One status, two airlines' worth of perks

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Most years, I fly on American Airlines and Alaska Airlines roughly the same amount. Because of that, you would be correct in assuming that I’d enjoy frequent flyer benefits on both airlines — perks like free checked baggage, seat selection, priority boarding, and the occasional seat upgrade. As any flyer will tell you, however, earning and maintaining status on one airline is hard enough. Do I really have what it takes to maintain status on two?

The answer is no. Yet, I still enjoy elite flyer benefits on both airlines. The secret is understanding the magic of airline alliances, and developing a strategy that lands you status on one airline within it.

Once you’re elite on one airline, others within the alliance recognize that and will often extend perks and benefits. Yes, even if you’re not elite on their own airline.

In my case, I opted to build a strategy which secures Atmos Rewards Silver status on Alaska Airlines. Then, once that’s complete, I’m automatically granted Oneworld Ruby status within the greater Oneworld airline alliance. Alaska is one of the 15 member airlines, partnering with American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Iberia, Finnair, Qatar Airways, Qantas, Japan Airlines, and others.

Thanks to that Oneworld Ruby status, I get a free checked bag and priority boarding, and may even get a surprise seat upgrade when flying on American Airlines (plus any other Oneworld airline that I may try in the coming year). Instead of troubling myself with earning status on two airlines, I can focus my energy on just one.

I have two co-branded Alaska credit cards. The Atmos Rewards Summit card is where I put the majority of my everyday spend. Why? For every $2 spent on the card, you’re granted 1 Alaska Atmos status point. Plus, I get 10,000 status points on my card anniversary, which gets me halfway to the 20,000 status points needed for Atmos Silver status.

This means that even if I don’t fly a single Alaska flight all year, I can earn Atmos Silver status with $20,000 of annual card spend. With each flight I take and earn status points, the less I have to spend on the card to get there.

There’s also a bonus if you’re a Bilt Rewards member. Bilt allows 1:1 transfers to your Alaska points account, which gets you closer to your next award flight. Then, once you’re at the airport, the Atmos Silver status will benefit your experience by saving you cash on a checked bag, getting you on the plane earlier with priority boarding, and maybe even a seat upgrade if there’s space available.