Learn How to Earn Elite Status and What Comes With It
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While we all love award flights, we certainly pay for a ticket occasionally–or even frequently for some. After all, even though flying may not always be the best way to accrue miles anymore, it is still a good way. But should you focus your earning by choosing a preferred carrier and frequent flyer program or do you need more than one?
The clock has reset on frequent flyer elite status qualification in January so this is a good time to evaluate your loyalties to various programs and consider if you should jump ship to new programs. In a world full of devaluations, mergers, and new reciprocal status benefits, opportunities abound to maximize value in 2017 and beyond. This is the first in a series of posts evaluating the cost and benefits of obtaining elite status with various programs. Let’s start with Delta.
If you are a business frequent flyer traversing the globe all the time, you will, at some point or another, begin appreciating little perks along the way. An upgraded seat here, access to a lounge there, speeding up through security lines and other perks can make the life of a frequent flyer much more tolerable.
Unfortunately, achieving elite status with any major U.S. airline has become a daunting task lately due to reduced benefits and introduction of the revenue component into airlines elite schemes.
El Al doesn’t have a lot of airline mileage partners – in fact, there are only three left since it lost the partnership with American (South African Airways, Air Mexico, and Qantas), but the appeal of El Al, and one of the major reasons why it has so many devout followers, is security.
Thai Airways is a member of the Star Alliance and transfer partner of Amex Membership Rewards, Starwood Preferred Guest and Diners Club. If you fly Thai Airlines regularly you might consider attaining their elite status. Unfortunately, the entry-level elite Silver tier hardly offers any benefits. The first sensible elite tier is Gold. Attaining Gold status is not easy, but the benefits are good even if they don’t include earning bonus miles.
Singapore Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance, and a transfer partner of all four U.S.-based airline travel programs: Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Starwood Preferred Guest and Citi ThankYou. Singapore Airlines also has partners outside of the Star Alliance: Virgin Atlantic, Virgin America, Virgin Australia, JetBlue and Indian airline Vistara.
Doha-based Qatar Airlines is a member of the oneworld alliance and transfer partner of the Citi ThankYou and Starwood Preferred Guest programs. While the Qatar elite program is not exactly cutting edge, the benefits are decent, and most importantly, being an elite Privilege Club member means you get elite benefits on other oneworld flights.
Etihad Airways, one of the most renowned airlines in the world, is a UAE carrier based in Abu Dhabi and a fierce competitor of another venerable airline – Emirates. Like Emirates, Etihad is not a part of any alliance, however, it has eight partners in the aptly named Etihad Airlines Partners program. The partnership includes seven other airlines: Alitalia, Etihad Regional, airberlin, Niki, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles and Jet Airlines, and you can use reciprocal Etihad elite benefits when you fly on these airlines.
The Southwest Rapid Rewards frequent flyer program is very different from those of legacy carriers. While the major U.S. airlines started making transitions to revenue-based programs last year, Rapid Rewards has been revenue-based for years. In addition, Southwest doesn’t have business class, and unlike most airlines, it offers perks like free checked baggage and free cancellation to all, and not just elite customers. So while Rapid Rewards does have elite tiers, its perks and benefits are quite different from other programs.
ANA Mileage Club is one of the most valuable frequent flyer programs in the world. Aside from the fact that this is a great airline with an excellent award redemption chart and exceptional service in all cabins, ANA is also a Star Alliance member and transfer partner with the Amex Membership Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest programs. ANA also had their own set of 11 partner airlines, and several subsidiaries called ANA Group. Flying on Star Alliance airlines and ANA group airlines earns status miles.
Miles and More is the frequent flyer program of Lufthansa and the largest frequent flyer program in Europe. Miles and More is also used by 13 integrated Lufthansa partner airlines: Lufthansa Regional (Air Dolomiti, Eurowings, and Lufthansa CityLine), Lufthansa Private Jet, Adria, Austrian, Brussels, Condor Flugdienst, Croatia, Germanwings, LOT, Luxair and Swiss.
The Alitalia MilleMiglia‘s elite program is a very good way to maximize your flight benefits if you’re interested in flying on SkyTeam partner airlines.
