Like hotel rewards programs, airlines offer elite status to improve travel experiences, such as complimentary seat upgrades, free check-bags, early priority boarding, etc.
Each airline sets its qualifications and requirements for achieving elite status, sometimes requiring several flights and segments. Fortunately, there are promotions and a shortcut method known as “status match” for achieving the airline’s elite status for airlines such as Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, ITA Airways, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and more.
Air Canada
Air Canada Aeroplan program does not offer status match requests at this time.
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines Status Match Challenge
Alaska Airlines offers the following Status Match Challenge:
- Alaska Airlines status match offer is one-time-only.
- Provide your current status with another frequent flyer program, your Alaska Mileage Plan number, and email address, and upload a screenshot of your elite status level with that frequent flyer program showing the following information:
- Your first and last name
- Your current status
- Your miles flown year-to-date or miles flown from the prior year
- After your status match request is approved, your newly upgraded Alaska Mileage Plan status is good for 90 days. During that same 90-day period, you must earn enough miles by flying on Alaska-operated flights to keep your status level longer:
- MVP: fly 5,000 miles on Alaska Airlines
- MVP Gold: fly 10,000 miles on Alaska Airlines
- MVP Gold 75K: fly 20,000 miles on Alaska Airlines
- Earning Alaska Mileage Plan status also comes with oneworld elite status levels such as Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald to unlock even more perks when you fly with oneworld alliance airlines.
- Also, please note that:
- If you request a status match by the end of June and meet the requirements, you will keep your status through the end of the calendar year.
- However, if you request a status match between July and December and meet the requirements, you can keep your status through the end of next year.
- Direct Link to the Offer
Corporate Fast Track to Alaska Airlines Status
- Alaska Airlines offers an elite status fast track to select participating corporation employees.
- Register for the offer by December 31, 2023.
- Use your company email address to register.
- Eligible corporations are:
- Below corporations are NOT eligible:
American Airlines
American Airlines Loyalty Points
American Airlines has simplified its requirements to gain elite status. American Airlines status is now earned with Loyalty Points, and 1 eligible AA mile earns you 1 Loyalty Points. You can earn Loyalty Points in many ways, from flying to credit card purchases and online shopping through the American Airlines shopping portal or partners.
- AAdvantage Gold requires 30,000 Loyalty Points
- AAdvantage Platinum requires 75,000 Loyalty Points
- AAdvantage Platinum Pro requires 125,000 Loyalty Points
- AAdvantage Executive Platinum requires 200,000 Loyalty Points
- How to Earn American Airlines Status With Loyalty Points
American Airlines Hyatt Status Match
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American Airlines Elite Members Receive Fast Track Challenge & Earn Up to World of Hyatt Globalist Elite Status through American Airlines Instant Status Pass:
- Enjoy American Airlines AAdvantage elite status for 4 months:
- Explorist members receive AAdvantage Platinum status. You can maintain AAdvantage Platinum status when you accrue 25,000 Loyalty Points during the 4 months after registering.
- Globalist members receive AAdvantage Platinum Pro status. You can maintain AAdvantage Platinum Pro status when you accrue 42,000 Loyalty Points during the 4 months after registering.
- Completing the same qualifying activity every four months can keep your status for up to a year. The status will be extended through the remainder of the 2023 membership year.
- You must register for the offer by October 12, 2023.
- You must link your AAdvantage and World of Hyatt accounts. See this post for more information and how to link your accounts.
- If your accounts are already linked, check your email or the Promotions tab in your AAdvantage account for the American Airlines Instant Status Pass offer.
ANA (All Nippon Airways)
ANA (All Nippon Airways) currently does not offer status match/challenge.
Bamboo Airways
Currently no status match challenge offer.
Delta Air Lines
Delta Status Match Challenge
Delta Air Lines offers a status match challenge that you can request. Once your status match request is approved, you will receive complimentary Delta’s matched status immediately for 3 months. You will also need to earn enough miles by flying and spend a certain amount of money maintaining the status.
- You may participate in Delta’s status match challenge for SkyMiles Platinum, Gold, or Silver Medallion.
- Complete the status match challenge request form with your Delta SkyMiles information.
- Upload the following proof of your elite status with the other airline. You can take a photo or screenshots of your app or computer screen to show the following required information:
- A copy of your current elite status with the other airline with your name on it.
- A statement showing your earned elite status and activity with that airline program.
- Direct Link to the Offer
Etihad Airways
Currently no offer.
