Whereas Alaska Airways isn’t one of many “large 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 sequence about Alaska’s elite standing tiers, and on this publish I needed to try Alaska MVP Gold standing, which is the second lowest of Alaska’s 4 printed elite tiers. How do you earn MVP Gold standing, what are the perks, and is it price it? In separate posts I’ll cowl MVP Gold 100K, MVP Gold 75K, and MVP standing.
The right way to earn Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold 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 prime of that, it’s good to fly a sure variety of segments on Alaska.
Listed below are the necessities for the 4 Mileage Plan elite tiers, from the bottom to the best tier:
- Mileage Plan MVP standing requires 20,000 elite qualifying miles OR 30 elite qualifying segments; on prime of that, no less than two eligible flights should be marketed and operated by Alaska
- Mileage Plan MVP Gold standing requires 40,000 elite qualifying miles OR 60 elite qualifying segments; on prime of that, no less than six eligible flights should be marketed and operated by Alaska
- Mileage Plan MVP Gold 75K standing requires 75,000 elite qualifying miles OR 90 elite qualifying segments; on prime of that, no less than 12 eligible flights should be marketed and operated by Alaska
- Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K standing requires 100,000 elite qualifying miles OR 140 elite qualifying segments; on prime of that, no less than 24 eligible flights should be marketed and operated by Alaska
One of many issues that makes Mileage Plan nice is you could not solely rack up elite miles on Alaska and its oneworld companions, but in addition on different companion airways, starting from Air Tahiti Nui, to Condor, to Icelandair, to Singapore Airways, opening up a number of alternatives to earn standing by flying with different airways.
Word that there are a few different methods to earn MVP Gold standing:
Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold standing advantages
Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold standing comes with a number of perks, starting from complimentary upgrades, to oneworld elite standing, to additional legroom seating. 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 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 72 hours earlier than departure. Upgrades are prioritized first by elite tier, which means that MVP Gold 100K and MVP Gold 75K members clear forward of MVP Gold members. Inside every elite tier, the tie-breaker to scoring an improve is what fare class you’ve booked, with the upper fare courses getting precedence for upgrades.
How typically do you have to count on upgrades to clear as an MVP Gold member? It actually relies on the routes you fly, the times of the week you fly, what sort of fares you guide, 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 at all times clear. As an MVP Gold member I’d count on upgrades to clear lower than half of the time, nevertheless it actually relies upon.
oneworld Sapphire standing (together with lounge entry)
One in every of my favourite perks of MVP Gold standing is oneworld Sapphire standing, which is a reasonably useful alliance-wide standing. This affords numerous advantages when touring on any of the over dozen oneworld airways, together with precedence check-in, precedence boarding, and extra.
As a oneworld Sapphire member you’ll additionally get entry to most oneworld enterprise class lounges when touring on lengthy haul worldwide flights. This contains every little thing from the Greenwich Lounge JFK, to the oneworld Lounge LAX. It’s an actual deal with to have the ability to go to many of those lounges when touring internationally.
As a degree of comparability, MVP Gold 100K and MVP Gold 75K members obtain oneworld Emerald standing, which affords entry to some worldwide firstclass lounges.
Complimentary Premium Class seating
Mileage Plan MVP Gold 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. This assumes that they guide an eligible fare, together with tickets in fare courses Y, B, H, Ok, M, L, V, S and N. On different fare sorts, upgrades to Premium Class can be found as much as 72 hours earlier than departure.
Premium Class is Alaska’s additional legroom financial system seating, usually within the entrance of the financial system cabin and at exit rows, and it typically affords a number of additional inches of legroom. Moreover, Premium Class affords complimentary alcoholic drinks, together with beer, wine, and cocktails.
As a degree of comparability, MVP Gold 100K and MVP Gold 75K members have fewer fare class restrictions in the case of choosing Premium Class seats on the time of reserving.
100% standing mileage bonus
Mileage Plan MVP Gold members obtain a 100% 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 2,000 miles for the flight.
