Originally Posted by
IAN-UK
I DID! I DID! But i'm still puzzled why, as an infrequent TK passenger, you have targeted TK. But no matter, that's your business!
I think it's pretty standard for challenge to run from the status match date rather than from the date the application was made. I could be wrong though!
I
Here's the story: I got SA gold on COPA from a United Status match in 2015 that expires 12/31/16. I lost my elite status in United on 1/31/2016. I read about TK doing SM's in late August 2016 since I knew I was flying TK in Oct 2016 I immediately applied (6 weeks ahead of my flight). I agree status matches are based on the grant as opposed to the application date. I never dreamt that it would take 3 months to get the match.
At this point, you're right...flying TK just to extend my SA gold is a rather expensive way to get SA gold (plus I'm elite plus on TK which doesn't provide much more than the lounge access on TK). Had they granted the SM by my return flight in Oct, I would have had status through Oct 2017 (and could have leisurely taken my 2017 summer trip to central Europe). Where I messed up is once I realized I didn't get the match by the time I returned from my TK flight, I should have held off emailing TK until 12/31/16 then my match would have been good through at least April 30 and I could have flew in April vs. chilly March. You see, I electively go to Central Europe once a year (ideally summer but early fall or late spring will work) and domestic US much more (mostly using United Miles since I have no status)....Thank you United for failure to recognize an almost 3/4 million miler! TK, while great food in coach, is really a 2 hour waste of time each way since the IST hub is not central Europe. I could deal with this time waste if I could use their lounge and have SA gold through most of 2017. Now I have to decide whether it's worth it to move my summer/spring/fall central Europe to late March. The other thing is I buy cheap fares so I don't even get full mileage credit on TK (I only got 25% on my Oct U fare.... United or M&M was zero accrual!). It's very unlikely I will re-achieve elite status with United (unless they do a status match...which I would try if I had status at the end of 2017 since United last status match was the last quarter of 2012...but I won't have status unless I extend TK...I). I'm basically out of options. After my match expires, I will be living hand to mouth on elite status and United club passes (700K lifetime on United and I have zero current status). It's like begging after being rich...it's harder to go down than up! Hope everyone enjoys this.
