The Best Credit Cards for Earning Airline Elite Status [2022]

- UPDATED: November 7, 2022 |

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If you fly frequently, you know the value of having airline elite status. Free checked bags, priority boarding, assistance when things go wrong, and complimentary upgrades can really make travel more comfortable.

Qualifying for elite status year after year, however, has become more difficult. In addition to flying the required number of elite qualifying miles, some airlines have added levels of hefty spending requirements (elite qualifying dollars) in order to achieve any level of elite status.

It can be easier to qualify for elite status with the help of an airline-branded credit card. While none of the major domestic air carriers offers a credit card that offers complimentary airline elite status, there are credit cards that do offer a faster path to elite status.

Being a cardholder and spending on specific airline-branded cards can earn you miles that help you qualify for elite status. You may also earn elite qualifying dollars on certain airline-branded credit cards that count towards elite status revenue requirements or earn a waiver of those spending requirements.

Let’s take a look at the airline-branded cards that can expedite your path to airline elite status and explain how the process works for each card.

Delta Air Lines

Delta Platinum American Express — Medallion Qualifying Miles earned on specific Delta credit cards count toward Medallion elite status, even MQMs earned from welcome bonuses. Image Credit: American Express

Medallion Elite Status Qualifications

In order to attain Medallion elite status with Delta, you must fly a specified number of Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQM) or segments (MQS) each calendar year and meet the annual revenue (MQD) requirement.

Elite Status Level	Medallion Qualifying Miles or Medallion Qualifying Segments Needed	Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQD) Required (U.S. Residents)
Silver Medallion	25,000 or 30	$3,000
Gold Medallion	50,000 or 60	$6,000
Platinum Medallion	75,000 or 100	$9,000
Diamond Medallion	125,000 or 140	$15,000

Hot Tip: The MQD requirement for Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Medallion statuses will be increasing in 2023.

The revenue requirement (MQD) is met by purchasing paid tickets or award tickets and then flying on Delta and its SkyTeam alliance partners. The base fare plus a portion of taxes and fees count toward the MQD requirement. Basic economy class tickets do not earn miles or credit toward elite status.

Another avenue for earning some of the required MQMs is by spending on Delta-branded credit cards. You can also earn a waiver of the MQD requirements for Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Medallion level statuses by spending on your qualifying Delta-branded credit cards.

Top-level Medallion elite status comes with free systemwide upgrade certificates, Delta Sky Club lounge access, waived fees for changes or cancellations, complimentary upgrades, and much more.

Hot Tip: Through the end of 2022, award tickets will earn MQM, MQS, and MQD toward Medallion elite status. Delta has also extended current elite status through January 31, 2023.

How Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards Can Help You Qualify

Let’s take a look at each of the Delta-branded credit cards that earn MQMs and/or offer the ability to waive the MQD requirement for certain Medallion elite levels.

Delta-branded Credit Card	Earning Elite Qualifying Miles	Waiver of MQD Requirement for Silver, Gold, or Platinum Medallion Status
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card	Spend $30,000 in a calendar year on the card and earn 15,000 MQMs, up to 4x	Spend $25,000 in a calendar year on the card
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card	Spend $25,000 in a calendar year on the card and earn 10,000 MQMs, up to 2x	Spend $25,000 in a calendar year on the card

MQD requirements are only for those Medallion members who have a U.S. address.

To earn an MQD waiver for top-level Diamond Medallion elite status, you must spend $250,000 in a calendar year on any of the cards in the above table.

In addition to earning MQM from spending on your Delta credit card, there may be an MQM earning offer included in a Delta credit card’s welcome bonus. In addition to bonus miles, the new cardholder would earn MQM after meeting the minimum required spending in the first 3 months after card approval.

These offers vary but are typically around 5,000 to 10,000 MQM.

The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, and Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card alone, cannot earn the MQD waiver. However, if you do have another Delta SkyMiles-branded card listed in the above table that does qualify for the waiver, additional spending on the Delta Gold card and Delta Blue card will count toward the MQD waiver.

Delta SkyMiles Credit Cards Snapshot

American Airlines

AAdvantage Elite Status Qualifications

American Airlines has simplified the path to elite status with the introduction of the Loyalty Points program. For each $1 you spend on any co-branded American Airlines credit card, you’ll earn 1 Loyalty Point which will count toward your elite status.

