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A couple of weeks ago Delta made draconian changes to their SkyMiles elite program, credit card benefits and eligibility, and as a consequence many are singing the #ditchDelta tune. Enter: Alaska Airlines. Did you know that Delta and Alaska used to be codeshare partners and you could even earn miles on each airline when you flew the other. Those days are gone, and Alaska Airlines has taken the Delta Devaluation as an opportunity to snatch up some high spending valuable Delta elite members with a very attractive status match opportunity.
Heck, you could even match to a higher status. Let’s take a look!
Table of Contents
The Traditional Alaska Airlines Status Match
Alaska has a normal status match program whereby you need to fly a certain number of miles on Alaska Airlines within a fixed period of time to keep status past a 90 day match period. This could be difficult for many since Alaska has a limited route network on the east coast. If you have elite status with several airlines you can match here – note it is once per account.
You can see on this chart how those matches typically work
How to keep Alaska Status past the 90 day match
It is advantageous for normal status matches that you do this in the latter part of the year to get the most status time.
- If you match January to June
- You keep status until the end of that year
- If you match July to Dec
- You keep status through the following year
Alaska Airlines Status Match for Delta Elite Members
Delta made such a negative splash that Alaska has tailored a specific status match for Delta Elite members that doesn’t require any elite miles. Note that if you were comped, given a promo status, or matched within Delta’s program, you’re unlikely to get a status match since they will look at your Delta activity.
- Submit proof of your current Delta Elite status by 10/31/23
- Send proof here
- Include your account overview
- Include your 2024 elite status progress
- You will get matched based on the table below
An Alaska Airlines Visa extends + boosts status depending on when your Delta Status expires
Long story, short, if you have attained Delta status through 2024, and get an Alaska Airlines credit card, you will get matched and bumped up a level within Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan.
- If you have, or open open an Alaska Airlines Visa by 12/31/23
- Your Alaska Airlines status will be extended through 2024
Here’s the best part
- If your Delta Status currently goes through 2024
- Without an Alaska Airlines card your Delta Status will be matched to a commensurate level with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
- WITH an Alaska Airlines credit card you will get a bump up in status within the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program
How does it work if you don’t have an Alaska Airlines Visa?
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What if I don’t already have an Alaska Airlines Visa® card but get one?
- We’ll still give you elite status for 90 days and enroll you in a status match challenge. Once you apply and are approved for an Alaska Airlines Visa® card, we’ll take you out of the status match challenge and extend your matched status through December 31, 2024 based on the chart above.
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How long does it take for my status match to go through?
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We process new status match requests as soon as we can. Due to the volume of requests, the validation process can take up to 4 weeks.
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Want to match your Delta Elite Status? Go here
It’s quite simple. Just upload your documents and get matched.
Sweet Spot: Delta Gold Medallion and up could have One World Emerald Status
According to the chart above, If you have Delta Gold secured for 2024, and get an Alaska Airlines credit card, you would be matched to Alaska Airlines MVP Gold 75k – which then gets your One World Emerald Status. You can see below the corresponding alliance status.
One World is a much better alliance to be a part of than Sky Team. Not only are the partners much better, but the perks and lounge access worldwide is superior. Alaska Miles are also orders of magnitude better than Delta.
This is amazing since it would grant you access to first class One World lounges all around the world including the British Airways First Class lounge in London as well as access to the Spa Cabanas at Cathay Pacific’s The Wing in Hong Kong
What does Alaska Airlines Elite Status Include?
I’ve carried both MVP Gold and MVPGold 75k in the past, and I’d have to say it was one of the best elite experiences I’ve ever had ( upgrade percentage, recognition, earning amazing points, etc.)
Currently, I hold Spirit Elite Status ( that I purchased ) and also Virgin Atlantic Silver that I attained purely through award flights and crediting domestic Delta flights to Virgin Atlantic.
I last held Alaska status in 2019, lost it during the pandemic, and then moved to Atlanta. In the past I primarily held status by earning a lot of miles purchasing discounted British Airways business class from Stockholm/Dublin and crediting to Alaska. There was a time, if you were MVPG75k, where you’d earn enough miles for a one way business class award ticket from the US to Europe on a single paid roundtrip business class ticket. You could find them for around $1500/1600 regularly, so we’d buy them and then effectively get 3 one ways for that price. Pretty amazing and it was worth pivoting domestic travel to AA.
- Alaska now has a minimum number of Alaska flights that you need to take. It’s a bit harder to fly alaska now that I don’t live in LA so I’ve pivoted away from status.
When I did have Alaska Elite status, MVPG or G75 I was upgraded 9/10 times I’d guess.
- Note that you don’t get the 50k bonus or the American Airlines System Wide Upgrades when you match.
- You wouldn’t get the 100k choice benefit either
Note, these would only be extended when you qualify for 2025 status, not the comped status.
What are the minimums to maintain Alaska Elite status
- MVPG 100k is top tier
- no mimum spend requirement, but 24 flights are required on Alaska metal – that’s a lot!
- MVPG75 is the sweet spot
- only 75k elite miles needed
- these are easy to pick up on international business class
- only 12 alaska flights ( one per month needed )
- only 75k elite miles needed
Overall
If I held Delta Elite status I would seriously consider matching, especially if I lived on the west coast and could easily pivot some flights to Alaska.
Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Welcome Offer
60k Points after $4k spend in 3 months
Annual Fee
$95
Points Earned
Transferrable Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 60k points after $4k spend in 3 months
- Worth $750 in Chase Travel℠ and way more if you maximize transfer partners
- 5x on all travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3x on dining, including eligible delivery services for takeout & dining out
- 3x on select streaming services
- 3x on online grocery purchases
- (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
- $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit via Chase Travel℠
- The begins immediately for new cardmembers and after your account anniversary for existing cardmembers
- 2x on all other travel
- 10% Anniversary Bonus
- Every year you keep the card, your total spend will yield a 10% points bonus. If you spend $10k in a year, you’ll get 1k bonus points
- Chase Sapphire Preferred continues to redeem at 1.25c in the Chase Travel℠ and the slew of other benefits remain in tact including Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver ( primary ), purchase protections, etc.
- Points are transferrable to 14 Ultimate Rewards partners
- Redeem in Chase Travel℠ for 1.25 cents per point
- No foreign transaction fees
- Suite of Travel and Purchase Coverage
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver is my favorite
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024
- $95 Annual Fee
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists the best ever offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Historically 80k is a very, very good offer and hit in both 2022 and 2023. In 2021, we saw the offer hit an all time high of 100k. Who knows if that will ever come back.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® is exceptional starter card and offers transferrable Ultimate Rewards, and pairs well with other Chase cards.
If you carry this card alongside Chase’s cashback cards like the Chase Freedom Flex℠and Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the business versions: Ink Business Cash® , Ink Business Unlimited® you can combine the points into Preferred account and transfer into hotel and airline partners
Annual fee is quite low at $95 a year + you get a 10% anniversary bonus on points + $50 hotel credit in Chase travel.
The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.