advantages similar to:

• 50% bonus miles (altering to 25% bonus miles in 2025)
• Oneworld Ruby standing
• Precedence check-in, safety and boarding
• Most popular seating
• Two free checked luggage (by way of 2025; one free checked bag beginning in 2026)
• Precedence name routing
• Alaska Lounge membership low cost
• First-class upgrades on the time of reserving with Y and B fares
• Premium-class upgrades on the time of reserving with Y, B and H fares
• First- and premium-class upgrades on Alaska nonqualifying fares (besides Savor) 48 hours earlier than departure
• Entry to further legroom seating on American Airways beginning 24 hours earlier than departure
• Complimentary entry to home upgrades on American beginning 24 hours earlier than departure

MVP Gold

As you degree up with Alaska, you obtain all the identical perks as MVP, plus:

• 100% bonus miles (altering to 50% bonus miles in 2025)
• Two free checked luggage
• Oneworld Sapphire standing
• Complimentary same-day flight modifications and standby for full flights
• Complimentary premium beverage or chocolate in Most important Cabin
• 4 first-class upgrades on the time of reserving with Y, B, H and Okay fares (by way of Dec. 31, 2024)
• Premium-class upgrades on the time of reserving with Y, B, H, Okay, M, L, V, S and N fares
• First- and premium-class upgrades on Alaska nonqualifying fares (besides Savor) 72 hours earlier than departure
• First- and premium-class companion upgrades
• First-class visitor upgrades (most of 4 per yr)
• Entry to further legroom seating on American Airways at reserving
• Complimentary entry to home upgrades on American beginning 48 hours earlier than departure

MVP Gold 75K

For much more frequent Alaska flyers, you obtain all the identical perks as MVP Gold, in addition to:

• 125% bonus miles (altering to 100% bonus miles in 2025)
• 50,000 bonus miles upon qualification (solely by way of Dec. 31, 2024)
• Oneworld Emerald standing
• Three free checked luggage
• 4 Alaska Lounge day passes
• First-class upgrades on the time of reserving with Y, B, H, Okay and M fares
• Premium-class upgrades on the time of reserving on all fares besides Savor fares
• First- and premium-class upgrades on Alaska nonqualifying fares (besides Savor) 120 hours earlier than departure
• One one-way worldwide improve certificates on American Airways
• Complimentary entry to home upgrades on American beginning 72 hours earlier than departure

MVP Gold 100K

That is the highest tier in Alaska’s program for its most frequent vacationers, the place you’ll obtain all the identical perks as MVP Gold 75K, plus:

• 150% bonus miles
• 100K Alternative Profit upon qualification
• Complimentary snack or meal in Most important Cabin
• Two one-way worldwide improve certificates on American Airways

For Alaska elite standing members reaching the MVP Gold 100K tier, you’ll be invited to pick one of many 100K Alternative Advantages for the next yr:

• 50,000 bonus miles
• Alaska Lounge+ membership
• Capability to reward MVP Gold standing
• Complimentary Wi-Fi each time you fly on Alaska
• Complimentary Clear Plus membership

In 2025, Alaska is rolling out a brand new record of 100K Alternative Profit choices, which embody:

• 50,000 bonus miles
• 75,000 miles off an Extras* redemption
• Alaska Lounge+ membership
• Complimentary Wi-Fi on each flight
• 4 improve certificates
• Nominate somebody for MVP Gold standing

For elite members who attain 150K, 200K and 250K milestones, you may decide two of the next perks (beginning in 2025):

• 15,000 bonus miles
• 25,000 miles off an Extras redemption
• Two complimentary Alaska Lounge day passes
• Two improve certificates
• Roll over 10,000 EQMs to the next yr

Even for those who do not attain the 100K milestone or better, Alaska introduced new milestone rewards for Mileage Plan members. In 2025, loyalty program members will be capable of decide from the next record of perks when a brand new milestone is reached:

10,000 EQMs

Decide one of many following:

• 750 bonus miles
• Preorder a complimentary meal to your flight
• One complimentary Wi-Fi move
• Strive MVP standing for a visit
• Earn double miles with nonair companions
• Improve your subsequent Avis automotive rental

30,000 EQMs

Decide one of many following:

• 2,500 bonus miles
• $25 off a future Alaska flight
• 4 Wi-Fi passes
• Strive MVP Gold standing for a visit
• $100 off an Alaska Lounge membership

55,000 EQMs

Decide two of the next:

• 5,000 bonus miles
• 10,000 miles off a redemption from Extras
• Present MVP standing for a visit
• One complimentary Alaska Lounge day move
• Two improve certificates

85,000 EQMs

Decide two of the next:

• 15,000 bonus miles
• 25,000 miles off an Extras redemption
• Two complimentary Alaska Lounge day passes
• Two improve certificates
• Present MVP Gold standing for a visit
• Nominate somebody for MVP standing
• Roll over 10,000 EQMs to the subsequent yr

*Extras is a journey expertise platform (that includes sporting occasions, live shows and different actions) that Alaska will launch.

