A Complete Guide to Alaska Airlines MileagePlan MVP Elite Status
by Krish Patel
If you’re loyal to a certain airline and fly them quite often, you might want to earn elite status with that specific carrier. Alaska loyalists who fly the carrier regularly can earn one of the four tiers of MVP elite status. Each tier of status comes with its own benefits to make the travel experience more smooth. You can accumulate miles that are needed to reach status by flying Alaska and their OneWorld partners or by spending on an Alaska Airlines co-branded credit card.
What is Alaska MVP Elite Status?
MVP status resembles the four tiers of elite status you can have with Alaska Airlines. In order to qualify for status, you’re going to need to be a MileagePlan member. Joining the loyalty program is free. Once you’ve joined MileagePlan, you’ll be eligible to collect miles when flying Alaska and their OneWorld and codeshare partners.
To earn elite status, you’re going to need to pass a specific threshold of elite qualifying miles. You’ll earn elite status once you’ve passed the required threshold for a specific tier. MVP status is valid for the rest of the calendar year and would normally expire on December 31 of the following calendar year.
Tiers of Elite Status
The four published tiers of MVP elite status are listed below:
MVP (OneWorld Ruby)
MVP Gold (OneWorld Sapphire)
MVP Gold 75K (OneWorld Emerald)
MVP Gold 100K (OneWorld Emerald)
The more you fly Alaska or spend on one of their credit cards, you can work towards earning a higher level of status to enjoy a variety of travel benefits. Each higher tier of status comes with more benefits than the lower tier.
Alaska Airlines MileagePlan MVP Status Qualification Requirements
In the case of Alaska Airlines, elite status is calculated via a certain number of elite qualifying miles earned, which are not the same as redeemable Alaska miles. The number of elite qualifying miles earned is based on the airline that’s flown and the fare class, or the amount that’s spent on an Alaska credit card.
You’ll need the following amount of elite qualifying miles to reach the respective tier of elite status:
MVP: 20,000 Elite Qualifying Miles
MVP Gold: 40,000 Elite Qualifying Miles
MVP Gold 75K: 75,000 Elite Qualifying Miles
MVP Gold 100K: 100,000 Elite Qualifying Miles
Alaska Airlines MVP Status Benefits
Having elite status with Alaska Airlines MileagePlan comes with some great benefits, however, those benefits get better as you climb the status ladder.
Listed below are some of the perks of having Alaska Airlines elite status:
MVP
Earn bonus miles of 50%
Priority perks on the ground (check-in and boarding)
Allowance of 2 free checked bags
A discounted Alaska Lounge membership
Access to Main Cabin Extra seating on American Airlines flights 24 hours before departure
First and Premium Class Companion Upgrades on Alaska Flights
First Class Upgrades at the Time of Booking with Y, K, H, or B fares
MVP Gold
Bonus Alaska miles of 100%
Complimentary standby for full flights, as well as same-day flight changes
Up to four First Class guest upgrades per year
Access to Main Cabin Extra seating on American Airlines flights at the time of booking
Included First and Premium Class companion upgrades
MVP Gold 75K
Earn 125% bonus miles plus another 50,000 bonus miles upon qualification
Three complimentary checked bags
Four Alaska Airlines Lounge passes
Premium Class upgrades at the time of booking, with the exception of Savor fares
First Class upgrades at the time of booking when traveling on Y, B, M, K, or H fares
Free access to domestic upgrades on American Airlines starting three days before departure
MVP Gold 100K
Earn 150% bonus miles and your pick of a Choice Benefit (Alaska Lounge+ Membership, free Clear Plus membership, ability to gift someone else MVP Gold status, etc.) upon qualifying
Free meal or snack in Economy
Two one-way international upgrade certificates on AA flights
Is Having MVP Status Worth it?
If you fly Alaska regularly or are considering opening up an Alaska credit card, earning elite status in the MileagePlan program might be worth it, as you’ll enjoy plenty of perks when flying the airline. When deciding to pursue status in 2025, it’s crucial to consider how much you’ll be flying Alaska and its OneWorld partners. If you’re loyal to another airline, then there’s no value in pushing to earn status with Alaska MileagePlan. Be sure to consider Alaska’s services from your home airport and how easy it is to reach your final destination. All of the airline’s hubs are on the west coast and include Seattle Tacoma, Anchorage Ted Stevens, and Los Angeles International. If you live in the central United States or on the east coast, then you might have trouble flying Alaska unless you frequently fly to one of their hubs. Overall, having MVP status can be nice when flying Alaska and its partners such as American, as it makes the experience more smooth with generous perks.