How to get an airline status match

Congratulations. You’ve done the hard miles – quite literally flying tens of thousands of them – to land Gold, Platinum or some other precious status within the frequent flyer program of your choosing.

Aside from being a great time to revel in all those newly-unlocked benefits, you might now also qualify for a similar elite ranking with another airline, especially a competing one, through a status match or fast-track.

And if the airline is a member of the ‘big three’ – Oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance – then this status could deliver handy perks across a dozen or more additional carriers. 

United Airlines is among the carriers offering status matches.

The key to unlocking all this is a status match, and here’s what you need to know about getting in on the action.

What is a status match?

A status match sees one airline offer you complimentary frequent flyer status in its own rewards program, based on the status you hold with a competing airline.

Sometimes this will be at an equivalent or comparable tier, even if the name may not be the same – some airlines may call it Gold, others Emerald, or perhaps add a suffix of Elite to the end.

Regardless of what it’s called, what matters is you get most of, if not all, the same benefits.

Other times, instead of a like-for-like basis, an airline will take a more cautious approach and match you to one or even two rungs down in their frequent flyer scheme, provided that level still delivers the basics of lounge access, priority check-in and so on.

What is a status challenge?

Beyond an outright like-for-like status match, some airlines may offer what’s called a status challenge or a status fast-track, which is a more rigorous test than outright match.

Under the status challenge or fast-track model, you’ll be granted status equivalent to (or at a level below) your tier with a competing airline for a limited amount of time. This works like a short-term status match and typically runs for 90 days.

Delta Air Lines is a devotee of the status challenge.

To keep that gratis status for a full year, you’ll need to earn a certain number of status credits (sometimes also known as tier miles or qualifying miles, depending on the airline) by flying with that airline within that qualifying period.

This is usually a greatly reduced number of status credits to pocket that Silver, Gold or Platinum card compared to what's needed without the status challenge, which is why this works as a fast track to status.

Status match vs status challenge

It’s become increasingly rare for airlines to offer a straight status match without any requirement for flying with them.

That’s a measure now mainly seen when a new airline debuts, when an airline plans a dramatic expansion, or when it’s up against an established incumbent.

Status challenges are becoming more popular with airlines because they require that you earn your status by flying with them.

Why airlines offer a status match or challenge

Airlines will launch a status match or status challenge to entice high-value flying to jump ship from the competition by offering them a shortcut to status in its own loyalty program.

For example, let’s say that you hold Qantas Gold status. This entitles you to perks such as lounge access, access to the business class check-in desk, and having priority boarding and baggage handling, even when you travel in economy class. 

That Gold status helps keep you loyal to Qantas, because you value the benefits and don’t want to lose them, so you’ll do as many flights with Qantas as necessary to achieve the minimum 600 Qantas status credits needed annually to lock it in for another year. 

Qantas offers an on-request status challenge.

So, if a competitor wants a shot at winning your business – and as a Gold-grade flyer, you’d be a good customer to land – it’s in their best interest to let you sample their flights without having to forego the bevy of perks you’ve become accustomed to.

That’s when a status match or challenge kicks in: by dint of having Qantas Gold status, the competitor will attempt to woo you across with equivalent status in its own program.

Who is eligible for a status match?

A status match is typically reserved for top-tier flyers – someone at say, Gold or Platinum, in – because their status is proof that they do indeed travel frequently, and quite likely in the premium cabins of business class or even first class.

This makes them far more valuable to airlines than travellers who sit lower down the food chain, with the likes of Silver, Blue or Green status.

In some instances you’ll need to hand over an activity statement from your current frequent scheme, proving you are in fact a frequent flyer, rather than a low-value traveller taking advantage of every status match that comes along.

Which airlines will offer you a status match?

Some airlines will widely promote a status match or status challenge, complete with online forms where you enter all your details plus a clear set of eligibility criteria and how you go about retaining that status.

Other airlines prefer to keep their status match options under wraps and run them as an invite-only affair, extended to a high-value frequent flyer at its discretion and on a case-by-case basis.

Virgin Austalia doesn't offer status matches often, but does occasionally open the door to one.

Limited-time status matches have recently been offered by Garuda Indonesia, United Airlines and Virgin Australia, while Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines and Qantas offer an on-request status challenges.

Etihad and Turkish Airlines also offer ongoing status matches, while Rex Airlines is expecting to offer its first status match later this year. 

Executive Traveller regularly reports on status match promotions: but apart from those, if you’re seeking a status match from a particular airline, the simplest way is to simply ask them.

How to request a status match

First up, you’ll want to make a solid case that you’d be a good catch.

This may be based not only on how often you travel and what your future travel plans are (if you can point to an emerging pattern of travel on that airline) but also if you make travel decisions for your company or clients.

If possible, call the airline’s frequent flyer call centre, let them know your current status with a competing airline and state you’re interested in applying for a status match or challenge. (It can also help at this stage if you’ve got several trips coming up which might be booked through the airline you’re calling).

Try to get a specific email address to send your status match or status challenge request (this makes follow-up easier than sending it to a generic email address).

If you get a ‘Sorry, we don’t do status matches’ answer, try calling back a while later to catch a different operator – you may get a more positive response. (This is the ‘call centre bingo’ approach, and it works for more than just status matching.)

Cathay Pacific says customers need to ask - and make a solid case for a status match.

It also helps to show you’re status-savvy, by knowing that airline’s equivalent tier to your current rating.

In your email request, consider making the following points to underscore your prospective ‘value’:

• how frequently do you travel – and how many high-tier loyalty cards do you have?
• have you heard good things about the airline from friends/colleagues?
• has your company just won a contract taking you to this airline’s hub airport and beyond?
• what are your travel plans for the next quarter, half-year or year (and can you point them to an emerging pattern of travel on their own flights?)
• do you make the travel decisions – and especially airline decisions – for your company or clients?

As a rule, you’ll need to supply a scan of your card and a copy of your most recent account statement. Reiterate your usefulness and value to them as a customer when you send this in – it certainly can’t hurt.