	AAdvantage Gold	AAdvantage Platinum	AAdvantage Platinum Pro	AAdvantage Executive Platinum
Loyalty Points Required	30,000	75,000	125,000	200,000

For 2022, these cards also offer a faster path to elite status:

American-branded Credit Card	Loyalty Points
AAdvantage® Aviator® Silver Mastercard®*	5,000 bonus Loyalty Points after spending $20,000 on the card, 5,000 additional bonus Loyalty Points after spending $40,000, and another 5,000 Loyalty Points after spending $50,000, for a total bonus of 15,000 Loyalty Points, by February 28, 2023
AAdvantage Executive World Elite card	10,000 bonus Loyalty Points after spending $40,000 on the card by February 28, 2023

* The AAdvantage Aviator Silver card is not open to new applicants but can be requested as a product change once you have an AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®.

The AAdvantage Executive World Elite card comes with premium travel benefits such as Admirals Club lounge access for the cardholder, immediate family members, or up to 2 guests plus authorized users. The card also comes with priority boarding, and a free checked bag.

Hot Tip: Use your AAdvantage-branded Mastercard or other Mastercard to shop via SimplyMiles or the AAdvantage eShopping portal to earn more elite-qualifying Loyalty Points and reach elite status even faster!

American AAdvantage Credit Cards Snapshot

United Airlines

United MileagePlus Elite Status Qualifications

Each calendar year, the MileagePlus frequent flyer member must complete the required levels of activity to qualify for United Premier elite status. The first requirement is to meet the appropriate amount of Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF) and/or Premier Qualifying Points (PQP).

Due to COVID-19, United has reduced requirements for status through the 2022 program qualification year:

2022 Status	Earn Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF)	and Premier Qualifying Points (PQP)	…or Meet a Higher PQP Goal
Premier Silver	8	3,000	3,500
Premier Gold	16	6,000	7,000
Premier Platinum	24	9,000	10,000
Premier 1K	36	13,500	15,000

Members who held United MileagePlus Premier status in 2021 will also have their status extended to January 31, 2023.

Top-level United Premier 1K members receive complimentary PlusPoints that can be used to upgrade domestic and international paid flights, plus cancellation or award fee waivers, and more.

Hot Tip: We also have 2 in-depth dedicated posts for what United MileagePlus elite status is worth — one in terms of perks prior to departure and at the airport and another for benefits related to seating and upgrades.

How United MileagePlus Credit Cards Can Help You Qualify

United credit cardholders can earn Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) through their annual credit card spend. For every $12,000 spent on your qualifying United-branded card, you will receive 500 PQP. Maximums apply depending on the card.

United MileagePlus Credit Cards Snapshot

Air Canada

Air Canada Aeroplan Elite Status Qualifications

Aeroplan frequent flyer members have several levels of elite status for which to strive. Requirements include meeting both flying and Status Qualifying Dollar (SQD) levels in a calendar year.

Here are the various Aeroplan elite levels and the requirements for each one.

Qualifications	25K	35K	50K	75K	Super Elite
Status Qualifying Miles (SQM) or Status Qualifying Segments (SQS)	25,000 or 25	35,000 or 35	50,000 or 50	75,000 or 75	100,000 or 100
Status Qualifying Dollars	$3,000	$4,000	$6,000	$9,000	$20,000

How the Aeroplan® Credit Card Can Help You Qualify

As an Aeroplan cardholder, you will receive Aeroplan 25K elite status just for holding the Aeroplan card. Your status begins when you are approved and continues for the remainder of that year and for the entire following calendar year.

To maintain your 25K Aeroplan elite status, just spend $15,000 in a calendar year on the card. Or, you can qualify by meeting the SQM/SQS and SQD requirements listed above.

Spend $50,000 in a calendar year on the card and receive a status boost of 1 level up from your qualification level. For example, if you qualified for 25K in a calendar year, you would be bumped up to 35K.

25K elite members receive priority seat selection, 50% discount on preferred seats, priority check-in/boarding/standby, 2 free checked bags, and Star Alliance Silver recognition. Additionally, 25K members receive select benefits that can include upgrade credits, bonus Aeroplan points, reduced reward pricing, and more.

Aeroplan Card Snapshot

Hot Tip: Learn more about the best ways to use your Air Canada Aeroplan points, check out this list of options.

JetBlue

JetBlue Elite Status Qualifications

There are 2 levels of JetBlue Elite status, Mosaic and Mosaic +.

Mosaic Elite Status

You can earn JetBlue TrueBlue Mosaic elite status each calendar year by earning 15,000 flight points or earning 12,000 flight points and flying 30 segments.

