I fly AA almost exclusively but have a few upcoming flights on DL, including an international run, and was considering a status match. I have no plans, however, to stick to DL long term or earn any sort of status with them. I was curious to see what the group though about whether requesting a status match for this situation was ethical.

I have done status matches in the past, but it has always been for hotels/airlines where I plan on switching my travel 100% to them, away from the program I matched from. This is what I always figured it was intended for, as it allows me to enjoy the perks immediately while I am in the process of qualifying with the new brand.

On the other hand, if I status match to DL and try them, I might find I actually like it and give them more business (but I doubt it). I could also see status matches being used in this way to try to lure frequent flyers from other carriers.

What do you all think? Have you requested a status match for a program you don't ever plan on qualifying for?