Good afternoon everyone, I hope your weekend is off to a great start! As if there weren’t already enough reasons to love Alaska Airlines and Atmos Rewards, here’s another perk worth knowing about: Status Protect for New Parents.  If you’re an elite member (Silver, Gold, Platinum, or Titanium) and you’re expecting a baby or taking parental leave, you can request to have your current status extended for an extra year. Even better, the extension runs through the end of the following calendar year. For example, if you apply now, your elite status will be extended all the way through December 31, 2026.

The process is really simple: just email elite.flyer@alaskaair.com with your full name, date of birth, Atmos Rewards number, and proof of pregnancy or parental leave (like a note from your doctor or employer).

Here are the complete terms and conditions:

Atmos Rewards status (Atmos™ Silver, Atmos™ Gold, Atmos™ Platinum, and Atmos™ Titanium) members who go on parental leave are eligible for Status Protect: eligible members will be presumed to qualify for their current status in the year in which the member or their spouse / domestic partner become pregnant, give birth, or start / end parental leave, to apply for the following year. As an example, a current (2024) Atmos™ Silver member who takes parental leave which begins or ends in 2024 will receive Atmos™ Silver status through 2025. Only status members who earned their current status through qualifying travel in the previous calendar year are eligible for Status Protect. Status granted complimentarily, including gifted status, matched status, status earned through promotions, and prior year Status Protect extensions is not eligible for Status Protect. Members who receive Atmos™ Platinum status as part of this offer are not eligible for the 50,000 bonus points or American Airlines System-Wide Upgrades associated with qualifying for Atmos™ Platinum status. Members who receive Atmos™ Titanium status as part of this offer are not eligible for the Choice Benefits or American Airlines System-Wide Upgrades associated with qualifying for Atmos™ Titanium status. Qualifying types of parental leave include maternity, paternity, and adoption leave. Member must use the registration page at alaskaair.com/Status Protect after completion of parental leave and submit evidence in order to qualify for Status Protect. Please allow up to 4 weeks for verification and approval. Following approval, status will be reflected in My account on www.alaskaair.com. Offer subject to change without notice. Offer valid only for legal residents of the United States and Canada. All terms and conditions of the Atmos Rewards program apply.

I emailed Alaska Airlines with my information and attached Madison’s birth certificate.  A few days later, I was approved for the Status Protect for New Parents benefit, and my Atmos Rewards Silver Elite Status was officially extended through December 31, 2026.

When I logged into my Alaska Airlines app, I went to the Account tab, clicked on Atmos Rewards Member Card, and saw my new expiration date reflected. This is such a huge relief! I currently have 8,000 elite qualifying miles out of the 20,000 required to requalify, and since I don’t have any more Alaska Airlines flights booked this year (maybe one or two before the holidays), this extension is greatly appreciated from Alaska Airlines.

If you have any questions about the Status Protect for New Parents benefit, please leave a comment below.  Have a great weekend everyone!