Flight points are earned at the rate of 3 points for each dollar you spend on JetBlue flights.

JetBlue Mosaic status comes with free checked bags, waived cancellation or change fees, priority boarding, bonus points, and free alcoholic beverages onboard. You also receive a dedicated customer service phone line.

Mosaic+ Elite Status (2022)

You can earn JetBlue TrueBlue Mosaic+ elite status in 2022 by earning 45,000 base flight points. Mosaic+ status comes with all Mosaic benefits, 4 segment upgrades that can be used in 2022, and complimentary FoundersCard elite membership.

How JetBlue TrueBlue Credit Cards Can Help You Qualify

You can earn JetBlue Mosaic status simply by spending $50,000 in a calendar year on The JetBlue Plus Card or The JetBlue Business Card. Spend $150,000 on either card to receive Mosaic+ elite status.

JetBlue TrueBlue Credit Cards Snapshot

Southwest Airlines

couple in airport with suitcases — A Southwest-branded credit card can help you qualify for elite status and a Companion Pass. Image Credit: Olena Yakobchuk via Shutterstock

Southwest Rapid Rewards Elite Status Qualification

Here’s what it takes to qualify for Rapid Rewards elite status with Southwest Airlines:

Rapid Rewards Elite Status Level	Calendar Year Qualification Requirements
A-List	25 one-way qualifying flights OR 35,000 tier qualifying points
A-List Preferred	50 one-way qualifying flights OR 70,000 tier points
Companion Pass	100 one-way qualifying flights OR 125,000 qualifying points

A-List Preferred members receive priority check-in, boarding, and security lane access. Free onboard Wi-Fi, 100% bonus points for flights, and the ability to stand by for other same-day flights are also valuable benefits of being A-List Preferred.

A Companion Pass allows a member to purchase a ticket and add a preselected companion for the cost of just taxes and fees. The pass can be used unlimited times during the valid time period for which the member has qualified.

Hot Tip: Are you a frequent flyer with Southwest? If yes, see our complete guide to the best credit cards for Southwest flyers.

How Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Cards Can Help You Qualify

Rapid Rewards-branded credit cards earn qualifying tier points, when spending on the cards, that count toward elite status and bonus points that count toward the Companion Pass. In addition, anniversary points granted when you renew your Rapids Rewards credit card count toward Companion Pass status.

The generous sign-up bonus you receive after meeting minimum spending requirements in the first 3 months you have the card also counts toward Companion Pass requirements.

Rapid Rewards Credit Card	Renewal Points (Count Toward Companion Pass)	Elite Tier Points (Don’t Count Toward Companion Pass)
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card	3,000	Earn 1,500 elite tier points for each $10,000 spent on the card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card	6,000
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card	7,500
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card	3,000

There are several ways to earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points that count toward the Companion Pass and free flights. To review some creative ideas and learn more about the Rapid Rewards loyalty program, you’ll want to check out our guides.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Cards Snapshot

Bottom Line: Southwest Airlines elite status offers several benefits, but the Southwest Companion Pass has become a holy grail of travel and a sought-after perk for those who frequently fly Southwest Airlines.

Frontier Airlines

Frontier Airlines Elite Status Qualifications

Frontier Airlines has 3 tiers of status in its FRONTIER Miles program. Here’s how you qualify for each level during any calendar year:

Status Level	Requirements
Elite 20K	Fly 20,000 miles or 25 segments
Elite 50K	Fly 50,000 miles or 50 segments
Elite 100K	Fly 100,000 miles or 100 segments

Top-level Elite 100K status includes priority boarding, priority security, award and travel fees waived, discounted lounge access, and a bonus mileage multiplier.

How the Frontier Airlines World Card Can Help You Qualify

Earn 1 Elite Qualifying Mile for every dollar spent on the Frontier Airlines World card. Having the card also opens up the option to pool miles between family members. In addition, you’ll earn 5 reward miles per dollar spent on the card, 3x miles for dining, and 1 mile on all other purchases. Another benefit to this card is that when you spend $2,500 on the card each year, you’ll earn a $100 flight credit.

Hot Tip: Because you earn 1 Elite Qualifying Mile for every dollar spent on the Frontier Airlines World card, you could qualify for elite status just by spending on the card.

Final Thoughts

If you frequently travel on several airlines and elite status isn’t important to you, you may fare better with a premium travel rewards credit card. These cards offer benefits such as worldwide lounge access, accelerated earnings on all airlines, and travel statement credits.

