How to earn last-minute airline elite status — and whether or not it’s worth it

We’re nearing the finish line for people to earn airline elite status. As the calendar rockets toward Dec. 31 (most programs’ cutoff for this year’s elite-eligible activity), the options narrow for travelers trying to decide if they will make it to the next elite tier.

Just about all the emails we get from our readers about this subject involve similar questions: How can I earn the final necessary miles, flights or dollars toward status? How can I earn status without flying more this year, and is airline elite status even worth it?

Here’s some advice for common end-of-year status dilemmas with the major U.S. airlines.

Related: 5 things I’d tell my younger self about airline status

How to earn last-minute elite status with American Airlines

Here are the criteria for earning American Airlines status via its Loyalty Points system during the current qualification period (March 1, 2025, through Feb. 28, 2026):

• AAdvantage Gold: 40,000 Loyalty Points
• AAdvantage Platinum: 75,000 Loyalty Points
• AAdvantage Platinum Pro: 125,000 Loyalty Points
• AAdvantage Executive Platinum: 200,000 Loyalty Points

American’s elite qualification period runs from March 1 through Feb. 28 of the following year (or Feb. 29 during a leap year). If you achieve elite status during the qualification period, your status will be valid from the day it is earned through the following March 31. So, if you earn American Airlines AAdvantage status by Feb. 28, 2026, you’ll keep status through March 31, 2027.

Last-minute strategies to earn or retain American elite status

You can earn Loyalty Points when you fly American and most of its partners. However, there are also many ways to earn Loyalty Points besides flying, such as:

• Spending on American Airlines credit cards to earn 1 Loyalty Point per dollar spent (regardless of bonus categories)
• Clicking through the AAdvantage eShopping portal before making purchases online
• Enrolling in SimplyMiles offers before you shop with select merchants

Loyalty Points must be posted to your account by the end of February to count toward your current qualification period. Given that many other major airlines end their qualification periods Dec. 31, you have some extra time to earn or requalify here.

Loyalty Points are typically posted to your account based on the flight or transaction date. However, Loyalty Points from credit card spending are based on the date the activity hits your AAdvantage account — which usually happens on (or shortly after) your statement closing date. As a result, it’s important to complete your spending before your February statement closes.

Related: Here are some last-minute strategies for earning American AAdvantage elite status

How to earn last-minute elite status with Delta Air Lines

These are the criteria to earn Delta Air Lines elite status during the current qualification period, which runs from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31:

• Silver Medallion: 5,000 Medallion Qualification Dollars
• Gold Medallion: 10,000 MQDs
• Platinum Medallion: 15,000 MQDs
• Diamond Medallion: 28,000 MQDs

If you earn the required MQDs for your desired status tier by Dec. 31, 2025, you’ll keep your status through Jan. 31, 2027.

Last-minute strategies to earn or retain Delta elite status

If you’re looking to top up your MQDs by Dec. 31, here are some options:

• Spend on a Delta cobranded credit card: You can earn bonus MQDs on everyday spending with the right Delta credit card. There is no limit to how many MQDs you can earn from spending on the cards, which is handy if you need to top up your MQDs before the end of the year. Delta also provides a MQD head start of 2,500 MQDs per eligible card type each Medallion year for select Delta credit card holders.
• Book a flight: You can earn on flights, whether you redeem Delta SkyMiles for a Delta-operated flight (at a rate of 1 MQD per 100 Delta SkyMiles redeemed) or spend cash to fly on Delta or one of its partners.

However, remember that the MQDs must be posted to your account this year to count for elite status qualification for the 2026 status year. So, especially if you’re looking to earn MQDs by spending on your Delta card, make sure your spending is on a statement that will be issued before the end of the year.

Related: Last-minute strategies for earning Delta Medallion elite status

How to earn last-minute elite status with United Airlines

Each United Airlines elite level has two pathways to status: achieving status through a combination of Premier qualifying flights and a certain number of Premier qualifying points, or earning status by meeting a specific PQP threshold.

