While Alaska Airlines isn’t one of the “big three” US airlines, the Seattle-based carrier has quite a robust frequent flyer program, which many people are loyal to. In particular, Alaska Mileage Plan is the only major US frequent flyer program that still awards miles based on how far you fly rather than how much you spend.
In this post I want to take a look at Alaska MVP status for 2025, especially in light of the (minor) program changes that have been rolled out. MVP is Alaska’s entry level status tier. How do you earn MVP status, what are the perks, and is it worth it? In separate posts, I’ll cover MVP Gold 100K, MVP Gold 75K, and MVP Gold status.
In this post:
How to earn Alaska Mileage Plan MVP status
Alaska Mileage Plan elite status can be earned exclusively based on how many elite qualifying miles (EQMs) you rack up in a year. Status isn’t based on how many segments you fly, and there’s no requirement for any amount of flying to be on Alaska (rather than partner airlines). Here are the requirements for the four Mileage Plan elite tiers for 2025, from the lowest to the highest tier:
- Mileage Plan MVP status requires 20,000 elite qualifying miles
- Mileage Plan MVP Gold status requires 40,000 elite qualifying miles
- Mileage Plan MVP Gold 75K status requires 75,000 elite qualifying miles
- Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K status requires 100,000 elite qualifying miles
One of the things that makes Mileage Plan great is that you can not only rack up EQMs on Alaska and its oneworld partners, but also on other partner airlines, ranging from Air Tahiti Nui, to Condor, to Icelandair, to Singapore Airlines, opening up lots of opportunities to earn status by flying with other airlines. Note that mileage earning rates (including for EQMs) differ depending on whether you book those flights directly through the partner, or through Alaska (the latter has higher mileage earning).
Alaska Mileage Plan also awards EQMs for all award flights, including on partner airlines, which is awesome. You earn one EQM per mile flown, regardless of the class of service or partner.
Alaska Mileage Plan also gives members the opportunity to earn EQMs for spending on the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card (review) or Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card (review). Specifically, for every $3 spent on one of these cards, you earn one EQM. Each Mileage Plan member is capped at earning a total of 30,000 EQMs this way annually, so you’d reach that after a combined $90,000 of spending, on one or both cards.
There’s one other way to earn MVP status. With the Alaska Mileage Plan status match challenge program, you can receive MVP status for a period of 90 days, and maintain it by flying 5,000 miles during that trial period. Only revenue miles flown on Alaska count toward that requirement.
While there’s also an Alaska Mileage Plan million miler program, this allows you to earn higher elite tiers for life — you can earn MVP Gold status for life when you earn one million base miles, MVP Gold 75K status for life when you earn two million base miles, and MVP Gold 100K status for life when you earn three million base miles.
Alaska Mileage Plan MVP status benefits
Elite status gets more valuable the higher your elite tier. So as you’d expect, MVP status only comes with a fairly limited number of perks, especially compared to higher elite tiers. Still, you can expect space available upgrades, space available extra legroom economy seating, some priority services, and more. Let’s go over the details of each of these perks, roughly in the order that I value them.
Complimentary first class upgrades
MVP members receive unlimited complimentary space available upgrades on all Alaska Airlines flights. These upgrades are only valid for the member, and not for any companions (however, as of later in 2025, companions will also be eligible for upgrades).
Complimentary elite upgrades can start clearing up to 48 hours before departure. Upgrades are prioritized first by elite tier, meaning that MVP Gold 100K, MVP Gold 75K, and MVP Gold members, clear ahead of MVP members. Within each elite tier, the tie-breaker to scoring an upgrade is what fare class you’ve booked, with the higher fare classes getting priority for upgrades.
The only other restriction is that if you’re traveling on a Saver fare, you’re only eligible for a same-day upgrade, and will be notified of whether you’ve cleared within two hours of departure.
How often should you expect upgrades to clear as an MVP member? While there are a lot of factors, I wouldn’t expect to score all that many upgrades with this status, especially in competitive markets. That’s not to say it won’t happen sometimes, but don’t expect you’ll get upgrades anywhere close to a majority of the time.
Complimentary Premium Class seating
Mileage Plan MVP members receive complimentary Premium Class seating at the time of booking, but only in fare classes Y, B and H. For other fare types, Premium Class upgrades are available up to 48 hours before departure, subject to availability. Unlike other elite tiers, complimentary Premium Class companion upgrades aren’t offered (however, as of later in 2025, companions will also be eligible for upgrades).
