After the loss of airlines like America West, Continental, Northwest, and USAirways, the remaining network carriers were able to cut capacity, add fees, devalue their miles, devalue elite status benefits, and increase elite status requirements.
Mileage runners used to be able to fly on dirt cheap flights to get elite status on the cheap before Delta decided to require a minimum spend amount in addition to the flown miles required to earn elite status. Delta also started the trend of award miles based on spending rather than flown miles.
Delta made earning elite status a bit easier by allowing passengers to spend $25,000 annually on their Delta AMEX cards in order to waive the spend requirement on flights.
Effective in 2018 though you will need to spend $250,000 annually in order to waive the flight spend requirement for top-tier diamond status. That 10 times the current spending required. Silver, Gold, and Platinum status will continue to only require $25,000 of credit card spending.
Additionally, Delta will continue to waive the flight spend retirement for non-US members. Be prepared to submit some sort of proof if you want to change your address to abroad.
United matched Delta, except they never allowed credit card spend to waive their 1K flight spending requirements.
American was the last to introduce flight spend requirements for elite status, but they made it the most onerous to avoid and don’t have a foreign account waiver.
| Airline: | American | Delta | United | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 Requirement | Gold 25K miles plus $3K on flights | Silver 25K miles plus $3K on flights or $25K in Delta card spending | Silver 25K miles plus $3K on flights or $25K in United card spending | |
| Tier 2 Requirement | Platinum 50K miles plus $6K on flights | Gold 50K miles plus $6K on flights or $25K in Delta card spending | Gold 50K miles plus $6K on flights or $25K in United card spending | |
| Tier 3 Requirement | Platinum Pro 75K miles plus $9K on flights | Platinum 75K miles plus $9K on flights or $25K in Delta card spending | Platinum 75K miles plus $9K on flights or $25K in United card spending | |
| Tier 4 Requirement | Executive Platinum 100K miles plus $12K on flights | Diamond 125K miles plus $15K on flights or $250K in Delta card spending | 1K 100K miles plus $12K on flights | |
| Tier 5 Requirement | ConciergeKey Invite only | Delta 360 Invite only | Global Services Invite only | |
| Residency exceptions | None | If your address is outside of the US you don't need to meet the spending requirement. | If your address is outside of the US you don't need to meet the spending requirement. | |
| Other exceptions | Barclaycard AA Red, Blue, and business cardholders can earn the equivalent of $3,000 in flight spending by spending $25K on their card. Barclaycard AA Silver cardholders can earn the equivalent of $3,000 in flight spending by spending $25K on their card and another $3,000 in flight spending by spending an additional $25K on their card | None | If you have a Presidential Plus card you don't need to meet the spending requirement for Silver, Gold, or Platinum status. |
Do you spend on a co-branded airline card to waive flight spend requirements for elite status?
You can view credit card offers by hovering over the “Credit Cards” tab. You can then click on “Credit Cards From All Banks“ to find card offers via the logo of the bank you’re looking for.
HT: mochjas, via DDF and Gary
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23 Comments On "Delta Increases Credit Card Spend Waiver For Top-Tier Status To $250,000; Roundup Of American, Delta, And United Elite Spend Waiver Policies"
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why do you say that aa doesnt have a card spending waiver, when they do- the barclaycards?
I didn’t say they didn’t have a waiver, I said they don’t have a foreign account waiver.
Their Barclaycard waiver is in the chart, but it’s much weaker than the Delta and United version.
it seems to be a contradiction from the beginning to the end……
But either way, thanks a lot for this write up!
Huh?
I believe you made an error for delta diamond flight spend. It’s 15k not 12k last I checked
Correct, thanks.
Forgot to read post sorry just want to know if it would help to have statues on delta aa or ua for their star alliance and skyteam one world partner Airlines would you get the benefits ? Also what did you mean by currently 25 k on Amex to get silver gold platinum ? Every 25k you spend you get one level more ?so currently you need 100k of spending before 2018 kicks in to get top statues in delta ? Please be more specific thanks and kindly tell us your secret how you maintain top statues all the years you must be to busy to have time to meet these spending requirements in just curious how you do it thanks again mashiach now
Any idea what I can submit to delta proving I “love outside of the us? And where I send it? I already have 25k mqms but didn’t hit the spend yet on my platinum amex
See the fine print here: https://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/skymiles/medallion-program/medallion-qualification-dollars.html
I spend $50-75kk on United card annually. what else would I need to do to get any sort of status?
See the chart.
Is there way to spend on your credit card to reach top tier elite statues on aa? Using a Barclays aviator or a citi aa card ? Do you get the benefits for having statues that you have for united delta or aa help for other one world and star alliance airlines? Thank you dan for taking the time to read my question
See the chart.
Most benefits are only from that airline, though some alliance benefits like baggage and lounge access apply.
So why does aa call one of their statues led one world sapphire? Misleading
So if I signup for all the Barclays cards today and got the biz and consumer on one ss number and do massive spending I could get up to platinum pro without spending on flights because I waived all the requirements for flight spending up to 9k in flight spending And combined that with cc spending?
The old Continental Airlines Presidential Plus card used to give you through 1K, now only gives you up to Platinum.
That’s included in the chart.
If you spend $75k on the united credit card you get Platinum Status? Did I understand you right?
Where does it say that??
Well it says if you spend $25k you get silver gold or platinum, so I was assuming that it’s $25k per level…
Now that your saying it’s not, what determines if I get silver gold or platinum if all I’m spending is $25k
I thought like him too, do you mind explaining as I feel lost. TIA!
The $25K of credit card spending waives the flight spending requirement.
You still need to fly 25K/50K/75K miles.
If I didn’t fly but still spent 25K is it worth anything? Like do i get some sort of status? Or nothing?