Originally Posted by nk15

It took a month to approve mine, but when I received it essentially it had two months left, which means it was activated 4-5 days after I submitted it. So your flight normally should fall within the qualification period (unless what counts is when you booked it). You may even be able to challenge any costs you may incur for bags, for example, if you retroactively get the Gold for that time, but it is unclear. I wish they were clearer and more organized.