Whereas Alaska Airways isn’t one of many “huge three” US airways, the Seattle-based service has fairly a sturdy loyalty program, which many individuals are loyal to. Particularly, Alaska Mileage Plan is the one main US frequent flyer program that also awards miles primarily based on how far you fly somewhat than how a lot you spend.
I figured I’d write a collection about Alaska’s elite standing tiers, and on this put up I wished to try Alaska MVP Gold 100K standing, which is Alaska’s top-tier elite standing, and may simply be the very best revealed elite tier in america. How do you earn MVP Gold 100K standing, what are the perks, and is it price it? In separate posts I’ll cowl MVP Gold 75K, MVP Gold, and MVP standing.
Learn how to earn Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K standing
Alaska Mileage Plan elite standing may be earned primarily based on both accruing a sure variety of elite qualifying miles or a sure variety of elite qualifying segments. On high of that, it is advisable fly a sure variety of segments on Alaska.
Listed here are the necessities for the 4 Mileage Plan elite tiers, from the bottom to the very best tier:
- Mileage Plan MVP standing requires 20,000 elite qualifying miles OR 30 elite qualifying segments; on high of that, at the least two eligible flights have to be marketed and operated by Alaska
- Mileage Plan MVP Gold standing requires 40,000 elite qualifying miles OR 60 elite qualifying segments; on high of that, at the least six eligible flights have to be marketed and operated by Alaska
- Mileage Plan MVP Gold 75K standing requires 75,000 elite qualifying miles OR 90 elite qualifying segments; on high of that, at the least 12 eligible flights have to be marketed and operated by Alaska
- Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K standing requires 100,000 elite qualifying miles OR 140 elite qualifying segments; on high of that, at the least 24 eligible flights have to be marketed and operated by Alaska
One of many issues that makes Mileage Plan nice is you can not solely rack up elite miles on Alaska and its oneworld companions, but additionally on different companion airways, starting from Air Tahiti Nui, to Condor, to Icelandair, to Singapore Airways, opening up numerous alternatives to earn standing by flying with different airways.
Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K standing advantages
Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K standing comes with quite a lot of perks, starting from complimentary upgrades, to oneworld elite standing, to Selection Advantages, to further legroom seating. The sheer variety of perks is kind of in a league of its personal. Let’s go over the main points of every of those perks, roughly within the order that I worth them.
Complimentary firstclass upgrades
MVP Gold 100K members obtain limitless complimentary house out there upgrades on all Alaska Airways flights, besides on Saver fares. These upgrades are even legitimate for one companion on the identical reservation. Complimentary elite upgrades can begin clearing as much as 120 hours earlier than departure, and MVP Gold 100K members have precedence over different elite tiers.
Inside every elite tier, the tie-breaker to scoring an improve is what fare class you’ve booked, with the upper fare lessons getting precedence for upgrades.
How typically do you have to count on upgrades to clear as an MVP Gold 100K member? It actually will depend on the routes you fly, the times of the week you fly, what sort of fares you e-book, and so forth. These days much more persons are paying for firstclass than a number of years in the past, so don’t count on that upgrades will all the time clear. Nonetheless, I’d count on upgrades to clear a majority of the time as an MVP Gold 100K member.
oneworld Emerald standing (together with lounge entry)
MVP Gold 100K standing robotically will get you oneworld Emerald standing, which I’d take into account to be probably the most worthwhile alliance-wide standing on the market. This provides numerous advantages when touring on any of the over dozen oneworld airways, together with precedence check-in, precedence boarding, and extra.
As a oneworld Emerald member you’ll additionally get entry to most oneworld first & enterprise class lounges when touring on lengthy haul worldwide flights. This contains every little thing from American Flagship Lounges, to the Qantas First Lounge LAX.
Mileage Plan Selection Advantages
Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K members have the choice of choosing a Selection Profit, with just a few completely different choices. These embrace 50,000 bonus Mileage Plan miles, an Alaska Lounge+ membership, the flexibility to present MVP Gold standing to another person, or complimentary Wi-Fi each time you fly with Alaska.
These are some fairly substantial perks, every of which I’d worth at $500+ yearly. This creates fairly an incremental incentive to qualify for MVP Gold 100K standing.
50,000 Alaska Mileage Plan bonus miles
Whereas this isn’t particularly a good thing about MVP Gold 100K standing, it’s an necessary factor to remember by way of the general worth proposition of going for the standing. If you cross MVP Gold 75K standing (which you’d do yearly if incomes 100K standing), you obtain a bonus of fifty,000 Alaska miles.
That is separate from the MVP Gold 100K Selection Advantages. You may also choose the 50,000 Alaska miles as a perk when qualifying for MVP Gold 100K standing, wherein case you’d earn a complete of 100,000 Alaska bonus miles.
Complimentary Premium Class seating
Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K members obtain complimentary Premium Class seating for them and as much as one companion on the identical reservation on the time of reserving, topic to availability. The one exception is that in case you’re on a Saver fare (Alaska’s fundamental economic system), you’re not eligible to assign a Premium Class seat without cost.
Premium Class is Alaska’s further legroom economic system seating, sometimes within the entrance of the economic system cabin and at exit rows, and it typically provides a number of further inches of legroom. Moreover, Premium Class provides complimentary alcoholic drinks, together with beer, wine, and cocktails.
