15 airlines that allow travelers to put elite status on hold
Editor's Note
Whether it's becoming a parent, an unexpected illness or any number of factors, frequent flyers sometimes suddenly become infrequent ones.
If circumstances find you grounded for an extended period, you may be concerned about the potential threat to your elite status. Some airlines are sensitive to the hectic adjustment phase of becoming a parent, acknowledge medical issues and show their commitment to longer-term loyalty by having elite hold policies in place.
For parents who are expanding their family further or have been grounded by illness, we've compiled a guide of 15 airlines with elite status hold policies.
Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus AerClub members who have Silver, Platinum or Concierge status can apply for their status to be extended due to serious illness or the birth or adoption of a child. Status can be extended for the duration of your maternity leave for birth or adoption. For an illness, you must have a letter from your doctor confirming your inability to fly for a minimum of 16 weeks.
To qualify, you must upload documentation from your doctor (or a birth certificate or adoption papers) to the Aer Lingus contact form. Aer Lingus will grant up to two extensions in a five-year period.
Full details are available on the AerClub FAQ page.
American Airlines
While American Airlines does not have a formal status hold policy for pregnancy or parental leave, I contacted the airline and received the following statement.
"We understand our members go through major life events that may impact their travel schedules," the spokesperson said, "and we ask that they reach out to us when this happens. We review them with our members individually and on a case-by-case basis."
Air France and KLM
As part of the company's Flying Blue Family program, new parents can put their elite status on hold.
If you are a Silver, Gold, Platinum or Ultimate member and find your status level drops to a lower tier during medical, maternity, paternity or adoption leave, you can request to maintain your former level. To do so, you'll need to send a customer service request to Air France-KLM Flying Blue via the program's contact form.
Related: Flying Blue adds discounted award tickets for kids, other family-friendly benefits
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines MVP, MVP Gold and MVP Gold 75K elite members who are new parents can put their status on hold for one year during pregnancy and parental leave thanks to Alaska's Elite Leave program.
To request a pause to your status, email Alaska Airlines at [email protected] with your full name, date of birth, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan number and proof of pregnancy or parental leave, such as a note from your employer or doctor. Qualifying types of parental leave include maternity, paternity and adoption leave.
Once your year has passed, you'll be able to pick up where you left off and continue working to requalify. However, keep in mind that those who earned elite status as a gift or status match will not be eligible.
United Airlines
While United doesn't have a published policy available online, we contacted the airline and received the following statement.
"We understand that each of our MileagePlus members has different circumstances, and it is our goal to work with members and offer extensions where appropriate," a United spokesperson said. "As such, we have equipped our agents to offer status extensions for maternity/paternity leave."
This is consistent with the experience reported by Summer Hull, a director of content at TPG. She reached out to United after welcoming her second daughter to the family, and the airline extended her United MileagePlus Premier Platinum status through the following year.
Delta Air Lines
Delta SkyMiles has a program called "Reclaim My Status," and anyone who has had their SkyMiles elite status level drop or disappear due to a major life event — like welcoming a baby, a job change, an illness, etc. — can apply to have their status reinstated.
Those who qualify will be given complimentary elite status for three months and must travel a set amount on Delta during that time frame to extend the elite status. You may have to submit supporting documentation of your claim. Be sure you are ready to start traveling again before submitting the request.
Related: Delta's 'Reclaim My Status' program: How to earn back your elite status after a life event
Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian offers an elite status extension program that allows you to keep your Pualani elite status for one year after a qualified medical event. A medical event includes parental leave or a medical condition lasting 12 weeks or longer that prohibits you from flying.
To receive a status extension, simply submit a request. Upon verification of your eligibility, Hawaiian will extend your elite status for one program year.
As with many programs, those with complementarily elite status, including gifted and matched status, are not eligible for an elite status extension.
