I have the Hilton Surpass but are there any other credit cards out there that you can gain elite status with through spending? Thanks for any response!

You can get SPG Gold through the SPG Amex.

Delta Platinum and Reserve Amex cards get you MQM bonuses when spending thresholds are met:

Platinum: 10k MQM at $25k spend in a calendar year; another 10k MQM at $50k spend in a calendar year

Reserve: 15k MQM at $30k spend in a calendar year; another 15k MQM at $60k spend in a calendar year

[As an aside, the non-Surpass no-fee Hilton Amex gets you Silver Status automatically, and Gold status after $20k spend in a calendar year.]

Also forgot: the Amex Platinum Charge card gets you a bunch of elite status, including SPG Gold and Hertz Gold (no spend required).

Amex Centurion card gets you second-from-top elite status on three or four carriers, including PM on DL. This is a by-invitation/recommendation-only card.

At present, AA awards lifetime gold or platinum status to members who reach 1mm or 2mm program miles, respectfully. You could in theory reach this requirement entirely through cc spend (or any source of miles) as at least one somewhat frequent poster here has done. Several people have strategies to get three Citi-AA cards at once which at present appear to net 75k each (225k in total). With these cards and some concentrated spend, you could reach lifetime elite status. (AA has made motions indicating that the "any source of miles" rules may be tightened in the future - but the head of their program said in a milepoint.com roundtable that existing million milers would be grandfathered.)


Amex Platinum is offering status on CX to cardholders from [Australia] at present.

You can also earn status with just credit card spending on Chase Priority Club

Quick question about the SPG and Hertz Gold with the Amex Plat... is there anything I need to do to "get" that status? Does the reservation have to be booked on the Amex? Can I book on another card and just show the Amex when I check in/pick up?

The new UACO cards give you essentially low-level elite benefits (free bags, priority check in and boarding, etc) just for having it.

The Continental Presidential Plus earns 1000 "Flex EQM" for every $5000 spend, unlimited per year. If you spend the $350k, you can be Platinum (but no higher)

You have to spend $30k in a year to get SPG Gold. Otherwise you automatically get Preferred Plus, which has the same benefits as Gold (upgrades, 4pm checkout etc.) but without the bonus 2x points.