How to earn last-minute airline elite status — and whether or not it’s worth it

Current elite requirements and strategies have been updated.

People are close to finishing up airline elite status. Travelers trying to decide if they will make it to the next elite tier are limited by the fact that most programs for this year's elite-eligible activity are cut off by the end of the year.

We don't have the time or space to answer every last-minute airline elite status question. How can I get to status quickly? I don't know how to get status without flying more.

We can offer some advice for the common end-of-year status dilemma with a few airlines.

How to earn last-minute elite status with American Airlines

The current qualification period for American Airlines is through February 28, 2023.

• Gold: 30,000 Loyalty Points.
• Platinum: 75,000 Loyalty Points.
• Platinum Pro: 125,000 Loyalty Points.
• Executive Platinum: 200,000 Loyalty Points.

The qualification period will run from March 1 to February 28 of the following year. During the qualification period, your status will be valid through March 31. You'll keep AAdvantage status through March 31, 2024 if you earn it by February 28,23.

American elite status basics

You need Loyalty Points to get elite status with American Airlines.

It's not that simple to say that one American mile is equivalent to one Loyalty Point. You only get Loyalty Points when you accumulate American Airlines miles. You can't get bonus American Airlines miles.

If you're looking for ways to earn Loyalty Points, be aware that you're earning base miles or bonus miles.

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Last-minute strategies to earn or retain American elite status

You need to earn status with American by the end of the month. When you fly American and most of its partners, you can earn loyalty points.

There are many ways to earn loyalty points. There are a few of them.

By the end of February, loyalty points must be posted to your account. Compared to other airlines, you have more time to earn or requalify.

Depending on the flight date, loyalty points will be posted to your account. The date the activity posts to your AAdvantage account will determine the Loyalty Points posted. Don't wait until the last minute to earn loyalty points.

There are last-minute strategies for earning elite status.

How to earn last-minute elite status with Delta Air Lines

The current qualification period lasts from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022.

To earn status, you have to meet the requirements. If you meet the requirements by the end of the year, you'll keep your status.

Delta elite status basics

You need to earn the required MQDs for your desired status tier and either the required MQMs or MQSs in order to become a Delta elite.

You can earn an MQD Waiver if you spend $25,000 on a Delta co branded credit card. If you have a lot of business spending, you can earn an MQD Waiver if you spend $250,000.

If you earn at least Silver status, Delta will roll over the MQMs you earn above the threshold. Delta rolled over all the MQMs in your account at the end of the 21st century to help its members get status in the 22nd century.

Delta made Medallion earn on award tickets permanently. When you redeem your SkyMiles on Delta-issued and -operated award tickets, you'll get 1 SkyMiles per 100 SkyMiles redeemed.

Delta makes it harder to get Medallion status in the future.

Last-minute strategies to earn or retain Delta elite status

You can top off your MQMs, MQSs or MQDs by the end of the year.

• Spend on a Delta cobranded credit card: Some Delta credit cards let you earn MQMs when you meet specific spending thresholds. You usually need to spend a lot to reach these thresholds, though.
• Book a flight: You can earn on flights whether you redeem Delta miles for a Delta-operated flight or spend cash to fly on Delta or one of its partners.
• Fund a Wheels Up account: If you fund a Wheels Up account with $50,000 or more, you'll get automatic Delta elite status.
• Use a status challenge: Delta offers a generous status match and challenge for elite members of other airline programs.
• Buy MQMs from Delta: You may be able to buy MQMs from Delta through its Elevate Your Status program (if it offers this program this year; it hasn't offered the program since 2019).

The MQMs, MQSs and MQDs need to post to your account this year in order to qualify for elite status in the next status year. If you want to earn MQMs by spending on your Delta credit card, you need to make sure your spending is on a statement by the end of the year.

There are last-minute strategies forDelta Medallion elite status.

How to earn last-minute elite status with United

The current qualification year runs from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022.

