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We’re just days away from the end of 2025. When it comes to elite status and requalifying for 2026, I’m sitting pretty. This has been an extremely busy travel year and I achieved all of the status that I wanted to (and then some). At the end of each quarter, I like to check to see how I’m pacing and to review if the goals I set in the beginning of the year still seem attainable. Here are my Q3 2025 stats and where I’ll land for 2026:
American Airlines AAdvantage®
I took advantage of a promotion through World of Hyatt® that offered Platinum Pro® status through American’s Instant Status Pass™ program. I surpassed what was needed for Platinum Pro® and made it to Executive Platinum®. I’ll need to continue to earn Loyalty Points until February 28th, but I think I can lock in Executive Platinum® for the rest of 2026 and Q1 2027.
Current Status: Executive Platinum®
Goal: Executive Platinum®
Actual: Executive Platinum®
Current Loyalty Points: 85,618
2026 Prediction: I will retain Executive Platinum® status.
Delta Air Lines SkyMiles®
Current Status: Diamond Medallion®
Goal: Platinum Medallion®
Actual: Diamond Medallion®
Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs): $28,386
I needed to reach $28,000 MQDs for Diamond Medallion®. I was content to remain Platinum Medallion® this year, but then I needed to travel more. When Diamond Medallion® looked realistic, I made a final push and hit it last week. I’m sitting at $28,386 with $1,445 pending from my trip to Asia next week.
2026 Prediction: I will maintain Diamond Medallion®.
United Airlines MileagePlus
Current Status: Premier 1K®
Goal: Premier 1K®
Actual: Premier 1K®
Current Premier Qualifying Flights (PQFs): 77
Current Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs): 32,120
I needed to reach 22,000 PQPs and 60 PQFs or 28,000 PQPs. I got there in July and will have Premier 1K® status for 2026.
2026 Prediction: I will maintain Premier 1K®.
Spirit Airlines Free Spirit®
Current Status: Free Spirit Silver
Goal: None
Actual: No status
Current Status Qualifying Points (SQPs): 1,064
I originally earned Free Spirit Gold status through a status match and it was good until December 2024. I flew Spirit a few times last year and even less this year. I will not hit Free Spirit Silver based on the year ending this week. It’s become a moot point here as I book Big Front Seats™ and don’t check bags.
2026 Prediction: I will not have status in 2026.
World of Hyatt®
Current Status: Globalist
Goal: Globalist
Actual: Globalist
Current Qualifying Nights: 63
I needed to reach 60 nights by the end of 2025 and I hit 63 last week.
2026 Prediction: I will retain Globalist status.
Marriott Bonvoy®
Current Status: Titanium Elite
Goal: Titanium Elite
Actual: Titanium Elite
Current Qualifying Nights: 106
I received 25 nights from holding the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card and 15 more from the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card. Marriott had been running a double elite night promo and I pushed on that. I will end at 106 nights. I am Lifetime Platinum Elite, so I knew going into the year that no matter what I wouldn’t go below that level. I was Ambassador pretty much since it was introduced by SPG (except for 2024 and 2025). The program has been diluted so much that I no longer strive for this level with its minimal benefits above Titanium Elite.
2026 Prediction: I will retain Titanium Elite.
Hilton Honors
Current Status: Gold
Goal: Gold
Actual: Gold
Current Qualifying Nights: 3
I hold Gold status with Hilton Honors as a benefit from having The Platinum Card® from American Express. I stayed three nights this year, so far. I’ll retain Gold status because I get it as a credit card benefit.
2026 Prediction: I’ll retain Gold status from carrying The Platinum Card® from American Express.
Anthony’s Take: I managed to earn top-tier status across American, Delta, and United. For hotels, I re-earned the two statuses that meant the most to me: Hyatt Globalist and Marriott Titanium Elite. Travel in 2026 is looking like it will be similar to 2025 with lots of flights and hotel stays. How did you fare with earning the status levels that you wanted this year?
(Featured Image Credit: Epstudio20 via iStock.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