Here are the current requirements for earning United elite status during the current qualification year, which runs from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31:

• Premier Silver: 5,000 PQPs and 15 PQFs, or 6,000 PQPs
• Premier Gold: 10,000 PQPs and 30 PQFs, or 12,000 PQPs
• Premier Platinum: 15,000 PQPs and 45 PQFs, or 18,000 PQPs
• Premier 1K: 22,000 PQPs and 60 PQFs, or 28,000 PQPs

Once you earn United elite status, you’ll keep your status for the remainder of the current year in which it was earned, the following year and through Jan. 31 of the following year. So, if you qualify for elite status with United in November 2025, you’ll keep your status through Jan. 31, 2027.

Last-minute strategies to earn or retain United elite status

If you need additional United PQFs, you must squeeze in more flights before the calendar turns to Jan. 1, 2026.

Luckily, distance doesn’t matter for PQFs. When earning PQFs, you can take the shortest flights you can find. However, to earn PQFs, your flight cannot be an award flight, can’t be booked in United basic economy and must be credited to United MileagePlus. You won’t earn PQFs or PQPs when flying on select MileagePlus partner airlines, so double-check eligibility if you aren’t flying on United or a Star Alliance partner.

Here are some ideas for earning more PQPs before the end of the year:

• Book a paid United or United Express flight: Flights operated by United and United Express typically earn 1 PQP per dollar spent on base airfare and carrier-imposed surcharges (excluding taxes).
• Book an eligible paid partner flight: Most flights operated by a Star Alliance partner airline earn PQPs based on the fare class, flight distance and airline.
• Buy Economy Plus or preferred seats: You can earn PQPs when you buy Economy Plus subscriptions and one-time seat reservations (excluding taxes and fees).
• Spend on select cobranded United credit cards

Keep in mind that PQPs from flights don’t post until you fly. So, if you earn more PQPs from flying, the flight(s) have to happen this year.

Related: Last-minute strategies for earning United Premier elite status

Earning elite status with a status match

If your elite status expires in 2025 and it is unlikely you will requalify, even using the above strategies, you might consider applying for a status match with another airline.

A status match typically allows you to obtain a similar or lower-tier status with a new airline based on your current standing with a competitor’s loyalty program. But why would airlines offer such a generous opportunity?

When a traveler has demonstrated strong loyalty to one airline and its rewards program, this can make them an appealing target for a competing airline. The traveler might be open to switching their loyalty if they’re dissatisfied with their current program or their circumstances have shifted — such as relocating from an American Airlines hub to an airport where United is the more dominant carrier.

Related: Complete guide to airline status matches and challenges

Earning elite status with the right credit card

Although no credit card currently available to new applicants provides automatic elite status with any of the major U.S. airlines listed in this guide, many allow cardholders to earn credits toward boosting their status — check out our explainer here.

Is it worth trying for last-minute elite status?

If you’re short a couple of flight segments or a few hundred dollars, it may be worth the investment to close the gap toward elite status and get a year of benefits.

However, if you still need hundreds — or thousands — of dollars in incremental costs to close the gap, the equation quickly shifts to potentially not being worth it. Factor in the time additional flights will take if you need to fly, and be very honest with yourself about how much the elite status perks will benefit you.

If you will spend more than a few hours or a few hundred dollars at this point in the year chasing airline status, really gut check yourself on the true value you’ll get.

Bottom line

Airline elite status can still be worth it, but time is running out for you to close the gap to status this year. Depending on your exact situation, you may need to spend some money, book and take some additional flights, or do both in the quest to have the perks you want next year.

As a last resort, if a status match doesn’t suit you, remember that sometimes airlines offer a way to buy your status back after the year has ended. It is also free to ask an airline for a one-time bump if you came close but missed earning status. Neither of those methods is guaranteed to work, but they are worth considering if all other pathways to status have been exhausted.