Alaska Airlines has announced how oneworld elite status levels will apply to their Mileage Plan elites one the airline joins the alliance on March 31.

oneworld has 3 status levels, and Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan has 3 status levels, so it’s no surprise that:

• Alaska MVP (lowest tier) = oneworld Ruby (lowest tier)
  
• Alaska MVP Gold (mid tier) = oneworld sapphire (mid tier)
  
• Alaska MVP Gold 75K (top tier) = oneworld emerald (top tier)

These levels provide check-in, boarding, lounge and baggage benefits to Alaska elites when flying on oneworld partner airlines. Mid-tier elites get lounge access, while top tier elites get first class lounge access, a unique perk in oneworld though of course that doesn’t apply to Qatar’s al Safwa lounge in Doha, to the British Airways Concorde Room, or to American’s Flagship First Dining (when these facilities re-open).

oneworld emeralds – and thus Alaska’s 75K tier – get access to Cathay Pacific first class lounges, Qantas first class lounges, and British Airways first class lounges, on top of the business class lounges that mid-tier elites receive access to during eligible travel.

Cathay Pacific The Wing First Class Lounge Cabana

News about Alaska’s plan for their 75k flyers to receive top tier oneworld emerald status is one way to understand the news that American will be upgrading their Platinum Pro 75k tier elites from mid-tier sapphire to top tier emerald as well. In other words, “Alaska made them do it.” They couldn’t very well have their own 75k tier elites worse off in oneworld, though the 75k level is top tier at Alaska and not at American.

In addition to oneworld benefits, because of their close relationship, American and Alaska plan to offer reciprocal elite upgrades and access to extra legroom coach seats.