How Can You Achieve Elite Status With US Oneworld Airlines?

Summary AAdvantage offers four elite status levels based on Loyalty Points.
Loyalty points can be earned from flying spending, credit cards, and other spend activities.
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan also offers four elite levels using elite qualifying miles. These are still earned based on flight distance. ✕ Remove Ads
Elite status brings many benefits for regular travelers. Depending on the status level, passengers can enjoy preferential airport treatment, lounge access, additional luggage allowances, and cabin upgrades.
In the past, elite status was based mostly on the level of flying with the airline (by distance and cabin), with those flying the most getting the highest status. With the shift to revenue-based loyalty programs, this has changed. Many airlines now reward those who spend the most, not just on flights but also through any co-branded credit cards.
The oneworld alliance has two US-based airline members – American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. Earning status with either of these airlines will offer equivalent alliance status.
The two airline loyalty programs award status very differently – with American Airlines having changed to a revenue-based methodology and Alaska Airlines still basing flight qualification on distance flown.
Elite status with American Airlines AAdvantage
AAdvantage is the loyalty program of American Airlines. It was the first loyalty program to launch and remains one of the largest and most popular today.
AAdvantage offers four main elite status levels – AAdvantage Gold, AAdvantage Platinum, AAdvantage Platinum Pro, and AAdvantage Executive Platinum.
AAdvantage The American Airlines AAdvantage frequent flyer program was launched by the United States carrier on May 1st, 1981. It was the second loyalty program to be launched by an airline worldwide, and today it is the oldest still in existence.
Progression between these levels is based on the number of Loyalty Points earned during each year, as follows:
AAdvantage Gold is earned with 40,000 Loyalty Points
AAdvantage Platinum is earned with 75,000 Loyalty Points
AAdvantage Platinum Pro is earned with 125,000 Loyalty Points
AAdvantage Executive Platinum is earned with 200,000 Loyalty Points
Love learning about points and miles? Read more of our loyalty news and guides here
Elite status with American Airlines AAdvantage – earning Loyalty Points
Loyalty points can be earned from flying, credit card spending, or other activities. This is a new system for elite qualification introduced in 2022 – the old system was based on Elite Qualifying Dollars, Miles, and Segments.
Flights with American Airlines, British Airways, and Iberia flights, earn AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points based on the amount spent:
Basic AAdvantage member: 5 miles / Loyalty Points per dollar.
AAdvantage Gold: 7 miles / Loyalty Points per dollar.
AAdvantage Platinum: 8 miles / Loyalty Points per dollar.
AAdvantage Platinum Pro: 9 miles / Loyalty Points per dollar.
AAdvantage Executive Platinum: 11 miles / Loyalty Points per dollar.
The lowest fare basic economy tickets earn differently – starting at just 2 miles / Loyalty Points per dollar.
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On partner airlines (apart from British Airways and Iberia), miles and Loyalty Points are awarded differently:
They are based on the distance flown and the ticket booking class.
There are also cabin bonuses and status bonuses.
Earnings are different for each partner airline, and you can see detailed earning tables on the AAdvantage website.
Rates typically start at 25% of the distance flown for the lowest discount economy fares and go up to 100% to 300% for business and first class fares.
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Loyalty Points are also earned from all AAdvantage co-branded credit cards. All cards award Loyalty Points at a rate of one Loyalty Point per dollar spent. Any bonuses (including sign-up or spending category bonuses) do not earn extra.
Read more about AAdvantage co-branded credit cards in our guide
Most other ways of earning AAdvantage miles also award Loyalty Points at the same rate. This includes hotel booking, car hire, and retail portal spending.
Related The Different Ways To Earn American Airlines AAdvantage Miles Earning through AA flights is not the only way to earn AAdvantage miles.
Elite status with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
The second US loyalty program to offer oneworld status is Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan.
Mileage Plan also has four elite levels – MVP, MVP Gold, MVP Gold 75K, and MVP Gold 100K. Progress through the levels is based on the number of elite qualifying miles earned each year.
MVP: Earned after 20,000 elite qualifying miles.
MVP Gold: Earned after 40,000 elite qualifying miles.
MVP Gold 75K: Earned after 75,000 elite qualifying miles.
MVP Gold 100K: Earned after 100,000 elite qualifying miles.
Mileage Plan Launched in 1983 as the Gold Coast Travel program, Alaska Airlines’ frequent flyer program is now known as Mileage Plan.
Elite status with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan – earning miles
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan awards miles in much the same categories as American Airlines AAdvanatge – through flying, credit card spending, and other spent. The biggest difference is in flight earning where all flights earn based on the distance and cabin class, not on the fare paid.
For all flights with Alaska Airlines, one world airlines, and other partners, standard miles and elite qualifying miles are awarded.
world airlines, and other partners, standard miles and elite qualifying miles are awarded. The rates for each are based on the flight distance and fare booking code, but (especially in premium cabins) more standard miles may be awarded than elite qualifying miles.
The earning rates are all published in tables on the Mileage Plan website. Rates typically start at 25% for the lowest economy cabins and go up to 200% or more.
Note that simplifying changes are planned to these rates in 2025, aiming to more closely standardize earnings between airlines (but still based on distance).
The rates for earning with Alaska Airlines is shown below.
Image: Alaska Airlines
Mileage Plan also offers the opportunity to earn status based on the number of flights taken. This can work out very advantageous for those taking regular, shorter flights. This is not something that American Airlines AAdvantage offers any more. If qualifying this way, there is also a minimum number of flights that must be with Alaska Airlines.
MVP status is earned after 30 eligible segments. In addition, two eligible segments must be flown on Alaska Airlines.
MVP Gold is earned after 60 eligible segments, with six segments on Alaska Airlines.
MVP Gold 75K is earned after 90 eligible segments, with 12 segments on Alaska Airlines.
MVP Gold 100K is earned after 140 eligible segments, with 24 segments on Alaska Airlines.
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As with American Airlines AAdvantage, all miles earned from spending from credit cards and miles earned from travel and retail partners also qualify as elite-qualifying. Credit cards are available through Bank of America in the US and Canada. They earn miles at a rate of three miles per dollar on Alaska Airlines flights, and one mile per dollar for all other spending.
Related The Different Ways To Earn Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles Alaska Airlines is unusual in that it still uses a distance-based method of earning miles on flights. Plus there are other ways to earn.
Oneworld elite status benefits
Holding status with any oneworld airline (including American Airlines and Alaska Airlines) offers benefits when traveling with any member airline.
Some benefits are specific to the main airlines, especially complimentary upgrades for elite members. Complimentary snacks and drinks are another benefit limited to US airlines.
For more information on the elite benefits with each airline, see our guides for American Airlines and Alaska Airlines
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The corresponding oneworld elite statuses, however give benefits including:
Preferential check-in, boarding, and baggage handling.
Lounge access (including oneworld first class lounges for top tier oneworld Emerald members).
Additional luggage allowance.
Free seat selection (with variations between airlines).