Delta Diamond, American Airlines Executive Platinum and Hyatt Globalist: TPG's Clint Henderson’s 2025 elite status plans

18.12.2024 - 16:17 / thepointsguy.com / Clint Henderson / Delta Diamond

It's been another wild year across the airline loyalty landscape, with Delta Air Lines and United Airlines raising their status requirements, Alaska Airlines acquiring Hawaiian Airlines, and American Airlines adding new features and rewards for its Loyalty Points-based AAdvantage program.

Hotels, too, are undergoing some big shifts, with Small Luxury Hotels of the World moving from World of Hyatt to Hilton Honors and Mr and Mrs Smith properties moving from IHG to Hyatt.

I got really lucky this year with the ability to roll over Medallion Qualification Miles from Delta into an extra year of top-tier Diamond Medallion status. That will take me through next year, but the huge spending requirements for 2026 mean I will likely give up on top-tier Delta status after that.

I was also able to requalify for top-tier American Airlines AAdvantage status and World of Hyatt Globalist status. Those two programs will earn the bulk of my travel next year, but I'm increasingly intrigued by Alaska Mileage Plan. That program could end up being my focus in the years ahead, since the airline is making it easier (not harder) to achieve top-tier status.

In 2025, I'll continue to hold Platinum Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and IHG One Rewards as well as Hilton Honors Diamond status just for carrying credit cards.

I also added a new status to the mix: I got Air Canada Aeroplan Elite 25K status for signing up for a credit card, and I'm excited to start playing around with Aeroplan points.

Here's the full breakdown of where I am heading into 2025 and how you can use my lessons to your advantage (no pun intended).

I've held AAdvantage Executive Platinum status for a few years now, and it's the program I'm most committed to currently. I've requalified for Executive Platinum for 2025 already, and I still have a few months to try to hit a few of the airline's new Loyalty Point Rewards milestones. Good news for me and other AA elite members: We just learned American Airlines is not raising status requirements for next year.

I've really enjoyed my status this year, with a few complimentary domestic upgrades and a few even bigger perks.

This year, I've been able to use three systemwide upgrades. I used two for international flights, including an upgrade from premium economy to business class on an American Airlines flight from Tokyo to Los Angeles.

I was able to use another one on a transcontinental flight from New York City to San Francisco on my favorite plane: the not-long-for-this-world A321T.

I was also able to score a few great redemptions this year using AAdvantage miles. I flew round-trip to Tokyo in business class for just 120,000 miles.

So far this year, I've earned 229,881 Loyalty Points. The qualification year runs