One other thing worth knowing is that if you’re on a Saver fare (Alaska’s basic economy), you’re only eligible to assign a Premium Class seat on the day of departure.
Premium Class is Alaska’s extra legroom economy seating, typically in the front of the economy cabin and at exit rows, and it generally offers several extra inches of legroom. Furthermore, Premium Class offers complimentary alcoholic drinks, including beer, wine, and cocktails.
25% status mileage bonus
Mileage Plan MVP members receive a 25% mileage bonus on flights. In other words, if a flight covers a distance of 1,000 miles and you booked a fare that earns 100% elite miles, you’d end up earning 1,250 miles for the flight.
As a point of comparison, other elite tiers earn bonuses of 50-150%, so miles don’t rack up quite as quickly as an MVP member as with other tiers.
Priority check-in, security, and boarding
Mileage Plan MVP members receive a variety of priority services at the airport, including:
- Priority check-in, with first class
- Priority security screening
- Priority boarding, with Group B (this is the same boarding group as Premium Class)
Generally I think priority boarding is the most valuable of those benefits. Most people check-in online, and nowadays TSA PreCheck and CLEAR will typically save you the most time at security, rather than a priority security line.
Two complimentary checked bags
Mileage Plan MVP members can check two bags free of charge on all itineraries. This applies to the member and any companion traveling on the same reservation. Note that starting in 2026, MVP members will only receive one complimentary checkedbag.
Checking bags with Alaska Airlines is pretty painless, thanks to the carrier’s 20-minute baggage guarantee. With this, you’re promised that your bag will arrive within 20 minutes of your arrival, or you can claim 2,500 bonus Alaska miles or a $25 Alaska discount voucher.
Reciprocal elite perks on American
Alaska and American offer reciprocal elite perks, including space available upgrades. You can potentially be eligible for first class upgrades on American, as well as Main Cabin Extra seating. The value of this obviously depends based on how much you fly with American.
oneworld Ruby status
MVP members receive oneworld Ruby status, which is the entry-level elite status in the oneworld alliance. Unfortunately the perks of this are fairly limited, and the main benefit you can expect is business class check-in when traveling with partner airlines.
Unlike higher elite tiers, this status doesn’t offer any access to oneworld lounges. If you really want value when it comes to lounges, go for oneworld Emerald status.
Milestone perks selections
Nowadays Alaska Mileage Plan offers the milestone perks program, whereby members can receive rewards when passing 11 different thresholds annually. In a way, this decouples some benefits from specific elite tiers. For example, when passing 10,000 elite miles in a year, members can select from several choices, including 750 bonus miles, a complimentary inflight meal, a Wi-Fi pass, etc.
If you over qualify for status but don’t quite make it to the next tier, you’ll also have more options to select from. So it’s a program worth being aware of.
Is Alaska Mileage Plan MVP status worth it?
Ultimately the value of entry-level status with any major airline loyalty program is going to be marginal. On the plus side, the status is easy to earn, and requires only 20,000 elite miles in a year, which is among the lowest thresholds for any status with a US program. On top of that, the fact that even award flights count toward earning status will make qualifying a piece of cake for many people.
MVP status offers space available first class and Premium Class upgrades, a 25% mileage bonus, and priority services. That’s better than nothing, but don’t expect that you’ll be spending most of your flights in first class as an MVP member.
If you can swing it, I do think there’s significant value to going for one of the higher elite tiers with Mileage Plan, given the huge incremental perks, plus higher priority for everything (including upgrades).
The major catch with going for status with Mileage Plan is that Alaska is a much smaller airline than the “big three” US carriers, so being loyal to Alaska takes effort. Fortunately Alaska has lots of partner airlines, making miles easy to rack up. However, you’ll generally find that you get stronger perks when you’re actually flying with the airline you have status with.
Bottom line
Alaska Mileage Plan MVP status offers a variety of basic benefits, including space available first class and Premium Class upgrades, a 25% mileage bonus, and priority airport services. If you fly Alaska with some frequency, having status is definitely better than not having status. However, there’s a lot more value to unlock with Alaska’s higher elite tiers.
If you’re an Alaska MVP member, what has your experience been?
As an MVP member for most of my flying last year to reach MVP Gold there were almost no upgrades except my last flight where I turned gold. AS doesn't have priority baggage benefits on AS flights although most are at the carousel within 20 min. It's not bad though as it's the easiest airline to earn status on.
In Japan, you can qualify for Oneworld Sapphire status by issuing a credit card with an annual fee of 200,000 yen.
