These Credit Cards Come With Status

When it comes to selecting an airline cobranded credit card, there are hundreds of options out there, many of which offer incredible benefits while others are likely not worth the hefty annual fees they come along with. Often, the most valuable cobranded cards are those that come from foreign airlines, which leverage a comprehensive package of benefits to convince consumers that they should open a credit card tied to a foreign airline’s loyalty program.
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That being said, not all international airline cobranded credit cards are built the same, with some offering a far better value for others. While the most expensive credit cards will come along with lounge access at an annual fee of over $500, some international cards come along with the best benefit of all: automatic elite status on an airline.
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With elite status (which extends beyond just the airline in question as it brings elite benefits when traveling on any alliance airline), one can access lounges across the globe, receive premium upgrades, and use amenities that would otherwise be inaccessible. As a result, credit cards which come along with their own elite status have made waves in the United States, with many consumers eager to capitalize on their impressive suite of flight benefits and award potential. Let’s take a deeper look at the exact cards that offer elite status in the United States.
Two foreign legacy carriers currently have the most appealing products on the market
In the past year, two foreign airlines have capitalized on exactly the opportunity discussed above, launching new credit cards to the US market that offer automatic elite status. Despite having a similar principle, these two cards do work a little differently, with different benefits on offer.
The Avianca Lifemiles American Express Card
In July 2023, South American legacy carrier Avianca partnered with both American Express and financial technology firm Cardless, which was founded by a pair of Stanford graduates, to offer a pair of new credit cards to the US market. With its award-winning Lifemiles loyalty program, the carrier is seeking to expand its offerings to better capture a sector of US consumers.
Photo: Cardless
The Avianca American Express card comes along with several unique benefits, including a generous award schedule and dozens of flight benefits, all for the extremely low annual fee of just $99. Furthermore, the card comes along with a healthy welcome bonus, which offers 40,000 bonus miles once a cardholder spends $3,000 on the card within the first 90 days of having an active account.
For this, the card’s primary selling point is automatic access to silver status on the airline, which also comes along with Star Alliance silver status. The carrier goes a step further, offering this status not as just an initial benefit, but one that renews every year the card is active, according to the airline’s website. The card cites four principal benefits of having silver status:
Lounge access
Premium seat selection
Additional checked bags
Complementary priority boarding
The Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa credit cards
Middle Eastern superconnector Qatar Airways has also been quick to offer two premium credit cards in the US market, each of which offers its own slate of benefits. The first of these two cards, the Qatar Visa Signature Card, comes along with an annual fee of just $99 and also provides silver status with the airline. This implies automatic Oneworld Ruby status, which allows for some mild benefits like access to priority check-in and early boarding.
Photo: Qatar Airways
The more interesting of the two cards on offer from Qatar is the Privilege Club Infinite Card, which comes along with gold status on the airline. This implies Oneworld Sapphire status, which is far more lucrative as it provides access to business-class lounges throughout the alliance’s international network.
However, there are some downsides to consider, as the Visa Infinite Card comes along with a hefty annual fee of $500, which is around what you would expect to pay for a lounge access credit card in the United States. Furthermore, these elite status benefits are only offered during the first year and must be maintained thereafter, according to the company’s website.
Other cards with elite status benefits
Most of the other credit cards within the industry, especially those within the United States, do not come along with elite status on their own but rather offer cardholders a jumpstart opportunity to make it easier to earn. Cards like the JetBlue Plus Card make it much easier for passengers to earn Mosaic elite status, rewarding them with qualifying points for each purchase. Other low-cost carriers, some of which do not even offer elite status benefits, provide key perks through their cobranded credit cards that mimic what others offer through status.
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Legacy carriers also offer elite status boosts and pathways forward for those looking to earn status through spending. Examples of such cards include the Delta American Express Platinum and Reserve Cards, which offer passengers Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) for every eligible purchase that they make. Other airlines like United do the same, with passengers earning Premier Qualifying points from every purchase made on all of their fee-paying cobranded credit cards.
Across the board, elite status has to be earned either by flying or by excessive expenses on fee-paying credit cards. Those that come along with elite status are a relatively new development and are still an oddity within the industry.