Alaska Airlines is the latest major airline to announce plans to make it easier to requalify for elite status.
In this post:
Alaska Mileage Plan offers requalification status challenge
Earlier this year, Alaska Mileage Plan announced it would extend all current elite status through April 30, 2022. Status ordinarily expires on December 31, 2021, so this represents a roughly four month extension. This will happen automatically, and should be reflected in Mileage Plan accounts by December 31, 2021.
While Alaska isn’t outright extending status by a year (unlike Delta SkyMiles and United MileagePlus, selectively), the program is giving people several extra months of status. And there’s logic for that…
Those who aren’t able to requalify for the status they held in 2021 will have another pathway to maintain their status based on their flying in the first four months of 2022. Specifically Mileage Plan elite members can maintain their current status by earning the following number of base flight miles between January 1 and April 30, 2022:
- Mileage Plan MVP members need to earn 5,000 base flight miles
- Mileage Plan MVP Gold members need to earn 10,000 base flight miles
- Mileage Plan MVP Gold 75K members need to earn 20,000 base flight miles
A few more things to note:
- There’s no registration required to take advantage of this offer
- Base flight miles don’t take into account any class of service bonuses, for those paying for first class; however, flights on partner airlines do qualify, though you need to fly a minimum of two segments on Alaska Airlines
- You can only use this to maintain the status you had in 2021; in other words, an MVP member couldn’t earn 20,000 base flight miles and then be upgraded to MVP Gold 75K
- This is only valid for existing elite members, so non-elite members can’t take advantage of this opportunity
- Members who qualify using this method would earn all the standard elite perks (like Gold Guest Upgrades), except MVP Gold 75K members wouldn’t earn 50,000 bonus miles
Other initiatives for Alaska Mileage Plan elite members
It’s worth noting that the above is just the latest initiatives from Alaska Mileage Plan when it comes to helping people earn elite status:
- Alaska Mileage Plan has been offering 50% bonus elite miles all year for Alaska Airlines flights
- This fall, there was a targeted offer for bonus elite miles when spending money on a co-branded Alaska Airlines credit card
Between all of these options, it seems like Alaska is making reasonable efforts to help people maintain their status during these unusual times.
Bottom line
Alaska Mileage Plan has a new status challenge of sorts that can help people maintain their status for another year. Existing elite members will be able to maintain their status by earning 5,000 to 20,000 base miles in the first four months of 2022. That’s in addition to a four month status extension, so that no one will lose status during this time.
To Alaska Airlines loyalists, will you benefit from this elite status requalification challenge?
Please clarify that this doesn't apply to all MVP members as Alaska promised. They are now saying that "in order to qualify for the status extension, elites had to be within reach of their current status and were given four months at the start of 2022 as a courtesy." If you were "too far away from reaching" that status that you had "you do not qualify for that status extension."
Definitely not something communicated to members. Very frustrating
Would love to get a bump up from 75k to 100k, but no free lunch available.
@Ben - do you think that AS will introduce/extend any Bonus Elite Miles promos in Q1? I already have 60k booked for Q1 2022 but I’m working at requalifying for 2023.
Thanks!
Ben, could you expand upon your comments, "Base flight miles don’t take into account any class of service bonuses, for those paying for first class; however, flights on partner airlines do qualify, though you need to fly a minimum of two segments on Alaska Airlines" by using Qatar as an example of how to requalify? Alaska's Qatar page is at: https://www.alaskaair.com/content/mileage-plan/how-to-earn-miles/airline-partners/qatar-airways?lid=airline-partners:%20partners-qatar
Ben, could you expand upon your comments, "Base flight miles don’t take into account any class of service bonuses, for those paying for first class; however, flights on partner airlines do qualify, though you need to fly a minimum of two segments on Alaska Airlines" by using Qatar as an example of how to requalify? Alaska's Qatar page is at: https://www.alaskaair.com/content/mileage-plan/how-to-earn-miles/airline-partners/qatar-airways?lid=airline-partners:%20partners-qatar
Seem self explanatory
They cancelled flights into and out of Kelowna (albeit because the Canadian Government closed Kelowna as an international arrivals airport) so have not been able to use Alaska since March 2020.
Recently travelled to Mexico and had to use WS - ok but really expensive since they don't have the 2-for-one. Hopefully Alaska will fly soon but, unfortunately, not soon enough.
Any challenge for MVP Gold 100k ?
I qualified for 100k and have over 53k already booked for Jan-Feb.
From what I've gathered from my friends who work at Alaska... if you qualify for 100K in 2021 (100,000 miles + 24 Alaska segments), then you are automatically in the new 100K program for 2022.
This challenge is for flyers who missed to regain their status in 2021...if they succeed their status will last through 12/31/22 - just as your 100k status will.
Do we know if the mileage to retain status in Q1 would also apply toward meeting 2023 status requirement?
No need for a challenge if you're already 100k. This challenge is for flyers who missed to regain their status in 2021...if they succeed their status will last through 12/31/22 - just as your 100k status will.
My last flights in Alaska to HNL were well served, the FAs were happy and their service showed.
Just by being MVP, the benefits showed. I love that they serve water in a cardboard container. They are trying.
I will stick with Alaska and keep the MVP status.
I have a question. If I earn 5k in Jan, will that count towards earning status towards 2023 as well?
Thanks
I just used the last of my AA miles on an award flight in 2022. My Platinum Pro status will likely lapse in 2023. I'd like to hear some suggestions as to which oneworld airline you would invest your loyalty in as a Europe/Asia business class traveler. Thanks in advance.