Thanks for the insightful questions. While I like the perks of status (who doesn't) there are a couple things in particular I'm thinking about.

1) the extra RDM are low priority (would still take the flight miles on UA). Was thinking about *A Gold.
2) I would like to move to economy plus for free, and don't think TK status gets me that
3) Lounge access is nice but not essential (traveling companion has that covered)

I think I'm going to wait 'til fall. In years past UA has offered Status Match Challenges late in the year, and hopefully will again. If not, the TK offer has been around for a while, and I can go for that.

I'm not sure they are mutually exclusive. I don't have a problem using my TK elite card to gain lounge access while crediting flights to UA. You don't get economy plus for free with TK on UA flights, so the main other benefits if you don't have united status is bag check and elite screening lines (the TK card works here too). For Bag check you probably have to change your ff# after you check your bags.

Still, you can always get both TK status match and UA challenges, if you want to cover everything.

or the other option as well would be to open an Aegean (A3) account and credit 19k miles to them in the first year in order to get *Gold; be aware however that some fare classes on other carriers don't credit 100% mileage.

the benefit with A3 is that you only need to credit at least one flight per year after reaching *G to retain status....for now of course until they change it but lets hope that doesn't happen.

this of course will give you all of the *G privileges on an indefinite basis which allows you to use another program for mileage accumulation if that's the other big priority.

I applied for status match on july 6. still not updated on their website....its a loooooong wait....:(

I applied a long time ago and even re-applied and still no updates! :td:

Perhaps they're going through the same thing TK did when it became public knowledge that a status match was being offered and they just couldn't cope with all of the traffic?!?

I got my China EMERALD card 2 days ago :) Thanks KATERGOO!

What is the expiry date on it?

5/15

@mlqsko, you'd mentioned earlier that you'd emailed them a couple of times to follow up...would you mind sending me the email address you used (either here or via PM) as it would appear as though the one I used isn't being monitored?!? cheers!

I never got a response from either of the two email I used. PM sent.

It is more than a month since I requested a status match - I emailed twice at this email [email protected]. but no response or change in my account status on their website.

Can anyone help me with the right email/procedure.

Thanks in advance and cheers!

got it, thanks! ^

Can you pm me as well please? Thanks.

Airline Status Match Master Thread: 2013-2014
 

could you please pm me too. thanks in advance.

Patience...
 

Patience boys and girls, it took over 3 months for my friend's account to be updated and my friend checked online every other day after 2 weeks ;-). Of course no email from them.