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Gold 75K Via AS Business Credit Card Spending? (Signs Point to Yes)

Gold 75K Via AS Business Credit Card Spending? (Signs Point to Yes)

Old May 23, 2019, 4:36 pm
  #1  
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Gold 75K Via AS Business Credit Card Spending? (Signs Point to Yes)

Is it possible to get Gold 75k via spending a certain amount using the Alaska credit card?

I always believed the answer was No. However, my uncle, who owns a business, just realized that he's had Gold 75k for years (and still has it) despite rarely traveling on Alaska or its partners. (He didn't match status either since he didn't have an equivalent status anywhere.) He puts on about $50,000 dollars every month on the credit card from buying inventory giving him a balance of a couple million unused points. He has no idea how he got this status or for how long he's had it.

My only thought at this point is that considering how much he spends, this was an unadvertised perk (from BoA? Alaska?) from such high spend over the years.
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Old May 23, 2019, 5:34 pm
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Originally Posted by lion2k3
Is it possible to get Gold 75k via spending a certain amount using the Alaska credit card?

I always believed the answer was No. However, my uncle, who owns a business, just realized that he's had Gold 75k for years (and still has it) despite rarely traveling on Alaska or its partners. (He didn't match status either since he didn't have an equivalent status anywhere.) He puts on about $50,000 dollars every month on the credit card from buying inventory giving him a balance of a couple million unused points. He has no idea how he got this status or for how long he's had it.

My only thought at this point is that considering how much he spends, this was an unadvertised perk (from BoA? Alaska?) from such high spend over the years.
I don't think so - I know folks who put spend in that range on a BoA AS card and still need to fly to hit status levels. Maybe they travel in paid J/F with partners and get the COS bonus?
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Old May 23, 2019, 6:31 pm
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Maybe it's an unadvertised perk of the business card specifically? My dad runs his business through an AS BoA card as well. I don't know exactly what his spend is, since I don't have access to the biz finances, but it's probably also somewhere in the low-to-mid 5 figures per month. He only has MVP, but it is with zero EQM.
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Old May 23, 2019, 6:34 pm
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Lion2k3 - your uncle’s assumption is actually correct based on my own personal experience.
I never would have created a thread on this myself, but, I wanted to corroborate the story he told you.


I realize this is my first post here, but, I’ve read FT daily (or worse!) for the last 3-4 years.
Own a business in Portland that spends that or more on CCs, and travel around for fun and business constantly.

I resisted registering an account to avoid the chance I would spend EVEN more time here (!!!!) ... but here I am
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Old May 23, 2019, 8:19 pm
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Welcome to Flyertalk and the Alaska Airlines forum @WestCoastPDX ^
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Old May 24, 2019, 12:23 am
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Originally Posted by WestCoastPDX
Lion2k3 - your uncles assumption is actually correct based on my own personal experience.
I never would have created a thread on this myself, but, I wanted to corroborate the story he told you.


I realize this is my first post here, but, Ive read FT daily (or worse!) for the last 3-4 years.
Own a business in Portland that spends that or more on CCs, and travel around for fun and business constantly.

I resisted registering an account to avoid the chance I would spend EVEN more time here (!!!!) ... but here I am
Welcome to Flyertalk

Are you able to provide more details on the parameters to get 75K status via this route? (How much spend, timeframe, etc.). Thanks.
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Old May 24, 2019, 5:28 am
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@Beckoa thanks!
@halamadrid

To add some more substance/details:

I feel a little weird still talking about it. Alaska has been good to me, and I feel like giving away a little secret.. so, it’s with some hesitation I mention this.

For the last 5-6 years, I’ve been Gold with Alaska the normal way. BIS all the way.
I got to 75K in 2017 - barely, but all BIS either on AS or some paid J Intl on partners.
Status was nice, the bonus miles were nice, and I got more upgrades out of PDX. So, all good in 2018

Last year (2018) I status matched to DL and flew them mostly. (Why I feel a little bad talking about this for some reason) - just more for international trips and service to smaller cities in the US
Expected to drop down to MVP for 2019, as that is what I qualified for with BIS flying.

