Over the years, we have analyzed the elite status initiatives of the big three airline alliances. Today, we are taking a look at oneworld. With 13 full members and 535 million passengers carried at its peak, the alliance is one you're likely to come across most often. As such, here's a guide to elite status with the alliance, whose members include British Airways, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, and many more.

Three tiers

Unlike Star Alliance, which we covered in our previous edition, and SkyTeam, oneworld offers three elite tiers, eloquently named Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. Airlines usually map these over to bronze, silver, and gold in their own programs, although it varies across carriers, and there is no one standard.

Ruby members receive the following benefits with all member airlines:

• Access to business class check-in queues
• Priority waitlist places
• Access to preferred seats on planes*

*Each airline has its own policy for preferred seats and when they can be selected.

Ruby status also almost always provides priority boarding with a member airline, but this isn't guaranteed.

Additionally, benefits vary dramatically by airline. For example, American Airlines offers a free checked bag and advanced seat selection with oneworld Ruby. On the other end, British Airways only offers access to premium economy check-in desks (in London Heathrow) and seat selection seven days in advance.

Next step: Sapphire and Emerald

While Ruby already has some attractive benefits, things start to get particularly nice with Sapphire status. In addition to the Ruby perks, you will also get:

• Access to business class lounges
• Priority boarding, check-in, and baggage handling
• Extra luggage*

*While the extra luggage policy varies, it usually allows for one additional checked bag (although British Airways' handbag-only fares are excluded).

If you're looking for the best of the best only, oneworld's highest tier is where you want to aim. Emerald status comes with all the above perks and,

• Access to first class lounges
• Fast-track security, check-in lanes, and immigration (where available)
• First class check-in, early boarding, and advance seat selection

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oneworld's three-tier system means that more benefits are available and easy to reach. While Silver with Star Alliance comes with few guaranteed benefits, Ruby with oneworld and 'Elite' with SkyTeam provide a lot more bang for your buck if you routinely fly outside your home airline's base.

Variations per airline

As we've noted, airlines set their own policies for status holders and tend to privilege their own members over those of other airlines. American Airlines is a prime example of this since it only allows complimentary upgrades from its own AAdvantage program members. This means that even Emerald status holders of other carriers aren't eligible for free upgrades when flying.

Moreover, airlines often launch special promotions to incentivize their passengers. For instance, Qatar Airways now offers credit cards that come with elite status. The pair of the Doha-based carrier's cobranded credit cards offer up to 5,000 Avios alongside other elite status perks, including VISA Infinite concierge, luxury hotel, and rental car services.

Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Mr Thierry Antinori, shared the following about the credit card benefits in a statement last week:

“As the loyalty programme to a leader in the aviation industry, we strive to uphold the same level of dedication in providing our members with the best benefits across the globe. We are proud to be partnering with Cardless to introduce the first Qatar Airways Privilege Club Credit Cards in the U.S. market, which also includes being the first international airline loyalty programme to offer a Visa Infinite credit card."

Passengers in the United States have recently found another path to Elite status following Alaska Airlines's entry to oneworld. The Seattle-based operator became the 14th member of the alliance in March 2021 (S7 was suspended following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, bringing the number of members back down to 13), providing new opportunities for travelers west of the Atlantic.

The Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program has four elite status levels, and progress is measured via "elite qualifying miles." The carrier introduced its highest level, MVP Gold 100K, in 2022, giving qualifying passengers a higher chance of upgrades.

Alaska Airlines also allows frequent flyers to status match, enabling them to enjoy elite benefits with others while enjoying the perks they've accrued. The company notes that the following airlines are applicable for status matching with its program:

• Aeromexico
• Air Canada
• American Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Frontier Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• JetBlue
• Southwest Airlines
• United Airlines

Other oneworld members that provide status-matching opportunities include American Airlines and Royal Air Maroc. Royal Jordanian also announced earlier this year that it launched a oneworld Sapphire status match promotion.

Plenty on offer

All in all, oneworld guarantees a fixed set of privileges to all members, regardless of airline affiliation. So be sure to double-check which perks you want and which program offers them.

What do you think about oneworld's elite status tiers and benefits? Have you reached elite status through any of these initiatives over the years? Let us know what you think of these programs and their offerings in the comment section.