Guide To Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K Status

Whereas Alaska Airways isn’t one of many “huge three” US airways, the Seattle-based provider has fairly a strong loyalty program, which many individuals are loyal to. Specifically, Alaska Mileage Plan is the one main US frequent flyer program that also awards miles based mostly 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 publish I wished to try Alaska MVP Gold 100K standing, which is Alaska’s top-tier elite standing, and may simply be the perfect revealed elite tier in the US. 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.

Tips on how to earn Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K standing

Alaska Mileage Plan elite standing could be earned based mostly on both accruing a sure variety of elite qualifying miles or a sure variety of elite qualifying segments. On prime of that, you want 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 very 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 which you can 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 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 Alternative Advantages, to additional 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 top notch upgrades

MVP Gold 100K members obtain limitless complimentary area obtainable 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 courses getting precedence for upgrades.

How usually do you have to anticipate upgrades to clear as an MVP Gold 100K member? It actually depends upon the routes you fly, the times of the week you fly, what sort of fares you ebook, and so forth. These days much more persons are paying for top notch than a number of years in the past, so don’t anticipate that upgrades will all the time clear. Nonetheless, I’d anticipate 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 mechanically will get you oneworld Emerald standing, which I’d think about to be essentially the most precious alliance-wide standing on the market. This gives 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 consists of every part from American Flagship Lounges, to the Qantas First Lounge LAX.

Mileage Plan Alternative Advantages

Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K members have the choice of choosing a Alternative Profit, with a couple of totally different choices. These embody 50,000 bonus Mileage Plan miles, an Alaska Lounge+ membership, the power to reward 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 advantage of MVP Gold 100K standing, it’s an essential factor to bear in mind by way of the general worth proposition of going for the standing. While you go 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 Alternative Advantages. It’s also possible to 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 financial system), you’re not eligible to assign a Premium Class seat free of charge.

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 usually gives a number of additional inches of legroom. Moreover, Premium Class gives 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 working could nonetheless be a factor with the airline.

Alaska top notch visitor upgrades

Whereas MVP Gold 100K members obtain limitless complimentary upgrades on Alaska, in addition 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 area being obtainable. This can be utilized both for the MVP Gold 100K member, or for a buddy or member of the family, as these could be transfered to others.

Alaska isn’t nice about making confirmable improve seats obtainable 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 yr. Consider these as being like American systemwide upgrades, besides with a special identify. These can turn out to be 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 providers on the airport, together with:

• Precedence check-in, with top notch
• Precedence safety screening
• Precedence boarding, with top notch

Typically I believe precedence boarding is essentially the most precious of these advantages. Most individuals check-in on-line, and these days TSA PreCheck and CLEAR will usually prevent essentially the most time at safety, somewhat than a precedence safety line.

Identical day flight modifications & precedence standby

Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K members could make complimentary similar day flight modifications to a different flight in the identical market. There are capability controls to this, so don’t anticipate that it’s going to all the time be attainable, even when there are seats obtainable.

Past that, MVP Gold 100K members obtain precedence standby, because the standby checklist is prioritized based mostly on elite standing. As an MVP Gold 100K member, it is best to usually be close to the highest of the standby checklist.

Three complimentary checked baggage

Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K members can test 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 provider’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.

Complimentary drink & meal in financial 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 financial 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’ll be able to even pre-order a recent meal free of charge, which may embody 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 yr, which can be electronically deposited in your Mileage Plan account. These can both be used for your self, or shared with family and friends.

Additionally remember the fact that you’ll be able to choose an Alaska Lounge+ membership as your Alternative Advantages choice, if you need a full membership. Regardless, this will turn out to be 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’ll be able to probably be eligible for top notch upgrades on American, in addition to Foremost Cabin Further seating. The worth of this clearly relies upon based mostly 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 precious, and I’d say that’s much more the case with Alaska Airways having joined oneworld.

For one, the mileage incomes alternatives are big — you obtain a 150% mileage bonus, you obtain 50,000 bonus miles for incomes MVP Gold 75K, and also you then can choose a Alternative Advantages perk when incomes MVP Gold 100K (probably getting you one other 50,000 miles).

On prime of that, the improve perks are very sturdy. You get limitless area obtainable upgrades, 4 visitor upgrades per yr, and two American systemwide upgrades. Moreover, you obtain reciprocal upgrades on American, which may additionally turn out to be 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 a variety of flying. Happily Alaska has numerous companion airways, making miles simple to rack up. Nonetheless, you’ll usually discover that you just get stronger perks if you’re truly flying with the airline you’ve got standing with.

I believe MVP Gold 100K standing is superb in case you fly Alaska ceaselessly. 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 may not essentially be the best choice, and as rewarding.

Backside line

Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K standing is extremely precious. Personally I’d argue it’s the throughout most rewarding revealed elite tier you’ll discover in the US. The catch is that Alaska isn’t as huge of an airline because the US world carriers, so it takes some work to be loyal to the airline.

Should you do fly Alaska ceaselessly, 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?