Elite Status Match on Alaska Airlines until December 2017!
Elite status is the name of the game in the airline world today. We wrote a post about this a while back, but just a reminder, elite status is the way to first class upgrades, fee waivers, priority boarding, checked bag waivers, and much more. Since we’re not wealthy by any means, having elite status is the only way that we can sit up front as much as we do when we fly domestically.
One of the questions that comes up all the time from readers is which airline they should choose to anchor themselves with. Since we travel a lot, we have the luxury of holding elite status with Delta, Alaska, American, United, and Virgin, but we also understand that not everyone has that much free time or ability.
Alaska planes parked at the gate
One of my favorite methods to get elite status easily or even instantly is through the “status match.” Simply put, it’s just asking the airline if they’d like to give you status, for free! The catch, of course, is that you’ve got to already have status with one airline.
Well, I just confirmed that Alaska Airlines is offering an Elite Status match across all airlines, and status will be valid until December 31st, 2017.
The other catch is that there is no catch! It’s a straight status to status match with no challenge required. Some airlines will give you a temporary status and then require you to fly X number of miles or segments to retain the status, but not Alaska. They’ll match you level for level with no challenge needed. This is a HUGE advantage, as most status matches are usually only good for those fliers who have a certain immediate use planned for travel.
After confirming with the rep, I dug a little deeper to find out just exactly how the statuses would be matched.
American: Gold = MVP, Platinum = MVP Gold, Exec Plat = MVP Gold 75k
Delta: Silver = MVP, Gold = MVP Gold, Platinum/Diamond = MVP Gold 75k
Virgin: Silver = MVP, Gold = MVP Gold
United: Does anyone really fly with United anymore? (haha) If so, why?
Status on Alaska has its perks. One of the great parts of Alaska is their 1 mile = 1 mile policy. You fly a mile, you earn a mile. Plain and simple. As a Gold you get a 100% bonus on flown miles and as a 75k member you get a 125% bonus on all miles. This is a super quick way to get your miles count up FAST.
Alaska also has a huge number of partners to earn and redeem miles, across all the major alliances and some airlines that aren’t in alliances
Service on Alaska is quite quirky yet really good; from Pancake machines to snack baskets to electronic bag tags, they’re a fun airline to fly.
PANCAKES!!!
Alaska’s new electronic bag tag – courtesy of Alaska Airline’s blog
Alaska Airlines Snack Basket
Alaska Small Plate Starter
Alaska Beyond
ALSO… considering you can get this status for effectively 15 months, it’s a great way to boost your mileage count and start enjoying those first class upgrades sooner rather than later.
There are a couple of hoops to jump through, but they’re all pretty easy. You’ll want to email elite.flyer@alaskaair.com and include the following: Your Mileage Plan number, name, A copy of the front and back of you elite card, and a copy of the most recent online statement from your frequent flier program. Once you email those in, it’ll take about 2-3 weeks to get the elite status matched, but in my experience it usually only takes about 7 business days. Keep in mind that this only works once per account, so you can’t match year after year.
Considering just yesterday we wrote about the Membership Rewards transfer offer for free Virgin status, this would be an EXCELLENT way to get both Virgin AND Alaska status for 50,000 miles.
October 12, 2016
Honestly this post infuriates me!! I work very hard to get 75k year after year and to see this broadcasted like on every other blogger website, it makes me sick. I find it cheating to be honest. We don’t need thousands more of MVP 75ks especially to make it that much harder to get upgrades and truly receive the benefits we deserve for actually flying on the airline. I’m sick of hearing all of the AA EXPs doing this match and then using the gold guest codes to take away space from actual Alaska flyers. And they don’t end up even switching to alaska in the end. And they also nominate a friend or family member to MVP who can have no status with any airline prior. Isn’t the MVP tier already packed enough?! But now thanks to you and all the other bloggers pushing this match, why wouldn’t every single person with status send an email and get the upgrade codes and take away U space from actual loyal AS customers. Just shameful. It’s almost as if you support such an overcrowding of the elite tiers when you say things like you reached out to them and got more info! It’s nice that United, AA and Delta actually make someone do a challenge to prove their worth and commitment to the airline!! And with the eventual absorption of virgin America into alaska, there is going to be that many more elites in alaska. We can say goodbye to any upgrades on alaska flights because all the status matched people will buy fares that are gold guest upgrade eligible and apply the codes immediately. It does not make sense why any as 75k member would be so enthusiastic and cheerful about having more 75ks join him and not even do one Alaska flight in the process!