Alaska Airlines has one of the best frequent flyer programs among all U.S. legacy carriers. For one, it still doesn’t have a revenue component in earning or redeeming miles. It doesn’t add a fuel surcharge to award flights redeemed on most of its international partners (other than British Airways and Iceland Air).
In October 2014 Air Canada announced a set of changes to their Altitude elite program. As a reminder, Altitude is separate from Aeroplan, which is the general Air Canada frequent flyer program.
Just like its U.S. peers, Air Canada tightened the screws by adding the revenue component to the list of the Elite Status requirements. The new requirements don’t go into effect until 2017.
Flying Blue is the frequent flyer program of Air France and KLM, though it’s not limited to these two airlines. The Flying Blue program has also been adopted by Air Europa, Kenya Airways, Aircalin, HOP!, Twin Jet, and TAROM. In addition, the Flying Blue elite members enjoy elite privileges of the SkyTeam Alliance.
One of the best and most glamorous airlines in the world, Emirates, isn’t a member of any alliances, but it is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards and SPG programs, and it has a number of partners that you can earn and redeem miles on.
Virgin Atlantic is not a member of any alliance, but it has 13 airline partners around the world. Also, Virgin Atlantic is the transfer partner of all four U.S.-based airline travel programs: American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Starwood Preferred Guest and Diners Club, which makes it easy to collect Flying Club miles outside of flying. If you fly Virgin Atlantic fairly often, you might consider pushing for elite status, which would certainly make it more pleasant.
Despite being a legacy carrier, Honolulu-based Hawaiian Airlines doesn’t have a huge footprint in North America. Nor is it a member of an airline alliance. However, if you fly Hawaiian Airlines on a regular basis, elite status might be worthwhile.Â
Additionally, Hawaiian Airlines has several airline partners including Japan Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, China Airlines, jetBlue, Virgin Australia, and Korean Air that allow you to credit miles earned on their flights to Hawaiian. All of the above makes collecting Hawaiian miles relatively easy. Unfortunately, all elite benefits are limited to flights on Hawaiian Airlines, and it doesn’t appear that there are any reciprocal elite benefits between Hawaiian Airlines and its partners.
Earning Status
Hawaiian Airlines Pualani has two elite levels: Gold and Platinum.
Gold and Platinum: Upgrade to Extra Comfort or Preferred Seat
Platinum:
Same day upgrade on a flight to the Neighbor Islands
Two first class domestic and business class international one-way upgrades
Six one-way systemwide upgrades upon reaching 75,000 miles
One additional upgrade for every 10,000 miles earned after that
Hawaiian Airlines Pualani Bonus Miles
Gold: 50% bonus miles
Platinum: 100% bonus miles
Fee Waivers
Gold: First two bags
Gold and Platinum: In-flight Unlimited TV & More Pack on A330 flights
Platinum:
First three bags
Preferred Seat on Hawaiian Airlines-operated flights to the Neighbor Islands
Airport Services
Gold and Platinum:
Access to the first class check-in line and express security line
More seats are available for selection at time of booking
Discounted E-Awards at HawaiianAirlines.com
Priority routing and handling when calling Exclusive Reservations Line
Hold a fare on a flight reservation for 1-2 days
Priority boarding
Neighbor Islands same-day standby
Priority security lines at select airports
Priority baggage handling
Priority pre-boarding
Platinum:
Neighbor Island Economy Class SEAT guaranteed up until 72 hours prior to departure with a revenue e-ticket.
Complimentary Lounge Access
Gold and Platinum:
Premier Club Access – Honolulu, Hilo, Kona, Kahului and Lihue
Notable Additional Rewards for Gold and Platinum Members
Special invitations to events hosted by Hawaiian Airlines throughout
the U.S.
$100 annual statement credit toward in-flight purchases for Hawaiian Airlines World Elite MasterCard cardholders ($10 maximum per day)
Premier Club Benefits
Some of the elite benefits are available to anyone willing to pay for them. The Premier Club membership costs $299 or 40,000 Hawaiian miles and covers many Gold and Platinum benefits except:
Upgrades
Hold a Fare
Guaranteed seat
Bonus miles
Neighbor Islands standby
Invitations to special events
Other Ways to Earn Status
None
Status Match/Status Challenge
Not official, but there are some reports of status-matching on a case-to-case basis.