Airline, hotel elite status: Harder to get (or keep) in 2023

By SALLY FRENCH of NerdWallet

Airline and hotel elite status extensions due to the COVID-19 pandemic are expiring this year, and the companies are raising the requirements to earn status. In fact, one prediction says about 1 million Americans will lose airline status in 2023. As a small consolation, loyalty programs have introduced some nominal benefits for members who haven’t earned status but have reached lower spending milestones. To re-earn status in 2023, experts suggest looking for ways to transfer your status to another program, maximizing promotions or considering a credit card that offers automatic elite status or a faster way to earn elite status.