Eyeing elite status with your airline of choice? We don’t blame you. Along with status comes a variety of benefits, like lounge access, free checked bags, complimentary upgrades, early boarding, bonus earning rates and more.
See our best credit card bonuses here.
If you want to fast-track to elite status, you’ll want to open an airline rewards card that helps you earn elite-qualifying dollars and/or elite-qualifying miles. In this guide, we’ll cover the credit cards of six major U.S. carriers that can help you unlock elite status.
American Airlines
To unlock Mileage Plan elite status, you need a certain amount of Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQDs) and either enough Elite Qualifying Segments (EQSs) or Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs). Here are the current status requirements:
| STATUS | EQDs | EQSs/EQMs |
| Gold | $2,000 | 20/20,000 |
| Platinum | $4,500 | 45/40,000 |
| Platinum Pro | $7,000 | 70/60,000 |
| Executive Platinum | $12,000 | 95/80,000 |
Since EQSs are earned by flying, credit cards will only help you earn EQDs and/or EQMs.
*The above requirements are for earning elite status in 2021. For up-to-date information, click here for our source.
With the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®, earn 10,000 EQMs after hitting the $40,000 spending requirement in a calendar year.
Other AAdvantage perks include Admirals Club membership, one free checked bag on domestic itineraries and priority boarding.
CITI® / AADVANTAGE® EXECUTIVE WORLD ELITE MASTERCARD®
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® has a 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles offer. Make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening to earn this bonus. See our valuation of AAdvantage miles are worth. You’ll easily receive at least $500 in value from these bonus miles.
The card earns 2 AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 mile for every $1 spent on other purchases.
You’ll receive expected perks like no foreign transaction fees and your first checked bag for free on domestic American Airlines flights. Up to 8 companions traveling with you on the same reservation will also receive this free checked bag perk.
The main reasons travelers choose this $450 annual fee card are:
- Complimentary Admirals Club lounge access
- 10,000 AAdvantage Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) after you spend $40,000 in purchases within the year
Delta Air Lines
To earn Medallion elite status, you need a certain number of Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) and either enough Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) or Medallion Qualification Segments (MQSs). Below are the current Medallion requirements:
| STATUS | MQDs | MQMs/MQSs |
| Silver | $3,000 | 25,000/30 |
| Gold | $6,000 | 50,000/60 |
| Platinum | $9,000 | 75,000/100 |
| Diamond | $15,000 | 125,000/140 |
The MQD requirement for all status levels is waived if you hold the cobranded cards below and have a combined spend of:
- $25,000 in one calendar year (for Silver/Gold/Platinum qualification)
- $250,000 in one calendar year (for Diamond qualification)
All of the cards we list below will also help you earn MQMs.
With the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, earn 10,000 MQMs after hitting the $25,000 spending requirement in a calendar year. You’ll get another 10,000 MQMs when you spend $50,000 in a calendar year.
As mentioned before, the MQD requirement is waived if you’re a SkyMiles Platinum cardholder and you spend $25,000 for Silver, Gold or Platinum qualification, or $250,000 for Diamond qualification.
DELTA SKYMILES PLATINUM AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card has an introductory offer for 50,000 bonus miles and 5,000 MQMs after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
This card earns 3 miles per $1 on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. It also earns 2 miles per $1 at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets. You’ll earn 1 mile per $1 on all other eligible purchases.
Upon renewal of your card each year, you will receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. The cost of government imposed taxes and fees will be no more than $75 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
You and up to 8 travel companions get your first checked bag free on Delta flights. You’ll also receive Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding on Delta flights.
You’ll also get an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓. There are no foreign transaction fees and the annual fee is $250.
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card lets you earn 15,000 MQMs each time you spend $30,000, for up to four times each calendar year. That means you’ll earn 60,000 MQMs after spending $120,000 in a calendar year.
SkyMiles Reserve cardholders also benefit from the same MQD waiver mentioned before.