Can a bank card aid you earn Alaska MVP standing?

Alaska has private and enterprise bank cards, each out there by way of Financial institution of America. They provide the next advantages. (Phrases apply.)

Presently, cobranded cardholders will earn 4,000 elite qualifying miles for each $10,000 spent; nevertheless, you may solely earn a most of 20,000 EQMs from spending on a card. As talked about above, beginning Jan. 1, 2025, cardholders will earn 1 EQM for each $3 spent (as much as 30,000 EQMs) yearly.

Along with the precious redeemable miles earned, Alaska’s cobranded playing cards include perks like free checked luggage, reductions on inflight purchases and the flexibility to work towards MVP elite standing. As such, it may well simply make sense to maintain one of many airline’s bank cards in your pockets yr after yr.

Associated: Your full information to incomes and redeeming with Alaska Airways Mileage Plan

Is Alaska Airways elite standing price it?

Should you already fly Alaska commonly or plan to in 2025 and are maybe contemplating including an Alaska Airways bank card to your pockets, you would possibly discover it straightforward to earn elite standing within the Mileage Plan program and discover the advantages nicely definitely worth the effort. Plus, with the extra perks and new status-earning alternatives in 2025, it’s possible you’ll be much more satisfied to qualify for elite standing.

Nevertheless, it’s price noting that Alaska and Hawaiian Airways will ultimately merge into one loyalty program. Right now, it’s anticipated that the precise particulars and advantages of that joint program won’t be revealed till 2025.

Should you earned Alaska elite standing in 2023, it is legitimate by way of Dec. 31, 2024. To resolve whether or not to pursue extending your standing into 2025 or 2026, it’s essential to think about how a lot you will be touring on Alaska and Oneworld companions sooner or later. Should you push onerous to earn MVP Gold 100K standing, for instance, the precious perks outlined, together with upgrades and free checked luggage, are solely helpful for those who fly often sufficient the next yr to make use of these perks.

Moreover, there isn’t any level in pursuing elite standing with an airline if you cannot feasibly fly it (or its companions) commonly. Remember to think about Alaska’s service from your house airport(s) and the way straightforward it’s to get to your required vacation spot with the service.

With that in thoughts, you will need to think about the trade-offs in pursuing standing. Some of the frequent is deciding whether or not to make use of your most well-liked airline when it’s not probably the most handy or most cost-effective choice. Would you e book a one-stop Alaska flight if Delta had a cheaper nonstop choice? If the reply isn’t any, it might not be price going out of your technique to earn standing with Alaska.

Moreover, in case you have already obtained elite standing with one other airline and surprise if Alaska’s elite standing is price it, you would apply for a standing match problem. You may submit your frequent flyer standing with one of many airways listed on Alaska’s web site to obtain the equal Mileage Plan standing for 90 days.

Associated: Alaska Airways baggage charges and how one can keep away from paying them

Backside line

Alaska Airways is broadly thought-about a prime airline within the frequent flyer neighborhood due to its MVP elite standing and beneficial mileage foreign money. Plus, with the acquisition of Hawaiian Airways and the rollout of latest milestone advantages and program perks coming in 2025, Alaska Airways’ elite standing is tempting even loyal AAdvantage TPG workers members.

Nevertheless, the service has made some unwelcome modifications not too long ago, similar to introducing a distance-based construction and charging sky-high redemption charges for brand new companions.

Whereas reciprocal improve advantages with American Airways are beneficial for Alaska elite members flying American, it may additionally imply upgrades will probably be tougher to attain, notably for lower-tier elite members. When contemplating whether or not it’s price attaining MVP standing, you will need to have a look at the place your travels will take you this yr and subsequent yr to see if the perks outweigh the prices. In case you are working onerous to earn elite standing advantages, you’ll want to guarantee you’ll journey sufficient with Alaska and its accomplice airways when you attain your required standing tier to make that onerous work worthwhile.

General, having MVP standing generally is a good increase to make an pleasing Alaska Airways flying expertise much more seamless.

Up to date as of 10/22/2024.