Iberia
The Iberia Plus loyalty program has an initiative that extends the validity of Iberia Plus elite status for parents on maternity or paternity leave who cannot maintain enough flying to earn or retain elite status.
You can extend elite status for 12 months after welcoming a child to the family by emailing a copy of a medical report, maternity leave certificate or court ruling in the case of adoption, guardianship or fostering to [email protected]. In order for the other parent to be eligible for renewal of their current Iberia Plus level, at least eight weeks of leave must have been taken within the period of validity of the level. The level will not be extended until the established leave has been taken.
This benefit does not apply to status obtained via criteria other than the standard program criteria and cannot be used in two consecutive periods.
Aegean Airlines
Aegean's Silver and Gold elite members can extend their elite status for one year from when the child is born until their first birthday. Elite members can continue enjoying their perks during the extension, though only one member can put their status on hold for one child at any time (so both parents can't simultaneously put their status on hold for the same kid).
To apply for this perk, use the airline's contact form and select "email." In the category field, select "Miles+Bonus," then "My Status" for the category and attach the required proof documents:
- Mother: birth certificate
- Father: birth certificate and proof of paternity leave
Aegean also has a family-friendly mileage pooling program for when it comes time to redeem those miles.
Qantas
Qantas has "Status Hold," a family-friendly benefit that allows eligible Silver, Gold, Platinum and Platinum One members to put their status on hold for up to 18 months.
Status Hold is offered to parents who take at least six consecutive months of parental leave from paid employment to spend time with their growing family. Qantas recognizes that six months of leave is extremely unusual in the U.S. If your parental leave is less than six months, contact the Frequent Flyer Service Centre to discuss eligibility options.
The cool thing about this generous offer is that you can still earn Qantas points and status credits as you usually would during this time. You'll still enjoy lounge access, too.
This offer is also extended to foster and adoptive parents. Eligibility is determined through an application, requiring members to provide supporting documentation from a doctor confirming pregnancy or a child's birth certificate, plus a letter from the employer confirming a parental leave of at least six consecutive months. Eligible members are limited to a maximum of two approved Status Hold applications within a five-year period.
Air Canada
With Air Canada's "Altitude Status Extension" program, parents can extend their elite status benefits for at least 12 months.
Qualifying is straightforward: Parents can simply email proof of parental leave from their employer, the child's birth certificate and proof of adoption or fostering to [email protected].
British Airways
British Airways has a policy that allows Bronze, Silver and Gold Executive Club members to put their status on hold during maternity, paternity or adoption leave.
New parents interested in this status hold should email all supporting documentation, which includes a letter from a doctor or the new baby's birth certificate (or documents related to adoption) to [email protected] along with your full name and British Airways Executive Club number. As an added perk, British Airways will even award your baby 1,000 Avios to start when you enroll them into your Household Account.
Keep in mind that this courtesy is limited to a maximum of two approved holds per Executive Club elite member every five years.
Virgin Australia
Virgin Australia offers a very generous "Membership Pause" where Platinum, Gold and Silver members who wish to spend time caring for (or preparing for) a child under the age of 2 to join their family (including adoption) may apply to have their membership account paused for six months to maintain their elite status when they're ready to start flying again.
Both parents can apply for a six-month membership pause until the child reaches age 2. Apply via the membership contact center.
Though no formal documents seem to be required, approval is at the airline's discretion. Verification may need to be provided if asked.
Virgin Atlantic
In order to extend your status, Virgin Atlantic encourages parents who are expecting a little one via birth or adoption to get in touch with its customer care center at [email protected] with your name, membership number and birth or adoption certificate.
All members requesting a status extension will need to send a separate request.
Bottom line
Family-friendly policies, such as elite status holds, not only promote longer-term loyalty through goodwill but also show that airlines understand the importance of family. We hope to see more airlines develop similar policies.
The good news is that even carriers without formal policies will typically evaluate requests on a case-by-case basis and may accommodate requests for nonparental reasons, too.
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