DELTA SKYMILES RESERVE AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD
The Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card has an offer for 50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 MQMs after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
This card earns 3X Miles on Delta purchases and 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
Upon the annual renewal of your Card, receive a Domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+® or Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate. *Payment of the government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $75 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
You and up to 8 travel companions get your first checked bag free on Delta Flights. You’ll also receive Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding on Delta flights.
This card gets a Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®.
Another great benefit is the complimentary Delta Sky Club access. You’ll also get complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge or Escape Lounge – The Centurion® Studio Partner when you book your Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
There are no foreign transaction fees and the annual fee is $550.
Frontier Airlines
To earn Frontier elite status, you’ll need either a certain number of Qualifying Miles or Qualifying Segments in a calendar year. Here are the current status requirements:
| STATUS | Qualifying Miles | Qualifying Segments |
| Elite 20k | 20,000 | 25 |
| Elite 50k | 50,000 | 50 |
| Elite 100k | 100,000 | 100 |
Frontier Airlines World Mastercard
With the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard, earn 1x Qualifying Miles on all purchases. That means you can unlock Frontier’s highest elite tier on credit card spending alone.
Other Frontier perks include priority boarding, access to family pooling, the ability to keep your points from expiring by making a purchase every six months, and an award redemption fee waiver when you use your card to pay for award taxes and fees. You’ll also earn a $100 flight voucher when you spend $2,500 in one membership year.
| Welcome Bonus | 50,000 points when you spend $500 within the first 90 days. |
| Earning Rates | 5x points on Frontier purchases 3x points at restaurants 1x points on everything else |
| Foreign Transaction Fees | None |
| Annual Fee | $79 |
JetBlue
JetBlue has one level of elite status – Mosaic – and there are two qualifying ways to earn it:
- 30 flight segments + 12,000 base points
- 15,000 base points
As you can see, Mosaic status isn’t very difficult to achieve. And with the JetBlue Plus Card, it’s even easier…
JETBLUE PLUS CARD
The JetBlue Plus Credit Card has an offer for 40,000 TrueBlue bonus points when you spend $1,000 within the first 90 days. We value these points to be worth around $520.
This is a card designed for the JetBlue loyalist. With the 40K welcome bonus, you can begin earning and redeeming points for award flights, seat upgrades, and more. Read our guide to the TrueBlue program for more information on how to use these points. One of the great features of the TrueBlue program is that its points never expire. You can earn and redeem at your own leisurely pace.
The JetBlue Plus card rewards members with 6x points on JetBlue spending, 2x points on dining and grocery purchases and 1x points on everything else. It also offers a variety of value-added benefits, like 5,000 anniversary bonus points, one free checked bag for you and up to 3 companions, and a 50% discount on eligible inflight purchases.
Other card benefits include a $100 statement credit after purchasing a JetBlue Vacation package of $100 or more, Mosaic elite status after you spent at least $50,000 on purchases, and the ability to pool your points with other members at no extra cost.
There are no foreign transaction fees and the annual fee is $99 for this card.
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines has two elite status tiers, A-List and A-List Preferred, which you can unlock with Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) or by flying a certain number of segments within a calendar year:
| STATUS | TQPs | QUALIFYING FLIGHTS |
| A-List | 35,000 | 25 |
| A-List Preferred | 70,000 | 50 |
All of the cards we list below will help you earn TQPs.
With the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card, earn 1,500 TQPs for every $10,000 you spend. This feature is capped at $100,000 in spending per year for up to 15,000 TQPs annually. You’ll also enjoy a 6,000-point anniversary bonus.
SOUTHWEST RAPID REWARDS® PREMIER CREDIT CARD
Earn 75,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. We value each Southwest point at an average 1.5 cents a piece, or $750 for the 50,000 points. The best value will be redemption for flights. As with most other airline rewards cards, point value can vary a lot depending on flight time, destination, etc.
You’ll also get 6,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
Earn 3 points for every $1 spent on Southwest Airline purchases. Also, earn 2 points for every $1 spent on local transit and commuting, including rideshare, and on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming. You’ll get 1 point for every $1 on all other purchases. You’ll get 1 point for every $1 on all other purchases.
There are no foreign transaction fees with this card. Unfortunately, the $99 annual fee isn’t waived for the first year.