As a degree of comparability, MVP Gold 100K members obtain a 150% mileage bonus, whereas MVP Gold 75K members obtain a 125% mileage bonus.
Alaska firstclass visitor upgrades
Whereas MVP Gold members obtain limitless complimentary upgrades on Alaska, additionally they obtain 4 visitor upgrades per yr. 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 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 yow will discover a use for these, it’s nice. Since complimentary MVP Gold upgrades gained’t at all times clear, that is nice for securing the upgrades that matter most to you.
Precedence check-in, safety, and boarding
Mileage Plan MVP Gold members obtain a wide range of precedence providers on the airport, together with:
- Precedence check-in, with firstclass
- Precedence safety screening
- Precedence boarding, with Group A (with MVP Gold 75K members, and proper behind firstclass and MVP Gold 100K members)
Typically I feel precedence boarding is probably the most useful of these advantages. Most individuals check-in on-line, and these days TSA PreCheck and CLEAR will usually prevent probably the most time at safety, somewhat than a precedence safety line.
Similar day flight adjustments & precedence standby
Mileage Plan MVP Gold members could make complimentary similar 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 at all times be attainable, even when there are seats out there.
Past that, MVP Gold members obtain precedence standby, because the standby listing is prioritized primarily based on elite standing. As an MVP Gold member, you’d simply be behind MVP Gold 100K and MVP Gold 75K members.
Two complimentary checked baggage
Mileage Plan MVP Gold members can examine two 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, due to 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’ll be able to declare 2,500 bonus Alaska miles or a $25 Alaska low cost voucher.
As a degree of comparability, MVP Gold 100K and MVP Gold 75K members obtain three free checked baggage.
Complimentary drink or chocolate in financial system
To make the journey expertise a bit extra nice when upgrades don’t clear, MVP Gold members obtain a complimentary premium beverage or chocolate on most flights of over 350 miles. Remember that when you’re in Premium Class, you already obtain free premium drinks, so you then’re in all probability finest off choosing the chocolate.
Reciprocal elite perks on American
Alaska and American supply reciprocal elite perks, together with house out there upgrades. You’ll be able to doubtlessly be eligible for firstclass upgrades on American, in addition to Essential Cabin Further seating. The worth of this clearly relies upon primarily based on how a lot you fly with American.
Is Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold standing price it?
I’d say that Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold standing is extraordinarily rewarding. The very first thing to bear in mind is that you simply “solely” want 40,000 elite miles to earn the standing, whereas most different airways require 50,000 elite miles for a comparable tier.
I’d say the standing affords very aggressive perks, from additional legroom seating, to house out there firstclass upgrades, to oneworld Sapphire standing, to a 100% mileage bonus, to 4 confirmed upgrades per yr.
How does this standing evaluate to MVP Gold 75K standing? There are fairly some incremental perks to that standing, together with 50,000 bonus miles only for qualifying for the standing, oneworld Emerald standing, a 125% mileage bonus, an American worldwide improve certificates yearly, and better precedence for almost every little thing. I’d say the upper tiers of the Mileage Plan program are positively a candy spot, when you can obtain it.
The foremost catch with going for standing with Mileage Plan is that Alaska is a a lot smaller airline than the “large three” US carriers, so being loyal to Alaska takes effort. Luckily Alaska has a number of companion airways, making miles straightforward to rack up. Nonetheless, you’ll typically discover that you simply get stronger perks once you’re really flying with the airline you’ve got standing with.
Backside line
Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold standing affords many advantages, particularly given the pretty cheap necessities to earn the standing. From oneworld Sapphire standing, to house out there upgrades and improve certificates, to a 100% mileage bonus, to reciprocal perks on American, there’s positively worth to having the standing.
When you can swing it, I feel there’s advantage to going for MVP Gold 75K or MVP Gold 100K standing. However nonetheless, the incremental perks of MVP Gold over MVP standing are spectacular.
When you’re an Alaska MVP Gold member, what has your expertise been?