The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® are 2 such alternatives to consider if an airline-branded card isn’t right for you.

But, if you frequently fly 1 particular airline, you can experience additional benefits, earn frequent flyer miles quickly, and even enjoy a faster path to elite status, by having that airline’s branded card. Many airline-branded credit cards also come with elite-style benefits such as free checked bags, priority boarding, waived fees, companion tickets, and more.

The information regarding the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, AAdvantage® Aviator® Silver Mastercard®, AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®, Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard®, CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®, The JetBlue Plus Card, The JetBlue Business Card, and Frontier Airlines World Mastercard® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, click here.

Featured Image Credit: Delta

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best credit card for airline elite status?

The best credit card for airline elite status will be one that aligns with your flying habits and your spending profile.

If you frequent United Airlines, for example, the best card for you may be a United-branded credit card because you’ll receive travel benefits and elevated earnings specific to United.

If you frequently fly a lot of different airlines, a travel rewards credit card may be a better match.

Selecting a card that offers elevated earnings on airline flight and travel purchases, has premium travel benefits, and offers statement credits for purchases you’re making anyway could be equally beneficial.

Do the miles I earn on the credit card count toward elite status?

Bonus miles you earn by spending on an airline credit card don’t count toward elite status.

However, some airline credit cards do earn elite qualifying miles for spending a lot on their branded credit card.

If the miles will be counting towards elite status they will be described as such. For example, look for statements such as “spend $25,000 in a calendar year on the card and receive 10,000 elite (or Medallion, Premier, etc.) qualifying miles.”

Can I earn airline elite status just by spending on the credit card?

The short answer is yes. It’s possible to earn elite status by just spending on a credit card.

Delta-branded credit cards, for example, allow you to earn Medallion Qualifying Miles when meeting specified spending thresholds. Also, the Medallion Qualifying Dollar spending requirement can be waived for most elite levels by spending $25,000 on select Delta-branded credit cards.

Additionally, spending on an American Airlines AAdvantage-branded credit card can earn Loyalty Points that count toward qualification for elite status.

How do elite qualifying dollars work?

Airlines normally require you to fly a certain number of miles on their airline (or their partner airlines) each year in order to achieve elite status in their frequent flyer program.

In addition to flying miles with the airlines, most airlines have added a revenue requirement that’s measured in the form of elite qualifying dollars.

Elite qualifying dollars are earned by spending money on flights with the airline. They’re calculated in different ways but normally the base cost of the flight is included plus a portion of the surcharges and fees.

If you fly with partner airlines, the revenue can be calculated not based on price but on miles flown.

The metrics can be confusing, but the bottom line is that in order to make elite status with an airline you’ll normally have to fly the required miles and spend a certain amount with the airline.

Some airlines will waive the revenue requirement (elite qualifying dollars) for some elite status levels if you spend a specified level on their branded credit card each calendar year.

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About Christine Krzyszton

Christine was born in Northern Michigan but spent most of her career operating her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services offices throughout the state. Her previous experience involved building and writing business plans in the mergers and acquisitions sector in New York, as well as staffing in the insurance and financial technology software field. Her successful insurance and financial services career has been an excellent foundation from which to source her knowledge for many of Upgraded Points’ travel insurance articles.

T. Nielsen December 7, 2019

I am a graduate student and my program just announced that we can pay tuition with a credit card without any convenience fees. I will be traveling frequently next year around the United States and I’m looking for the best points card to get the most “free” flights. I will spend about $53,000 a year in tuition so cards with signup bonuses and “tiers” are in my sights. I have excellent credit and already have a Capital One Venture card, but looking for something that I can get more out of. Suggestions?

- Christine Krzyszton December 7, 2019
  
  Hello T.Nielsen and congrats on establishing a fine credit history. The Capital One Venture card is going to earn you 2 miles per dollar spent so that card will work well for paying tuition. It also allows you to transfer points to airline partners for potentially greater value when redeeming for free award flights. However, it makes sense to utilize some of that spending towards securing a new card welcome bonus. It can also be beneficial to earn a variety of rewards currencies. You might want to check out our list of the best travel rewards cards and see which one fits your tolerance for paying an annual fee, has a generous welcome bonus, offers benefits you can use, and aligns with your spending. https://upgradedpoints.com/credit-cards/travel-rewards-credit-cards/ and this article on first-time rewards cards: https://upgradedpoints.com/best-first-credit-cards Thank you for reading.