@Ben ---> You write, "The major catch with going for status with Mileage Plan is that Alaska is a much smaller airline than the 'big three' US carriers, so being loyal to Alaska takes effort."
While I suppose that might be true if one lives in, say, Montana, I don't think your statement above is necessarily true...or at least not as true as you may think. Yes, of course it's easier to fly Alaska if...
@Ben ---> You write, "The major catch with going for status with Mileage Plan is that Alaska is a much smaller airline than the 'big three' US carriers, so being loyal to Alaska takes effort."
While I suppose that might be true if one lives in, say, Montana, I don't think your statement above is necessarily true...or at least not as true as you may think. Yes, of course it's easier to fly Alaska if you live on the West Coast (or now Hawai'i). SFO is my home airport and the flights that I have already booked will garner enough miles on AS that I will re-qualify for MVP Gold before the end of May. That includes the miles I will be earning on American and Japan Air Lines, both paid and award tickets purchased with AS miles through the Alaska Airlines website.
You yourself have said (in other recent articles) that although you live in Miami, which is a large AA hub, you were thinking of crediting your miles to AS. With the amount you fly, I shouldn't think garnering MVP Gold 75k or MVP Gold 100k should be that difficult. Many AA flights can be booked through the AS website, thus guaranteeing you 100% of the actual miles flown as EQMs (e.g.: later this year I'm flying ORD-BOS on AA 407...but having purchased the flight on the AS website, I'm flying AS 6601, and will get my actual number of miles along with a 50% bonus). But I credit EVERY flight on a oneworld (or non-oneworld) partner to Alaska, and have been MVP Gold for 8 out of the last 9 years (Covid).
Huh? Montana isn't a bad place for AS coverage -- for all intents and purposes, it's still PNW.
The coverage issue with AS is the Midwest excluding Chicago, which is a pretty huge chunk of the country land-wise if not population wise. AA and UA regional service dominates, alongside WN. AS has very little penetration there. Ben's point definitely stands.
@Ben, "These upgrades are only valid for the member, and not for any companions." "Unlike other elite tiers, complimentary Premium Class companion upgrades aren’t offered."
I thought AS was adding companion upgrades to MVP this year. You already mentioned the baggage changes for 2026, so you probably should update these as well.
"MVP members receive unlimited complimentary space available upgrades on all Alaska Airlines flights. These upgrades are only valid for the member, and not for any companions."
Interesting. I have received several complimentary First upgrades when traveling with my MVP partner (I have no AS status), however now I think about it all of those have been assigned shortly prior to boarding by the gate agent. So perhaps, when travelling solo as an MVP, upgrades clear...
"MVP members receive unlimited complimentary space available upgrades on all Alaska Airlines flights. These upgrades are only valid for the member, and not for any companions."
Interesting. I have received several complimentary First upgrades when traveling with my MVP partner (I have no AS status), however now I think about it all of those have been assigned shortly prior to boarding by the gate agent. So perhaps, when travelling solo as an MVP, upgrades clear automatically whereas with companions it's up to the gate agent's discretion? Any input from more heavy AS fliers would be appreciated.
Nice to earn status on distance-based and not on revenue !
Status are coming only with qualifying miles ? They have dropped the requirement of AS operated flights with the 2025 (minor) changes ?
@ Tom -- Correct, there's no need to actually fly Alaska.
Three million miles also gets you lifetime 100K status, according to Alaska.
Amusingly (to me anyway), only one passenger has achieved this as of ~6 months ago: https://news.alaskaair.com/mileage-plan/record-breaking-loyalty-3-million-miler-sets-record-flying-alaska-airlines/
That's 3M miles sitting in a 737. On Alaska/Horizon metal only. The new widebodies may change that. But it's a hard way to earn lifetime status.
AA offers multiple paths to comparable status and it is easier to achieve. The announced Alaska premium card's "easier" path to tier status needs to be fairly generous if Alaska is to capture those after One World status.
Sadly this is true... even if you barely plan to step foot on an AA bird, you could make the argument that AA credit card spending is easier than AS mileage earning in terms of path to status (assuming no business travel).
Do you really plan on leaving your AS loyalty number in on award flights and not changing to AA, missing out on OW benefits? For domestic, flights upgrades are out (but maybe you only redeem for first). I’m assuming you could still finagle lounge access overseas on partners.
Struggling with this conundrum myself right now.
I'm not sure why you would miss out on OW benefits with an AS loyalty number on your award flights. Last time I looked, AS was an OW member so OW benefits would apply.