Frontier Airlines
Frontier Status Match
Frontier Airlines offers a paid status match. Eligible loyalty programs from different airlines, hotels, and cruise lines can submit a request. See the offer’s link below for more information.
Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airline Status Match Challenge
Hawaiian Airlines allows the status match request to their elite status levels. Once the request is approved, the status is good for 12 months. You will also not need to complete any challenges.
- There’s no standard form to request a status match with Hawaiian Airlines.
- Complete the contact form and attach a copy of your elite status and related flight activity with another airline program. A couple of things to note:
- Your flight history must include similar routes operated by Hawaiian Airlines to be considered.
- It also helps to include any upcoming Hawaiian Airlines reservation information, as Hawaiian Airlines likes to see you fly with them.
- Direct Link to Contact Hawaiian Airlines for Status Match Challenge
ITA Airways
ITA Volare Status Match
ITA Airways has a status match promotion:
- The promotion is running through August 19, 2024.
- You also receive 10,000 Volare points if ITA Airways approves your status match request.
- The promotion excludes Italy residents.
- Direct Link to the Offer & Terms
JetBlue
JetBlue has only one simple, straightforward elite status level: Mosaic. Once you earn Mosaic status in a calendar year, it is valid until the end of the following calendar year.
Unfortunately, JetBlue is not offering any status match or challenge at this time.
Kenya Airways
Kenya Airways Status Match
Kenya Airways has launched its own loyalty program, Asante Rewards. The airline also offers a status match from other loyalty programs, which is beneficial for SkyTeam Elite or Elite Plus status.
- You must first join the Asanta Rewards program.
- After joining, send an email to [email protected] and attach a copy of your current Loyalty member card.
- Wait to hear back from Kenya Airways. After receiving all the required documentation, you will be status-matched within 7 days.
- Direct Link to FAQ (Note: The offer only mentions Flying Blue, but it’s confirmed that other loyalty programs qualify, too).
LATAM Airlines
LATAM Status Match
LATAM Airlines offers a PAID LATAM Pass Status Match with another frequent flyer program of the airlines that operate in a specific region. See the offer’s link below for more information.
Royal Air Maroc
Royal Air Maroc currently does not offer any status match and challenge.
Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines Status Match
Spirit Airlines currently does not offer status matches.
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Status Match
Southwest Airlines allows the status match request to Southwest A-List status from another airline. Once Southwest Airlines verifies your information and approves your request, you will become an A-List, and you have 90 days to keep the A-List for another 12 months after you fly three (3) round trips or six (6) one-ways within those 90 days.
You can request a status match by emailing the following information to Southwest’s dedicated email contact below:
- Subject: Southwest Status Match
- Your First name
- Your Last name
- Your Southwest Rapid Rewards number
- Screenshot of current elite status with a U.S.-based carrier other than Southwest Airlines
- Send the email to [email protected].
- Direct Link to the Offer
TAP Air Portugal
TAP Air Portugal currently does not offer status match/challenge.
Thai Airways
Currently no offer.
United Airlines
United Airlines Status Match Promotion
United Airlines has a dedicated webpage for status match promotion based on your MileagePlus account. Therefore, check the following offer’s link to see if your account has the status match promotional offer:
United Airlines Marriott Status Match
Marriott Titanium Elite or Marriott Ambassador Elite status members can receive the complimentary United MileagePlus Premier Silver status through United and Marriott Bonvoy’s partnership (a.k.a Marriott Rewards Plus). You can register for the exclusive joint program’s offer through the following link.
Please be patient after submitting your request. I submitted the request in January and received the approval email in March.
Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic Status Match
Virgin Atlantic offers status matches from specific airline programs only. Once your request is approved, you are matched to Gold or Silver, depending on your elite status with the other airline. You must also have a future revenue flight booked with Virgin Atlantic in a specific class of service. More below.
- Virgin Atlantic only allows the status match from certain airlines.
- Once your status match is approved, it will be valid for 12 months.
- Direct Link to the Offer
Virgin Australia
Currently no offer.
WestJet
WestJet currently does not offer a status match challenge. You can check the following link to see if the offer is available:
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your information on American Airlines status match is incorrect. Their program is shut down for the summer or longer. The status match number that you provide is also incorrect.
Thank you for pointing these out in regards to the AA status challenge. I updated the post accordingly based on my call with the AA agent today. Hopefully, the challenge will return.
Bamboo Airlines is no longer taking matches, expired as of 5/31