A few AA flights coming up end of this year and next year, and hence looking for free

OW status match to get me lounge access and higher (weight) baggage allowance.
I read about RJ above by
benberg2013 but state I need to credit 1 flight - is that RJ flight or an AA paid flight will do.
Also, I read somewhere (maybe here) that doing an AA Challenge will get you temporary status for 90 days, is this true?
If you do the Platinum Challenge, and if you already have high status with another program, and if you ask very nicely and get a cooperative agent, they'll move you up to AA Gold during the challenge.