Alaska Airlines MVP Gold 75K vs. MVP Gold 100K (Pros and Cons)

Alaska Airlines operates one of the most incredibly rewarding loyalty programs of any U.S. airline. The top two tiers of the Mileage Plan, MVP Gold 75K and MVP Gold 100K, offer amazing benefits.

Many Alaska Airlines passengers wonder if it’s really worth aiming for the highest tier, so we’re examining the benefits of each status, what sets MVP Gold 100K apart, and whether it’s really worth achieving this high-level status.

Requirements for MVP Gold 75K and MVP Gold 100K

Before you decide if Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100,000 is worth it, you need to look at what it takes to reach each level.

Alaska Airlines uses a metric of Elite Qualification MilesSo you only need to count the distance of each flight, not how much you spend, like with most airlines. Many Alaska Airlines elite members still use the almost defunct mileage run, where elite members try to find the cheapest ticket on the longest route and fly to earn extra miles toward status. If you have the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature^® Credit card, you can earn 4,000 elite qualifying miles for every $10,000 you spend in 2024, up to a total of 20,000 miles. You’ll have to make up the rest by flying.

MVP Gold 75K requires 75,000 miles flown with Alaska Airlines, Oneworld partners or other global partners, while MVP Gold 100K requires 100,000 miles. That 25,000 mile difference is not insignificant – that’s almost 5 round-trip flights coast to coast!

Differences between MVP Gold 75K and MVP Gold 100K

Increased mileage credit

Alaska Airlines offers 150% bonus miles for MVP Gold 100K members, while MVP Gold 75K level members only get a 100% bonus (starting in 2025). That extra 50% means that with MVP Gold 100K you earn more miles to use for travel on Alaska Airlines and its partner network.

Higher upgrade priority

While MVP Gold 75K and MVP Gold 100K elites can get an upgrade as early as 120 hours before the upgrade, MVP Gold 100K members have a higher upgrade priority. On busy flights where there are limited upgrades available, owning MVP Gold 100K can be handy to beat out lower-tier elites.

Hot tip:

Free snack in the main cabin

If you are an MVP Gold 100K and are seated in the Main Cabin, you are entitled to Free snack or meal to purchase on boarddepending on the flight length. MVP Gold 75K does not offer this advantage.

This benefit is especially useful on longer flights where fresh meals like Alaska Airlines’ signature cheese plate are offered. Alaska is known for its higher quality in-flight food selection, so you may only save a few dollars by not having to purchase a meal, but the savings can still add up.

100,000 selection advantage

Once you reach MVP Gold 100K, you can choose 1 100,000 electoral advantagewhich is probably one of the biggest differentiators compared to lower tariffs.

You can choose between:

• 50,000 bonus miles
• Alaska Lounge+ Membership
• Give away MVP Gold status
• Free WiFi
• Free CLEAR Plus membership

Of course, everyone values ​​different things, but The most valuable benefits are usually the bonus miles and lounge membership.

With 50,000 bonus miles, which we value at $800, you can almost buy a business class ticket to Europe, Asia or Oceania. The miles can also be used for upgrades or Alaska Airlines tickets, although they generally won’t earn you as much money.

A Lounge+ membership is worth $650 and gives you access to Alaska’s lounge network and partner lounges, including American Airlines Admirals Clubs and Qantas Clubs. If you fly Alaska Airlines frequently enough, this benefit can be useful.

Gifting MVP Gold status to a friend or family member is not particularly beneficial to the MVP Gold 100K member in and of itself, but it is a nice gesture to someone else to increase their status level.

Free Wi-Fi can certainly save you money, but Wi-Fi only costs $8 on every flight. If you have a valid T-Mobile plan, you can get free Wi-Fi anyway, so this benefit may not be beneficial for everyone.

Finally, the free CLEAR membership is probably the least valuable, as many major credit cards, including the Platinum Card^® from American Express, enjoy membership as a benefit (registration required).

When MVP Gold 100K is worth it

The MVP Gold 75K and MVP Gold 100K tiers are similar but offer some different benefits. Here are some reasons why you might want to consider the extra 25,000 miles to reach MVP Gold 100K:

• The 100,000 selection advantage can be very rewarding, especially when you consider the value of the 50,000 bonus miles or the $650 lounge membership. While it’s not worth flying just for those benefits, if you’re flying over the amount required for MVP Gold 75K and are relatively close to 100,000 miles, it’s probably worth taking the plunge.
• Upgrades are more numerous than MVP Gold 100K. Alaska Airlines has always been known as one of the more generous airlines when it comes to upgrades for elite members, and MVP Gold 100K makes it even easier, especially if you’re flying on a more popular route.
• As MVP Gold 100K collect more bonus miles with your regular flights. If you fly enough to travel over 75,000 miles per year, you’ll already be earning a lot of bonus miles, so earning 150% of those miles toward future travel can be incredibly rewarding.

Final thoughts

Alaska MVP Gold 100K requires 25,000 additional miles on top of the miles required for MVP Gold 75K. While this is still a significant amount of air travel, the additional 100,000 choice benefit, bonus miles and other perks can make it worthwhile, especially if your flights are cheaper. Alaska Airlines does not use a revenue-based system for its frequent flyer program, so the cheaper your tickets are, the more you will get out of your elite benefits.