Love it or leave it: TPG senior writer Katie Genter’s elite status plans for 2024
It might seem a bit early to discuss my elite status plans for 2024. After all, many travelers are still working on last-minute plans to secure status this year. However, I've earned — or have solid plans to earn — all the status tiers I wanted this year.
Even though 2023 isn't over, now is an excellent time to consider which statuses you plan to requalify for in 2024 and which you'll let lapse. Thinking about this now will provide direction as you book trips for the coming year.
Your elite status plans may look very different from mine, as I travel full-time as a digital nomad. But to help you think through how to manage your elite statuses, here's a look at what statuses I plan to earn in 2024.
American Airlines AAdvantage: Requalify for Platinum Pro
American Airlines switched to its Loyalty Points scheme for elite status qualification in 2022. In doing so, AAdvantage shifted how you earn status and its elite qualification year. Now, you have until the end of February each year to earn American Airlines elite status.
I first earned American Airlines Executive Platinum status in 2016 and have requalified for the status every year since. Over the years, I've gotten a ton of value from American Airlines miles and the perks of Executive Platinum status. However, as AAdvantage has watered down or removed many of the differentiating benefits of the status, earning Executive Platinum status is no longer a must for me. As such, I'll likely only qualify for Platinum Pro in the qualification year that ends Feb. 29, 2024, and I'll likely only strive for Platinum Pro in subsequent years.
The shift to Loyalty Points has made me change how I earn American Airlines status. It also encouraged my husband — who previously qualified for Executive Platinum status each year alongside me — to shift his focus to earning Oneworld elite status through British Airways Executive Club. The current Loyalty Points scheme requires me to not only credit Oneworld flights to American AAdvantage but also utilize the many other ways to earn Loyalty Points. In short, this makes it difficult for more than one person in a household to maintain a high tier of AAdvantage status.
We could both qualify for AAdvantage Gold or Platinum through flights and splitting non-flight activities between our accounts. But we've decided earning Oneworld status through different programs is more beneficial, as then we'll enjoy domestic lounge access through his British Airways status and still be eligible for complimentary upgrades on travel within North America through my AAdvantage status when we travel together.
Although British Airways and Iberia flights now earn based on fare (as do American Airlines flights), I'll continue flying inexpensive premium economy or business fares on other Oneworld partners with lucrative earning rates. These fares are increasingly difficult to snag, though. As such, my flight earnings are (and will likely continue to be) significantly lower than in previous qualification periods. So, I need to rely more on AAdvantage eShopping, SimplyMiles, dual-earning on Hyatt stays and spending on American Airlines credit cards to earn Loyalty Points.
Though you might think I should be a free agent, earning at least AAdvantage Platinum Pro status is important to me for its Oneworld Emerald status and the lounge access it provides. My love for lounges like Japan Airlines' First Class Lounge at Tokyo Narita, Malaysia Airlines First Class Golden Lounge Satellite in Kuala Lumpur and Cathay Pacific's The Pier First Class Lounge in Hong Kong and my ability to visit each of these lounges several times each year means I'm willing to jump through the hoops and forgo better earning through other shopping portals and credit cards to keep Platinum Pro status or higher — at least until I shift my loyalty to another Oneworld program.
Related: Last-minute strategies for earning American AAdvantage elite status
Asiana Club: Requalify for Diamond
In December 2017, my husband and I started the 24-month qualification period to earn Asiana Airlines status. By the end of January 2018, we'd each earned Asiana Club Diamond status.
Since Asiana Club gives you 24 months to qualify for status and then lets you keep your status for 24 months once your qualification period ends, we each earned Diamond status through December 2021.
While you initially need 40,000 tier miles to qualify for Diamond status, you only need 30,000 tier miles to requalify for it. We made minimal progress toward requalifying for Asiana Diamond status during the January 2020 through December 2021 qualification period, but Asiana quietly extended our status and qualification period by a year. We easily earned the required tier miles in 2022 by taking a few paid premium economy and business class round-trip itineraries on Star Alliance carriers.
Our current qualification period to retain Diamond status started on Jan. 1, 2023, and will continue through Dec. 31, 2024. I've only earned 2,813 tier miles so far, but lucrative earning rates on partner premium cabin fares should make it feasible to earn the 30,000 tier miles we need to requalify for Diamond status by the end of 2024.
However, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines plan to merge. Therefore, it's unclear how such a merger will affect our elite status and requalification plans.
Related: Which mileage program is best for getting Star Alliance status quickly?
Malaysia Airlines Enrich: No plans to requalify
In early 2019, I earned Oneworld Sapphire status for less than $500 through a Malaysia Airlines promotion. Having Oneworld Sapphire status as a Malaysia Enrich Gold member has allowed me to enjoy Admirals Club access and Flagship Lounge access when flying American Airlines domestically.
However, after two sets of elite status extensions and purchasing Enrich miles to extend my status in late 2022, my Enrich Gold status will expire March 31, 2024. I don't plan to earn status again with Malaysia Airlines unless the program offers another excellent promotion.
My husband will earn at least Oneworld Sapphire status with British Airways Executive Club in February 2024. So we'll seamlessly switch from using my Malaysia Enrich status to his British Airways status to enjoy Admirals Club access and Flagship Lounge access while flying American together domestically.
