Oneworld News: Alaska Airlines announces benefits; American Airlines upgrades Platinum Pro to Emerald; Qatar Airways and Alaska Airlines strike partnership

There has been a lot happening on the front of integrating Alaska Airlines into oneworld in the coming months. Alaska Airlines is set to join oneworld on March 31, 2021, and the announcements about how Alaska Airlines will be integrated have started to come in.

Alaska Airlines Announces oneworld benefits.

With Alaska Airlines’ membership in oneworld less than four months away, both companies announced today that Alaska’s elite Mileage Plan members would receive matching oneworld tier status in the global alliance:

  • MVP Gold 75K = oneworld Emerald
  • MVP Gold = oneworld Sapphire
  • MVP = oneworld Ruby

a group of airplanes with faces on the tail fin

Many of the benefits elite flyers currently enjoy on Alaska with their status will carry over to the oneworld tiers when they travel on any of the 13 global oneworld member airlines. This means they’ll be able to take advantage of privileges including priority check-in, access to international first and business class lounges, preferred boarding, fast track through security, baggage benefits and more.

Alaska will be the 14th full member of oneworld. The current 13 full members of the alliance are American Airlines; British Airways; Cathay Pacific; Finnair; Iberia; Japan Airlines; Malaysia Airlines; Qantas; Qatar Airways; Royal Air Maroc; Royal Jordanian; S7 Airlines and SriLankan Airlines. Fiji Airways is an oneworld connect partner.


American Airlines Upgrades Platinum Pro to Emerald Status

In 2017, American Airlines had launched a new status between Platinum and Executive Platinum, called Platinum Pro. This status needs 75K Elite Tier Miles earned, but 20% less for 2021. The new status offered unlimited complimentary domestic upgrades flying around the USA, and generally higher priority over Platinum members. However, this status was perched at oneworld Sapphire rather than Emerald so far.

Starting in early 2021, Platinum Pro members will also receive oneworld Emerald status with the oneworld Alliance. Members will enjoy additional perks such as first-class priority check-in, access to first and business class lounges, fast track at select security lanes, higher priority for waitlists and standby, priority boarding and priority baggage handling when they travel on oneworld partner airlines.

This is overall great news for AAdvantage Platinum Pro members as they will now be getting better perks, including access to international oneworld First Class Lounges during their travels, which should get them better customer service and experience as well.


Qatar Airways partners with Alaska Airlines on frequent flyer programmes

Qatar Airways and Alaska Airlines are going to go ahead and launch a frequent-flyer partnership this month (December 2020) itself rather than wait for the entry of Alaska Airlines in oneworld next year.

tail fin of a plane with a face on the tail

From December 15, 2020, Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Alaska Mileage Plan members will be able to earn frequent flyer miles on the networks of each other. On joining in the oneworld alliance from March 31, 2021, members will also be able to redeem frequent flyer miles on both carriers’ full networks, and elite status perks including lounge access. The two airlines are also working closely on developing a codeshare agreement and commercial cooperation in line with the U.S. carrier joining oneworld on March 31, 2021.


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About Ajay

Ajay Awtaney is the Founder and Editor of Live From A Lounge (LFAL), a pioneering digital platform renowned for publishing news and views about aviation, hotels, passenger experience, loyalty programs, travel trends and frequent travel tips for the Global Indian. He is considered the Indian authority on business travel, luxury travel, frequent flyer miles, loyalty credit cards and travel for Indians around the globe. Ajay is a frequent contributor and commentator on the media as well, including ET Now, BBC, CNBC TV18, NDTV, Conde Nast Traveller and many other outlets.

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