October 12, 2016
Well, I’ve got a lot to share on this comment. First, it should be noted that when I came over to Alaska, I came via a status match. I was a Delta loyalist for years and couldn’t stand them once they started treating their members like crap, and it was because of the 75k status match that I’ve now flown hundreds of thousands of miles with Alaska since we moved here. So I don’t find it cheating, I find it good business strategy. I haven’t found it hard to hit upgrades as we haven’t missed one yet this year, and the saturation I don’t feel is that big a deal. The chances of an AA EXP living here and flying on the exact routes you want is pretty low, and if they don’t switch to Alaska, their loss. They won’t ever be able to do a status match ever again. The subtext that I’m part of an Alaska Blogger conspiracy to dilute the field is ludicrous, as I find this post helpful to tons of readers, but I also realize that not many people will take advantage of this in the end. Trust me, as I have hard-qualified two years in a row, I know what it takes to keep status and loyalty, and Alaska earns mine. Thanks to Alaska’s generosity I’ve been able to do many things I haven’t been able to do before, and hopefully those doing a status match will feel the same way.
October 12, 2016
Well said. Im not so upset as I was when I first saw this article. I just finished a trip that got me requalified for 75k and it made frustrated to see it being handed to people with no strings attached, not even a challenge. I worked hard and devoted a lot of trips onto AS metal when I could have flown on much shorter itineraries on other airlines. After reading over your points, it does put things into perspective and make the impact of the status match not as detrimental to the current pool of elites as I originally thought. I still feel though that even if a lot of the elites that match dont end up flying on Alaska routes or planes, they do use those upgrade codes or give them away to others that would be flying Alaska. I personally know other flyers in PDX that have gotten free nominations to MVP from AA EXP-matched 75ks and they use the upgrades themselves. I wouldn’t feel as bad if the upgrades were tagged to the actual elite. But they are all transferable and with every new matched 75k, another MVP is also created and 6 upgrade codes are issued (4 + 2 at xmas time). I just feel for the MVPs that fly on AS metal and try to make it to just that tier. The chance of an MVP getting an upgrade gets that much worse. Like you, Im a 75k and I guess I can feel not as threatened since I’m in the top tier and also in the NW. I respect and admire your loyalty to Alaska because I do really value AS and support the airline too.
October 12, 2016
I’ve given away upgrade codes too, to friends and family, but usually I can’t use the damn things if I don’t look to book a ticket 10 months out. Remember that just MVP members don’t get the codes, you’ve got to get to Gold to get the free codes 🙂 I’m also glad to see that you support Alaska as much as we do. They’re not just a hometown airline for me, we really appreciate everything the airline does. Keep flying, your loyalty doesn’t go unnoticed, I’m sure!
October 12, 2016
Can you only do this once per lifetime of the account?
October 12, 2016
Yup, but hopefully the first time will be enough! 🙂
October 12, 2016
All American airlines or would British Airways count?
October 12, 2016
Ya know, I don’t think they would do British, but it’s worth a phone call to ask, or an email. They certainly are increasing their partnership with British. I imagine it’s mostly for North American carriers however. Maybe you can get another airline to match British, and then have Alaska match them?
October 12, 2016
Earlier this year Jet Blue offered status matches (I used my SW companion pass) and was matched to Mosaic. Do you think they will match anything with Jet Blue or Southwest?
October 12, 2016
I know they will. I just did not list them there but they will 100%!
October 12, 2016
Following up on that question I’m both mosaic and sw cp. Can you confirm which Alaska status level those will match To?
October 12, 2016
I did some
Digging. It looks like CP should be 75k and the mosaic is MVP. SO I’d send them the SW info
October 15, 2016
Maybe this is a silly question but I’m DL silver and will make Gold in December. If I status match now to AS MVP, can I move up to MVP Gold once I make DL Gold? Or is your matched status permanent until you fly enough AS to reach the next level? I don’t care about upgrades as I only buy revenue F; I’m in it for the bonus miles
October 15, 2016
Not a silly question at all. You should wait until December when you’re Gold, because once they match you that’s it. You can’t re-up if you will… You could always match to MVP however and start crediting your paid F flights to Alaska. You’d probably earn more miles 🙂
October 15, 2016
Thank you for the clarification. That’s my conundrum because I have a flight next month and I’m trying to decide my priorities, haha.
October 27, 2016
So you have to send a copy of your elite card on your partner (American) mileage program along with screenshot showing your status, current YTD miles?
October 27, 2016
Yup. I remember not having a physical card so I sent a screen shot of the card in my apple wallet and all the other stuff
December 29, 2016
I’ve been flying Virgin every two weeks for the past 4 years. Elevate Gold. I’m happy that with the merger Alaska will offer 1.3 miles per Elevate point. Along with MVP Gold for another year. I would always get free upgrades to Main Cabin Select. (Free food, drinks and movies) Since Alaska airlines doesn’t have Select, i’ll get upgraded to first class. It will be interesting to see how much of a difference it will be.