Related: Elite status vs. miles: How to make the most of Oneworld partner tickets
Marriott Bonvoy: Requalify for at least Platinum Elite
In 2021, I earned Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite status for the first time. I requalified for Titanium Elite status in 2022, and I'll requalify for Titanium Elite status this year.
However, I only strive to qualify for Marriott Platinum Elite status each year. After all, the only tangible perks that Titanium Elite status provides over Platinum Elite status are increased earnings on paid stays, United Silver status and a 75-night annual Choice Benefit.
Of course, these perks are valuable. However, my husband and I want to earn at least Platinum Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy each year as we each progress toward higher tiers of lifetime Marriott Bonvoy status. We get significant value from Platinum Elite perks, including guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout at most properties, lounge access at most brands with lounges and the option to choose complimentary breakfast at many Marriott brands.
So, we ensure we both get the 50 elite nights required for Platinum Elite status each calendar year (which is easy since we each earn 30 elite night credits from our Marriott Bonvoy cards). Then, we put the next 25 nights toward his account to earn Titanium Elite since he doesn't have a United credit card that provides extra award availability (and United Silver status provides this benefit). And then we put the next 25 nights toward my account to earn Titanium Elite status if we have remaining nights before the end of the year.
You may wonder why we don't just put all our stays toward one of our accounts to earn Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador. Since we redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for many of our stays to get a fifth night free, we wouldn't even come close to reaching the spending requirements for Ambassador.
Related: Last-minute strategies for Marriott elite status
World of Hyatt: Requalify for Globalist
Until 2021, I'd ignored World of Hyatt. Discoverist and Explorist status didn't provide enough perks to justify staying with Hyatt over programs where we had mid-to-high levels of elite status. So, I never wanted to get minimal perks while staying with Hyatt for 60 nights to earn Hyatt Globalist status.
However, thanks to World of Hyatt promotions and decreased elite requirements amid the coronavirus pandemic, I qualified for Globalist status in 2021. I initially figured I wouldn't continue to qualify for Globalist status in subsequent years. After all, 60 nights is a lot, considering Hyatt's small footprint and the absence of budget-friendly Hyatt options in many markets.
However, World of Hyatt now had a solid place in my hotel elite strategy plan, partly because it has opted to maintain award charts. In particular, I appreciate the value I can get at many Category 1 Hyatt properties. I've also gotten great value from World of Hyatt Globalist perks, ranging from impressive upgrades to waived parking fees on award nights. I also appreciate that most Hyatt hotels provide Globalist perks like breakfast and 4 p.m. late checkout.
I get five qualifying night credits each year from my World of Hyatt Credit Card. This card also offers two qualifying night credits for every $5,000 I spend each calendar year. So, I aim to spend $15,000 on my Hyatt card each year to earn an extra free night at any Category 1 through 4 Hyatt hotel or resort and six extra qualifying night credits. After accounting for the qualifying night credits I earn with my card, I need to spend 49 nights with Hyatt each year to maintain Globalist status.
Related: Last-minute strategies for earning World of Hyatt elite status
IHG One Rewards: Requalify for Platinum Elite
My husband and I both earned IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite status through a lucrative status challenge in 2022. But IHG's top-tier Diamond Elite status usually requires 70 qualified nights or 120,000 qualified points in a calendar year. So, it's infeasible for us to both continue to qualify for Diamond Elite status each year.
He reached 40 qualifying nights in late 2022 and selected an annual lounge membership as one of his 40-night milestone rewards that's valid through the end of 2024. We enjoy getting a choice of breakfast as a Diamond Elite welcome amenity, and we've enjoyed using his lounge membership in Australia, Singapore and Colombia.
Especially now that we can transfer IHG points without a fee between our accounts, we'll use his account for most of our IHG stays in 2024 to requalify him for Diamond Elite status, use his annual lounge membership and earn another annual lounge membership. But, even once my Diamond Elite status expires at the end of 2024, I'll still get Platinum Elite status as a perk of my IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card for when I stay on my own.
Related: Last-minute strategies for earning IHG One Rewards elite status
Other status levels I'll earn
Finally, there are several other hotel elite statuses that I plan to earn or maintain through partnerships and card benefits, including:
- Hilton Honors Diamond: Maintain as a cardmember perk of the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
- Wyndham Rewards Diamond: I'll likely sign up for the Wyndham Rewards Earner? Business Card, which offers Diamond status as a cardholder perk. Then, I can match this earned Wyndham status to Caesars Diamond status.
- Best Western Rewards Gold: Maintain as an AARP and AAA benefit.
The information for the Hilton Aspire Card and Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If I requalify for Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite status in 2024, I'll also keep United MileagePlus Silver status via the RewardsPlus partnership between Marriott and United.
Related: Is hotel elite status worth it anymore?
Bottom line
It's not easy to make elite status requalification plans before your requalification period even starts. After all, a program could completely change its elite requirements or tweak earning rates for the partner airline you're flying or the hotel brand you're staying at. Or one of your go-to hotels could exit the program, as happened with the former Marriott hotel I enjoyed staying at in South Africa.
But one of the best ways to travel for less is to book refundable flights and hotels far in advance and periodically check for price drops. So, you may want to make a loose plan of what you want to qualify for in 2024 and book accordingly. As long as your bookings are freely refundable, you can change your plans if a program increases its requirements or devalues its rewards.