150% standing mileage bonus
Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K members obtain a large 150% mileage bonus on flights, so miles actually add up. In different phrases, if a flight covers a distance of 1,000 miles and also you booked a fare that earns 100% elite miles, you’d find yourself incomes 2,500 miles for the flight. Should you discover a low sufficient fare with Alaska, mileage operating could nonetheless be a factor with the airline.
Alaska firstclass visitor upgrades
Whereas MVP Gold 100K members obtain limitless complimentary upgrades on Alaska, in addition they obtain 4 visitor upgrades per 12 months. These can be utilized to substantiate an improve on an eligible fare for any Alaska flight on the time of reserving, topic to improve house being out there. This can be utilized both for the MVP Gold 100K member, or for a buddy or member of the family, as these may be transfered to others.
Alaska isn’t nice about making confirmable improve seats out there upfront, however when you could find a use for these, it’s nice.
American Airways improve certificates
Alaska and American have a partnership, and as a part of that, MVP Gold 100K members obtain two complimentary confirmed American upgrades per 12 months. Consider these as being like American systemwide upgrades, besides with a special title. These can come in useful to substantiate an improve, whether or not it’s a home or worldwide flight.
Precedence check-in, safety, and boarding
Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K members obtain quite a lot of precedence companies on the airport, together with:
- Precedence check-in, with firstclass
- Precedence safety screening
- Precedence boarding, with firstclass
Typically I believe precedence boarding is probably the most worthwhile of these advantages. Most individuals check-in on-line, and these days TSA PreCheck and CLEAR will sometimes prevent probably the most time at safety, somewhat than a precedence safety line.
Similar day flight adjustments & precedence standby
Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K members could make complimentary identical day flight adjustments to a different flight in the identical market. There are capability controls to this, so don’t count on that it’ll all the time be attainable, even when there are seats out there.
Past that, MVP Gold 100K members obtain precedence standby, because the standby checklist is prioritized primarily based on elite standing. As an MVP Gold 100K member, it is best to sometimes be close to the highest of the standby checklist.
Three complimentary checked baggage
Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K members can verify three baggage freed from cost on all itineraries. This is applicable to the member and any companion touring on the identical reservation. Checking baggage with Alaska Airways is fairly painless, because of the service’s 20-minute baggage assure.
With this, you’re promised that your bag will arrive inside 20 minutes of your arrival, or you may declare 2,500 bonus Alaska miles or a $25 Alaska low cost voucher.
Complimentary drink & meal in economic system
To make the journey expertise a bit extra nice when upgrades don’t clear, MVP Gold 100K members obtain some free drinks and nibbles when touring in economic system. As talked about above, Premium Class passengers get limitless free alcoholic drinks, in order that’s not essentially going to be an incremental profit. So, how does this work?
- Obtain a complimentary premium beverage or chocolate on most flights of over 350 miles
- On flights of over 790 miles, obtain a free snack, or you may even pre-order a contemporary meal without cost, which may embrace a fruit & cheese platter, a protein platter, a sandwich, a salad, or a picnic pack
4 Alaska Lounge day passes
Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K members obtain 4 lounge day passes per 12 months, which will probably be electronically deposited in your Mileage Plan account. These can both be used for your self, or shared with family and friends.
Additionally remember that you may choose an Alaska Lounge+ membership as your Selection Advantages choice, in order for you a full membership. Regardless, this will come in useful for others.
Reciprocal elite perks on American
Along with the 2 worldwide upgrades you obtain on American, there’s additionally a bigger reciprocal improve settlement between Alaska and American. Particularly, you may probably be eligible for firstclass upgrades on American, in addition to Principal Cabin Additional seating. The worth of this clearly relies upon primarily based on how a lot you fly with American.
Is Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K standing price it?
Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K standing is extremely worthwhile, and I’d say that’s much more the case with Alaska Airways having joined oneworld.
For one, the mileage incomes alternatives are large — you obtain a 150% mileage bonus, you obtain 50,000 bonus miles for incomes MVP Gold 75K, and also you then can choose a Selection Advantages perk when incomes MVP Gold 100K (probably getting you one other 50,000 miles).
On high of that, the improve perks are very sturdy. You get limitless house out there upgrades, 4 visitor upgrades per 12 months, and two American systemwide upgrades. Moreover, you obtain reciprocal upgrades on American, which might additionally come in useful.
The oneworld Emerald recognition you’ll obtain when flying with companion airways is nice as properly.
I believe the one actual catch with MVP Gold 100K standing is that Alaska is clearly a a lot smaller airline than the “huge three” US carriers, so this requires plenty of flying. Thankfully Alaska has numerous companion airways, making miles simple to rack up. Nonetheless, you’ll typically discover that you just get stronger perks once you’re truly flying with the airline you’ve got standing with.
I believe MVP Gold 100K standing is wonderful in case you fly Alaska continuously. In the meantime in case you solely fly with the airline a small share of the time and in any other case credit score companion flights to Mileage Plan, it won’t essentially be the best choice, and as rewarding.
Backside line
Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K standing is extremely worthwhile. Personally I’d argue it’s the throughout most rewarding revealed elite tier you’ll discover in america. The catch is that Alaska isn’t as huge of an airline because the US international carriers, so it takes some work to be loyal to the airline.
Should you do fly Alaska continuously, MVP Gold 100K is exceptionally rewarding, from the upgrades, to the bonus miles, to the oneworld Emerald perks.
Should you’re an Alaska MVP Gold 100K member, what has your expertise been?
