The following cards all allow you to help make your way to elite status through spending. In addition, due to covid, many of these airlines have made it even easier to reach status. The following details how you can get closer to status via credit card spend in a normal (non covid) year.
American Airlines
Review of what’s required for status…What are the Elite Qualification Levels of Loyalty Points?
Gold-30,000 Loyalty Points
Platinum-75,000 Loyalty Points
Platinum Pro-125,000 Loyalty Points
Executive Platinum-200,000 Loyalty Points
American Airlines cards that help you achieve parts of the above equations thru spending…
Citi Executive AAdvantage card– You will earn 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) after spending $40,000 in purchases that post to your January through December billing statements. EQMs earned are in addition to the AAdvantage miles earned for purchases made on the credit card.
Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Silver MasterCard–You can earn 5,000 Loyalty Points if you spend $20,000 during the status qualification period. You can earn an additional 5,000 Loyalty Points during the same status qualification period if you spend $40,000 and an additional 5,000 Loyalty Points during the same status qualification period if you spend $50,000 with the card.
For now, the status qualification period runs from January 1, 2022 through February 28, 2023. Beginning on March 1, 2023, the status qualification period will run from March 1 through the end of February of the following year.
Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Business MasterCard-You earn $3,000 Elite Qualifying Dollars after spending $25,000 on purchases each calendar year.
Delta Airlines
Review of what’s required for status…
SILVER you will need 25,000 MQMs or 30 MQSs and $3,000 MQDs
GOLD you will need 50,000 MQMs or 60 MQSs and $6,000 MQDs
PLATINUM you will need 75,000 MQMs or 100 MQSs and $9,000 MQDs
DIAMOND you will need 125,000 MQMs or 140 MQSs and $15,000 MQDs
READ ABOUT THE ADJUSTMENTS DELTA MADE TO STATUS REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE OF COVID-19.
Delta Airlines cards that help you achieve parts of the above equations thru spending…
American Express Delta SkyMiles Platinum and the American Express Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Card-If in any calendar year, if you spend $25,000 or more on the card, you will be awarded 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) and if in that same calendar year you spend $50,000 or more, you will be awarded an additional 10,000 MQMs. Also, the MQDs requirement for Silver, Gold and Platinum status will be waived if you make $25,000 or more in eligible purchases in that year with one of these cards. As for Diamond status, the MQDs requirement will be waived if you make $250,000 or more in eligible purchases during the calendar year with one of these cards.
American Express Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card and the American Express Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Credit Card-Earn 15,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to four times per year. Also, the MQDs requirement for Silver, Gold and Platinum status will be waived if you make $25,000 or more in eligible purchases in that year with one of these cards. As for Diamond status, the MQDs requirement will be waived if you make $250,000 or more in eligible purchases during the calendar year with one of these cards.
United Airlines
Review of what’s required for status…
SILVER you will need 12 PQF and 4,000 PQP or 5,000 PQP
GOLD you will need 24 PQF and 8,000 PQP or 10,000 PQP (Lifetime status when you reach 1 million miles)
PLATINUM you will need 36 PQF and 12,000 PQP or 15,000 PQP (Lifetime status when you reach 2 million miles)
1K you will need 54 PQF and 18,000 PQP or 24,000 PQP (Lifetime status when you reach 1 million miles)
MileagePlus members are eligible to earn PQP based on their annual United Airlines credit card spend…
But remember-All cardmembers must take a minimum of 4 flights on United or United Express to be eligible for Premier status.
Earn up to 1,000 PQP-The United Explorer Card and the United Business Card-earn 500 PQP for every $12,000 in card spend, up to 1,000 PQP in a calendar year, that can be applied up to Platinum up to 1K. BUT U STILL NEED TO MEET THE PQF REQUIREMENT FOR 1K
Earn up to 6,000 PQP-United Quest Card-earn 500 PQP for every $12,000 in card spend, up to 6,000 PQP in a calendar year, that can be applied up to 1K. BUT U STILL NEED TO MEET THE PQF REQUIREMENT FOR 1K.
Earn up to 8,000 PQP-United Club Infinite Card-earn 500 PQP for every $12,000 in card spend, up to 8,000 PQP in a calendar year, that can be applied up to 1K. BUT U STILL NEED TO MEET THE PQF REQUIREMENT FOR 1K.
Earn up to 10,000 PQP-The United Presidential Plus Card and United Presidential Plus Business Card-earn 500 PQP for every $12,000 in card spend, up to 10,000 PQP in a calendar year, that can be applied up to 1K. THESE CARDMEMBERS DO NOT HAVE TO MEET THE PQF REQUIREMENT FOR 1K.
If you still have one of these old United cards, click the cards to see the status earning potential-United Club Card, United Explorer Business Card, United Club Business Card
And note, the maximum number of PQP that can be earned on eligible card spend in a calendar year across multiple credit cards has increased from 5,000 PQP to 15,000 PQP, making it even easier to reach Premier status goals through card spend.
Southwest Airlines
Review of what’s required for status…
A tier qualifying point is any Rapid Rewards point that will count toward A-List or A-List Preferred status.
A-List– you need to fly 25 qualifying one-way flights booked through Southwest Airlines or earn 35,000 Tier Qualifying Points per calendar year
A-List Preferred–you need to fly 50 qualifying one-way flights booked through Southwest Airlines or earn 70,000 Tier Qualifying Points per calendar year.
Southwest Airlines cards that help you achieve parts of the above equations thru spending…
The Chase Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Card and the Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card and the Chase Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Performance Business Card and the Chase Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Business Card-You receive 1,500 TQPs for every $10,000 in purchases on your card. The maximum amount of TQPs you can receive from the Premier or Priority card is 15,000 ($100,000 in purchases) per year.