Like its Southwest Premier sibling, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card lets you earn 1,500 TQPs for every $10,000 you spend. This feature is also capped at $100,000 in spending every year for up to 15,000 TQPs annually.
SOUTHWEST RAPID REWARDS® PRIORITY CREDIT CARD
Earn 75,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. We value each Southwest point at an average 1.5 cents a piece, or $750 for the 50,000 points. The best value will be redemption for flights. As with most other airline rewards cards, point value can vary a lot depending on flight time, destination, etc.
You’ll also get 7,500 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary, fast-track to elite status, and a $75 annual Southwest travel credit.
Earn 3 points for every $1 spent on Southwest Airline purchases. Also, earn 2 points for every $1 spent on local transit and commuting, including rideshare, and on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming. You’ll get 1 point for every $1 on all other purchases.
There are no foreign transaction fees with this card. Unfortunately, the $99 annual fee isn’t waived for the first year.
As you might guess, earn up to 15,000 TQPs annually when you spend $100,000 (1,500 TQPs for every $10,000 spend) on the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card.
SOUTHWEST® RAPID REWARDS® PERFORMANCE BUSINESS CREDIT CARD
The Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card has a 80,000 bonus points offer when you spend $5,000 within the first 3 months. We value these 80k points to be worth around $1,200.
The card earns 4 points for every $1 on Southwest Airlines, 3 points for points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car partners, and 2 points for every $1 on rideshare, social media and search engine advertising, internet, cable and phone services.
You’ll also receive perks such as:
- Four Upgraded Boardings per year when available ($30-$50 value each).
- Global Entry or TSA Pre✓ Fee credit.
- Free 1st & 2nd checked bags.
- No change fee.
- No foreign transaction fees.
The annual fee for this card is $199.
United Airlines
To unlock Premier status, you need to earn a certain amount of Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) and Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF), or an elevated number of PQP. Below are normal Premier requirements (for 2021, it is only half of these due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic):
| STATUS | PQF + PQP | PQP ONLY |
| Premier Silver | 12 PQF + 4,000 PQP | 5,000 PQP |
| Premier Gold | 24 PQF + 8,000 PQP | 10,000 PQP |
| Premier Platinum | 36 PQF + 12,000 PQP | 15,000 PQP |
| Premier 1K | 54 PQF + 18,000 PQP | 24,000 PQP |
If you hold the right United MileagePlus card, you can earn PQP when you hit the annual spending requirement.
CHASE UNITED℠ EXPLORER CARD
The Chase United℠ Explorer Card from Chase has an offer for up to 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 total in the first 3 months. We value these 50k miles at around $700.
The card earns 2X miles on dining and eligible delivery services, hotel stays and United® purchases. United purchases include:
- Tickets
- Economy Plus
- Inflight food, beverages, Wi-Fi
- Other United charges
You’ll earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Other benefits include up to $100 as a statement credit for the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck™ application fee every 4 years. You and a traveling companion on the same reservation will each receive the first standard checked bag free. This card provides priority boarding privileges and 2 one-time passes each year to United Clubs.
The Chase United Explorer Card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95 thereafter.
UNITED CLUB℠ INFINITE CARD
The United Club℠ Infinite Card from Chase is offering 80,000 bonus miles offer after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. We value these miles at around $1,120. Additionally, this premium card offers complimentary United Club membership, worth up to $650 a year.
Cardholders earn 4X miles on United® purchases including tickets, Economy Plus, inflight food, beverages and Wi-Fi, and other United charges; 2X on all other travel; and 2X on dining including eligible delivery services.
You’ll earn 1 MileagePlus mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Other valuable benefits offered by this card include free checked bags, priority airport service and 25% discount on United® purchases.
This is a card designed for the loyal United flyer.
Bottom Line
As you can see, cobranded airline cards can be quite useful if you can’t reach elite status by flying or spending with the airline directly. That said, you’ll want to consider whether spending towards elite status is the right move for you. By putting purchases on an airline card, you’ll be passing up the opportunity to earn potentially more valuable points on other credit cards.
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