In August 2025, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines officially merged their loyalty programs into a single platform: Atmos Rewards. This new program replaces Alaska’s Mileage Plan and HawaiianMiles and creates a unified system for earning and redeeming rewards and for achieving elite status.
The elite status program under Atmos Rewards introduces four tiers — Silver, Gold, Platinum and Titanium — each designed to provide enhanced travel benefits across the combined Alaska-Hawaiian network and the Oneworld alliance.
What sets Atmos’ elite status apart? Unlike many programs, it offers three qualification methods: you can choose to earn based on distance flown, dollars spent or flight segments. Elite members enjoy perks such as priority boarding, complimentary upgrades, lounge access (including Oneworld partners), bonus points and milestone rewards.
If you were previously an Alaska or Hawaiian elite member, your status transitioned into the new Atmos program automatically, with a comparable tier match. Now, travelers have a single streamlined path to top-tier perks across both airlines and their partners worldwide.
In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about Atmos Rewards elite status in 2025 and 2026.
Atmos elite status is the airline’s loyalty program that rewards frequent travelers with benefits like complimentary upgrades, extra baggage allowance, bonus points, priority services and exclusive lounge access.
The program consists of four elite tiers: Silver, Gold, Platinum and Titanium. Each tier unlocks progressively better perks, from priority boarding to premium cabin upgrades and dedicated support services.
Once you achieve a tier, your status is valid through December 31 of the following year.
For loyal customers who have stuck with Atmos over the long haul, the airline offers lifetime elite tiers based on total lifetime flight miles:
Atmos offers four tiers of elite status:
As an Atmos status holder, you’re also entitled to select benefits on Hawaiian and American Airlines-operated flights, which you can learn more about here.
Atmos introduces status points as the metric for qualification. You can choose how to earn:
You select your earning method once per calendar year.
The miles you earn through partner airlines also counts toward qualification.
One of the most exciting features of the new Atmos Rewards program is the ability to earn Elite Qualifying Points (EQPs) without stepping on a plane. If you hold the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® or the Atmos™ Rewards Visa® Business card, you’ll earn EQPs for everyday purchases. Starting in 2026, you can expect the following:
That means spending $100,000 annually on either card can unlock Atmos Silver status without a single flight — or get you most of the way to Gold.
However, if you’re truly interested in using your credit card to qualify for Atmos elite status, we recommend the Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card.
With this card, you’ll earn 1 EQP for every $2 spent, with no earning cap. You also receive 10,000 status points every card anniversary. That means:
This makes the Summit Card the fastest credit card path to airline elite status in the industry.
In addition to EQP earnings, Atmos cobranded cards come with bonus points on Atmos purchases, free checked bags and priority boarding, even if you haven’t reached elite status yet.
Atmos offers milestone bonuses similar to other premium programs. As you earn more status points, you unlock extra rewards like bonus points, Wi-Fi passes, upgrade certificates or the ability to gift status.
Examples:
If you take long-haul flights, distance-based earning makes sense. If you fly premium cabins, spend-based may be more rewarding. Regional commuters might prefer segment-based earnings. Remember, with the Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card, you’ll earn 1 EQP for every $2 spent and also receive 10,000 status points every card anniversary.
Higher-tier members receive upgrades sooner. Flying off-peak and booking early boosts your chances. Titanium members will enjoy free global upgrades starting in 2026.
Gold and above unlock global lounge access and priority services with British Airways, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific and other Oneworld partners.
Elite members enjoy priority services that save time and reduce stress during travel, including expedited check-in, security screening, boarding and baggage handling.
Atmos elite members also enjoy Oneworld alliance benefits. Oneworld offers three elite tiers — Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald — with perks that extend across member airlines like British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Qantas and Qatar Airways.
Here’s a quick overview of the key benefits:
For frequent flyers, especially those loyal to Alaska and Hawaiian or traveling internationally via Oneworld partners, yes. The ability to earn status points on award flights, flexible earning options and top-tier perks like day-of-departure business upgrades make Atmos one of the most attractive US-based programs.
If you’re an occasional traveler, elite status may be harder to justify, though cobranded credit cards and milestone rewards can bridge the gap.
Atmos Rewards is a major evolution in loyalty programs. It brings flexibility, strong global benefits and exciting new perks for elite travelers. With multiple ways to earn status, enhanced upgrades and Oneworld access, it stands out as one of the most rewarding programs for both domestic and international flyers.
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