I was quite surprised in January to get an email from Alaska that I was 75k again for the coming year.
The email did not say my spend was the reason... but I strongly strongly assumed it was based on my spend.

--
My company spends a couple hundred thousand a month on various credit cards, and probably $500-$600k on the Alaska card annually?
Spend on that card has actually declined a bit, again as I've focused more on Chase UR/Amex MR and the bonuses there (see, I'm a good FTer!)

So, my assumption was it was based on spend. Now, I do arrange a lot of travel for my team out of my account. Using miles and cash.
It's possible they count that 'airfare spend influence??' but, I'm way less certain they care.

I read that co-branded cards are one of the easiest and most profitable ways the airlines make money...without the pesky issue of having to fly a plane around to generate income.
So, it generally makes sense that they would reward someone who spends an oversized amount with them each month.
That said, it does feel a little strange, hence why I never brought it up this year.


AS has been good to me.
When there is a route they fly non-stop, I general just book it and never look at other options - same for my team, I generally just pick AS and book up.
So, I’m a decently customer all around, but, I believe I’ve got 75k this year specifically because of fairly significant amounts of spend on CC.
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Old May 24, 2019, 8:38 am
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If this is true this is total BS. Once the spend element starts coming in its just a matter of time until the entire program goes that way.

Last edited by dayone; May 24, 2019 at 11:49 am Reason: Masked vulgarity.
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Old May 24, 2019, 8:43 am
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I would always assume that any loyalty program will find a way to target customers who they want and give them status.

This method of targeting seems a little strange but I'm not too surprised.
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Old May 24, 2019, 8:51 am
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Originally Posted by VegasGambler
I would always assume that any loyalty program will find a way to target customers who they want and give them status.

This method of targeting seems a little strange but I'm not too surprised.
Exactly. In fact, most programs' top tiers started as a double secret unpublished sort of status. I'm neither surprised nor disappointed to learn that AS may do the same.
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Old May 24, 2019, 9:45 am
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Originally Posted by jsguyrus
If this is true this is total bull s&$t. Once the spend element starts coming in its just a matter of time until the entire program goes that way.
I’m not sure I follow. The “spend element” in other programs is a minimum threshold to be met, but it doesn’t waive the requirement to earn EQMs.

This is more a recognition that if they’re literally making more profit off someone than they do off the typical 75K, maybe just extend them complimentary status. The status itself is actually less costly to AS than usual because the OP has lower BIS miles. It’s clearly an edge case; I wouldn’t read too much into it.
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Last edited by milypan; May 24, 2019 at 10:39 am
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Old May 24, 2019, 9:57 am
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If it takes that type of spend to get comped status, I am not too worried about dilution of the tier.
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Old May 24, 2019, 10:39 am
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Originally Posted by williwaw
If it takes that type of spend to get comped status, I am not too worried about dilution of the tier.
Exactly. The spend threshold for waiving DL Diamond MQD requirements is already viewed as practically unattainable, and it's "only" $250k annually.

Last edited by milypan; May 24, 2019 at 11:29 am Reason: Updated DL threshold
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Old May 24, 2019, 11:17 am
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Originally Posted by milypan
Exactly. The spend threshold for waiving DL Diamond MQD requirements is already viewed as practically unattainable, and it's "only" $225k annually.
I want to know who puts 1/4 mil a year on a single CC and yet flies so cheaply that they manage to get the miles without the spend.

Other than business expenses, I just don't see it being too likely. You bought the porsche on the card but you fly basic economy and are good with back row, middle seat?
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Old May 24, 2019, 11:25 am
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Originally Posted by Eastbay1K
Exactly. In fact, most programs' top tiers started as a double secret unpublished sort of status. I'm neither surprised nor disappointed to learn that AS may do the same.
Well this has to be triple secret as it seems some who have it don't really know about it or how it works.
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