What are Elite qualifying miles?

Elite qualifying miles are miles that count only towards reaching a frequent flyer tier and cannot be redeemed for awards.

Also called: Qualifying miles, Tier points, Status miles.

How it works#

Almost every programme runs two accounts side by side: a redeemable balance that gets spent, and a qualifying balance that tracks the qualification period and resets to zero afterwards. One flight credits both, often at different rates. Confusing the two numbers leads either to planning a redemption against a balance that cannot be spent, or to underestimating how close a tier actually is.

Not to be confused with#

Elite qualifying miles are not the same as redeemable miles: redeemable miles pay for flights, qualifying miles buy nothing and reset when the qualification period ends.

In German#

The German term is Statusmeilen. German version of this term

Related terms#

• Mile: A mile is the currency unit of a frequent flyer programme: a credit in an airline account that can be exchanged for flights and other awards.
• Elite qualification: Elite qualification is the proof that enough flights, qualifying miles or spending have accumulated within a defined period to reach a status tier.
• Mileage run: A mileage run is a trip booked purely to collect the qualifying miles or segments still missing for a status threshold.

Articles that use this term#

• How many flights do you need for airline elite status?
• What is the difference between points and miles?
• Is a mileage run worth it?
• Do miles expire, and how do you stop it?
• Can you pool points with your partner or family?
• How does a round-the-world ticket work?