Airline Status Match Master Thread: 2009 - 2011
 

With gleff's permission, I'm starting a new status match master thread, which I'll try to keep updated as much as possible. I've incorporated quite a bit of what was in the old thread, so feel free to PM me or post here with any changes, updates, etc., and I'll gladly edit them in this post.

gleff's wise words still apply to the industry, even over five years later:

Before we start it might be worth mentioning (as obvious as it might sound) that you should also send a letter with your credentials explaining why you'd like to be matched, be it a change in travel patterns, frustration with your current airline of choice, etc.

So, here we go:

Aeroflot
Through December 31, 2010, Aeroflot will match status from One World or Star Alliance carriers with this application.

Air France
Through March 31, 2011, Air France is matching status from many airlines to equivalent tiers in Flying Blue. All the details can be found here.

Alaska

Will match status, generally to equivalent level, up to midtier (which is MVP Gold). Alaska does not status match to MVP Gold 75K.

Email a copy of your current elite statement or membership card to:


American

American typically doesn't status match, but offers challenges instead, whereby you have to earn a certain number of miles within 90 days to earn Gold or Platinum status. While challenges used to be free, American now charges $150 for the Gold challenge and $240 for the Platinum challenge. While it's non-refundable, you can sign-up for the Gold challenge and then pay the difference if you flew enough to qualify for the Platinum challenge.


British Midland

British Midland may be the only non-North American program with a regular status match program. They generally match up to Gold (top tier). Let's see how long that lasts given the possible takeover by LH. As of late they require you to have a ticket on bmi booked in order to status match.

Email or fax a copy of your most recent statement or elite card to:

More details can be found in this thread.


Cathay Pacific

Based on this thread and other reports it seems like Cathay Pacific is willing to match up to Silver tier.


Continental

Will match status, generally to equivalent level up to Platinum (top tier).

Fax, email, or mail the following information:

• Full Name
• OnePass Account Number
• Current Address
• Current Phone Number
• A copy of the most recent statement from the other airline showing status and current mileage
• A copy of your current elite card from the other airline

Delta

Will match status, generally to equivalent level up to Gold (mid-tier)

Fax a copy of your current elite statement or elite card to:


El Al

Will match status, usually to a lower tier (e.g. CO Plat to Matmid Gold) than one's current status with another carrier.

To apply for a match you must already have an El Al Matmid number. Fax a copy of your elite status card & the last two months of your FF account statements, showing flights and points to:
Once matched, you must requalify for status within 6 months.


Jet Airways
Based on this thread, Jet Airways will match up to JP Platinum, although they don't include upgrade vouchers.


LAN

Will match status, usually up to mid tier (Premium Silver). For full details see this thread.
United

Typically offers challenges whereby you have to fly a certain number of miles in 90 days to maintain the status. Unlike AA, they offer the status up front, so you start off as an elite. They'll generally only offer challenges up to Premier Executive.

Email, fax, or mail a copy of your current elite statement or elite card to:

US Airways

US Airways is offering a 90-day Silver status trial for those that have a non-refundable ticket booked on US Airways. Otherwise there are no reports of them status matching as of now.


Airlines not mentioned in this thread typically don't match status, but there are always exceptions. Keep in mind that status matches are once-in-a-lifetime, so use them wisely. Furthermore, keep in mind that airlines typically don't match intra-Alliance, but rather it's much easier to match status between airlines of different alliances.

Airlines that are known to not match status:
Air Canada
ANA
British Airways - except corporate/revenue based
Emirates
JAL
Lufthansa
Singapore

Seeking help....
 

Please note that this is a work in progress since it’s taking over for a 1,500+ post thread. In order for this to work, I’d appreciate as much info/input as possible, especially at the beginning.

I’ve removed quite a bit of stuff from the old thread, like airlines that no longer seem to match, etc. I’m sure I’ve left plenty of stuff out, so I’d appreciate any updates, be it new addresses, fax numbers, alternate ways to request status matches, and documentation required by the airlines. For example, I recently requested a status match from NW and all I needed was to send them a screenshot of my mileage summary, while it seems like they used to require a lot more. If anyone has similar experiences for other airlines, please share them!

If anyone’s interested in helping on other fronts, here are some specific things I’d appreciate help on:
1. How much AA will start charging for elite challenges.
2. BMI fax number/address as well as documentation required for a status match.
3. Confirm that CO still requires so much documentation for a status match.
4. More info on Frontier status matches.
5. Confirm which fax number is correct for UA.
6. Other airlines that match. I’ve left out some airlines that were in the original thread where the information seemed outdated, so feel free to send me info that I can add to the OP.

I’ll work on the formatting a bit as soon as I get some of the blanks filled in, but in the meantime any suggestions are welcomed!

When NW says it will match to top tier (Plat) does this mean the NW Plat will become DL plat?

I would assume so, yes. FWIW I've already made the match.

First off, thanks to you Lucky for consolidating some info from the masterful work that gleff has done over the past few years. Here's my comparably meager contribution.

Gold Challenge: $80
Platinum Challenge: $150

Also, the CSR said these are non-refundable, but if you sign up for the Gold Challenge, but hit the Platinum Challenge qualification you can call up, play the $70 difference and become Platinum.

Email: diamond (dot) club (at) flybmi (dot) com
Fax: + 44 1623 724099

Along with the usual documents I assume (current elite card, statement, letter explaining why they should status match you, contract signing away the rights to your first born, etc...)

Yeah they do. Here is 'exactly' what they require as of last month (from an email received while I was status-matching for someone):

-Full Name
-OnePass Account Number
-Current Address
-Current Phone Number
-A copy of the most recent statement from the other airline showing status and current mileage
-A copy of your current elite card from the other airline

605-341-6140 is the new (old?) right one.

Also, FWIW, I 'stole' some of this from other posts around FT. So thanks to whoever (whomever?) I copied and pasted from. And the FT community at large.

Thanks THE soni, I really appreciate it!^

has anyone accumulated UNITED upgrade certificates DURING or immediately after the Challenge?

I've flown/will fly wayy more than the challenge miles. I don't know if the challenge miles are excluded from the certificates, or if all miles during challenge calendar year are excluded from certs

Perhaps I should have skipped the challenge altogether and flown normally, then I would make status AND get certs by years end.

deniah, you should start accruing upgrade certs immediately as you receive the status from the challenge. You should get four 500 milers for every 10,000 butt-in-seat miles you fly on United, United Express, and Ted.

are most of these airlines once per year/lifetime etc. ive heard that UA is once per year.

Almost all are once in a lifetime (be it the airline's life or your life). AA is as often as you want, not UA, AFAIK.

do most of then have a soft landing? it seems difficult to maintain status =/

I faxed them the relevant info last month and they gave me NW Gold until 2/2010 against my CO Platinum. Only took them 8 days to confirm by email.

Good day!

I am a United 1K with over 2.4 million actual flight miles. The DL/NW merger may create an opportunity to finally get away from UA. I note above that DL will only match to mid-level Gold, where NW will match to top-level Platinum. I already have DL Gold through the AMEX Centurion program. Would it be better to attempt a status swap with NW, assuming that when it becomes part of DL, they will provide top-tier status to NW customers? Is there a better way of accomplishing this? Looking forward to your reply and thank you.

Clifford Laughton

I'm considering doing the match to NW before they become NW/DL. I'm a 1K on UA with Silver Elite on NW (with no chance to requal this year, unless they graciously let me in at 20k).

My question is, will NW status match me to Plat for the upcoming year, despite the fact that I already have NW status at the time of the match?

I would be very interested to know this too. Anyone?