You will keep your United elite status for the rest of the current year, the entire next year and the first month of the following year. You'll keep your elite status through January 31, 2024 if you get it in 2022.

United elite status basics

There are two pathways to status for the United elite levels. A pathway is to earn a combination of the following: a takeoff and touchdown segment on an eligible flight, and a certain number of points from the premier program. There is a higher PQP threshold in the PQP-only option.

Look at how close you are to status. It is possible to be multiple PQFs short but within striking distance of the PQP-only number that you could achieve without having to take additional flights.

You must fly at least four paid segments on United or United Express in order to get United status.

It will be harder for United to get to the premier level next year. You will be able to earn PQPs and PQFs when you redeem your United miles. Due to the fact that these changes don't take effect until next year, we won't consider them further in this story.

Last-minute strategies to earn United PQFs

You will have to squeeze in more flights if you need more PQFs.

It doesn't matter how far away PQFs are. You can take shorter flights when you earn PQFs. To earn PQFs, your flight cannot be an award flight, can't be booked in United basic economy and needs to be credited to United Mileage Plus. If you don't fly on United or a Star Alliance partner, you won't be able to earn PQFs or PQPs.

I needed two more PQFs to get United 1K status after a holiday trip to New York City fell apart at the last minute. I traveled from Houston to Austin in one day.

An eligible round-trip with a connection each way would count as four PQFs. If you have a few nonstop flights remaining on your schedule, you can change them to connecting flights. If the fare is the same, consider a same day change.

Last-minute strategies to earn United PQPs

PQPs can be earned with eligible United spending. PQPs from flights aren't posted until you fly. You have to fly this year if you earn more PQPs.

There are ways to earn more PQPs before the year ends.

• Book a paid United or United Express flight: Flights operated by United and United Express typically earn PQPs at a rate of 1 PQP per dollar of base airfare and carrier-imposed surcharges (excluding taxes).
• Book an eligible paid partner flight: Most flights operated by a Star Alliance partner airline and connecting partners — Air Dolomiti, Azul, Edelweiss, Eurowings and Olympic Air — earn PQPs based on the award miles earned (before any elite bonuses) divided by either 5 or 6, depending on the partner.
• Buy Economy Plus or preferred seats: You can earn PQPs when you buy Economy Plus subscriptions and one-time seat reservations.
• Splurge on a paid upgrade: You can earn PQPs when you buy an upgrade on United or United Express flights.

Two days after your flight, United will credit PQPs to your account. Two days after you purchase or Renew an Economy Plus subscription, the PQPs will credit your account.

When you use a co branded United credit card, you can earn PQPs. Depending on the card you use, you can earn 500 PQPs for every $12,000 of purchases. If you have enough time for the PQPs to post to your United account by the end of the year, you'll be good to go.

There are last-minute strategies for earning United premier status.

Is it worth trying for last-minute elite status?

I was short of United 1K status by the end of 2021. The only way to close the gap was to take the shortest, most affordable flight. That was definitely worth it.

Once you get into the hundreds of thousands of dollars of cost to close the gap, the equation is no longer worth it. If you need to fly more, factor in the time it will take and be honest with yourself about how much you'll get next year.

A lower-tier status is worth more than a top-tier one to close the gap. If you are going to spend more than a few hours or a few hundred dollars at this point in the year chasing airline status, it is a good idea to make sure you get the best value for your money.

If you're going for American Airlines elite status and can rely on non- travel opportunities to earn Loyalty Points at home, there's still an opportunity cost to earning Loyalty Points instead of other rewards.

Airline elite status is still worth it?

Bottom line

Time is decreasing for you to close the gap to status this year and airline elite status can still be worth it. Depending on your situation, you may have to spend money, fly additional flights or both in order to get the perks you want.

Sometimes airlines can buy your status back after the year is over. If you came very close to earning status, you can ask for a one-time boost. If all other pathways to status don't work out, neither of those methods is guaranteed to work.

The additional reporting was done by Andrew Kunesh.