If you’re an infrequent traveler or a hardcore bargain hunter, you may have never considered becoming an elite member of an airline loyalty program — but you’re missing out on perks that could make your travel more comfortable and affordable. Elite status comes with benefits such as free upgrades, bonus miles, early boarding, flight discounts and free passes to airport lounges.

So what does having elite status mean, exactly? How do you get elite status on airlines? Which airline elite status is best? Here’s NerdWallet’s guide explaining airline elite status and its benefits.

What is airline elite status?

Every airline has a loyalty program, commonly called a frequent flyer program, that you can join for free. American Airlines has its AAdvantage program. United has MileagePlus. Southwest calls its loyalty program Rapid Rewards. There are several more.

Members can earn miles or points every time you fly, assuming you book directly through the airline. Your miles or points are redeemable for future flights and other rewards.

In some frequent flyer programs, flights will not only earn you points, but also credit toward elite status. These can get a little confusing, especially since airlines usually have two different benchmarks you must hit to qualify as elite.

For example, to earn elite status on American Airlines, you have to:

Accumulate a certain number of Elite Qualifying Dollars, which are based on how much money you spend with the airline.

Hit a minimum number of either Elite Qualifying Miles, which are based on the physical distance flown, or Elite Qualifying Segments, which are flight segments flown.

Most airlines tally these credits over the course of a calendar year. If you hit the minimum threshold, you automatically become an elite member for the remainder of the year in which you qualified plus all the following year, enjoying the perks that whole time.

Typical benefits of airline elite status

Every airline rewards its elites a little differently. Most U.S. airlines give elite members bonus miles when they fly. For example, American AAdvantage elite members earn anywhere from 40% to 120% more AAdvantage miles when they fly than do non-elite AAdvantage members. Southwest Airlines gives its A-List members a 25% bonus on the Rapid Rewards points they earn when they fly.

Airlines typically divide their elite members into tiers like silver, gold and platinum, with increasingly difficult requirements to earn the status (but better benefits).

Here are some of the most common perks for elite members of some of the biggest U.S. airlines: American, United and Delta.

Bonus miles or points when you fly.

Free checked bags.

Wider selection of flights or seats that can be booked as "award flights" with miles instead of cash.

Priority boarding.

Enhanced customer service support.

Complimentary upgrades.

Southwest has an elite status program called A-List, but it offers fewer benefits than some of the other carriers. That’s because Southwest already offers free checked bags, and the airline doesn't have a first class cabin (or even assigned seating).

» Keep reading: The beginners guide to points and miles

Requirements to earn airline elite status

Status tiers and benchmarks differ across airlines. These are some of the typical qualifications.

American Airlines elite status requirements

Here’s how many Elite Qualifying Dollars and either Elite Qualifying Miles or Elite Qualifying Segments you need to reach each tier in the AAdvantage program.

United Airlines elite status requirements

United Airlines uses two metrics to determine elite status in its MileagePlus program: Premier Qualifying Flights, which are essentially flight segments flown, and Premier Qualifying Points, which are awarded based on how much money you spend with the airline.

To reach elite, you must earn either a certain number of PQFs and PQPs combined or a higher number of PQPs alone, in addition to flying a minimum of four flight segments on United or United Express. United has no distance requirement to reach elite, making it a potentially good choice for travelers who take a lot of short flights.

United's PQF and PQP requirements

You can qualify for each Premier status level through Jan. 31, 2026, based on your activity between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2024.

Delta Air Lines elite status requirements

(Editor's note: Big changes are coming to Delta's SkyMiles program in 2024, including how members can earn elite status. The carrier will also be cutting back Sky Club lounge access. Read more on these upcoming changes here.)

The Delta SkyMiles program calls its elites Medallion members, and they get there by earning Medallion Qualification Dollars plus either Medallion Qualification Miles or Medallion Qualification Segments.

Starting in 2024, elite status will only be based on MQDs. Here are the new requirements for each level of elite status:

Silver Medallion: 6,000 MQDs.

Gold Medallion: 12,000 MQDs.

Platinum Medallion: 18,000 MQDs.

Diamond Medallion: 35,000 MQDs.

Southwest Airlines elite status requirements

Southwest has two elite tiers in its Rapid Rewards program, both of which come with priority boarding — a big perk since Southwest has no reserved seating, and getting on the plane sooner means more seats to choose from.

A-List: 25 one-way flights or 35,000 tier qualifying points.

A-List Preferred: 50,000 one-way flights or 70,000 tier qualifying points.

Southwest recently announced some significant changes coming to the Rapid Rewards program, including lower requirements for A-List status in 2024. Read more on that here.

Other ways to qualify for airline elite status

Beyond flying, travelers have a few other avenues to become elite status members depending on the airline.

Use the right airline credit card

Some airline credit cards help you qualify for elite status faster. As an example:

United℠ Explorer Card has a built-in way to earn up to 1,000 Premier Qualifying Points in a calendar year by earning 500 PQP each time you spend $12,000 on the card.

Tap your elite status from a partner airline

Already have elite status with an airline? Many times, you can automatically enjoy the equivalent perks on a partner. For example, if you have Gold status in American’s AAdvantage program, you can automatically enjoy the perks of Oneworld Ruby status when you fly partner airlines in the Oneworld alliance.

Fly a partner airline

Most major airlines partner with other airlines that let members earn credits toward elite status when they fly. Get to know which airlines partner with your preferred airline so you can earn credit toward elite status on your favorite domestic airline even when you fly a different airline internationally.

For example, if you fly Air France, you have the opportunity to earn credits toward Medallion status on Delta Air Lines.

Purchase an upgrade

When you pay cash to upgrade your seat or your cabin on a Delta flight, the money you spend counts toward your Medallion Qualification Dollars. Other airlines have similar policies that can help you become an elite flyer faster.

Which airline elite status is best?

Achieving status can cost a lot in terms of both dollars and time spent, so it's wise to pick a program that offers the most value.

After a deep-dive analysis, NerdWallet determined that Alaska Airlines offers the best elite status program for travelers, known as Mileage Plan.

How to pick the right airline elite status program for you

Many travelers wonder if they should be loyal to a single airline. However, while you can spread out your spend, you could potentially sacrifice your ability to earn status. As you shop around for an airline elite status program to target, we recommend you strongly consider the following factors.

Know your preferred airline. To decide which airline elite status is best for you, one question overrules all the others: Which airline will you fly the most? If you live in a Delta hub like Atlanta and usually fly that airline, consider pursuing elite status on Delta. If you live and fly places well served by multiple airlines, consider the qualifications to earn the level of elite status you want.

Figure out your priority perks. Also ask yourself which perks you’d most enjoy from elite status. Lots of bonus miles? Flight upgrades? Easy same-day standby? A chance to board the plane before all the overhead baggage space is snapped up? Remember, most elite status benefits can also be purchased or might come as a credit card benefit (like cards with complimentary checked bags or lounge access).

Do some simple math. If upgrades to extra-legroom Economy Plus seats on United sound irresistible to you, price out how much you’d pay in cash to earn status. That way you’ll have a rough dollar value of the benefits you’d get as an elite and a better sense of how much the status is worth to you. If the cost to earn status outweighs paying out of pocket for the upgrade each time you fly, you might be better off purchasing your preferred conveniences a la carte.

Airline status, recapped

Don’t assume airline elite status is out of reach. Skim your favorite airline’s benefits and requirements to see if you could reasonably spend to reach your desired level of status. Research which airline elite status is worth it. Log in to your frequent flyer account to see how many miles, points, segments or dollars you’ve racked up so far without even trying. You might already be on your way.