Just logged into UA account and was status matched from NW Gold to UA Premier Ex within 1 week of faxing request. Nice work United! Made switch due to greater flight options and decline of upgrades on NW.

I am still waiting - but very glad to here this. Becasue UA had been so fast in the past I waited too long...and now may miss some miles because of it - but atleast I should get the comp.

I sent them my AA EXP and NW Gold card scans...I didn't have my CO Plat card with me or I could have used that to. I figure so long as UA is matching, they will comp me PremEx.

Anyone think whether NW or CO would match DL status - (DL has nearly totally backed out of the IAH market) - so usually end up flying NW (transatlantic) -

Or is there a phone number for to call relating to WP stuff?

You can try to get a status match, but SkyTeam carriers often talk about no-poaching of other partner elites as justification to deny a status match.

On 12/8 I faxed a letter asking for status matches based on top-tiers for multiple airlines. I heard NOTHING from 12/8 until I got a US mail letter on 12/27. The same day I faxed them back copies of my credentials to prove I was elite as I claimed. Then I heard NOTHING until today, 1/13, when I received a letter dated 1/10, the the standard DL challenge (tell your DL rep offer G*9702/16) for a challenge from 2/1 through 4/30 for 6000 MQM to silver, or 12,000 MQM to Gold. They claim the challenge is "limited one-time offer". (By the way, they never use the word "challenge". They use the phrase "offer you the opportunity to earn Medallion status quickly".

I asked for a match. They didn't give me one.
I asked for an implementation before year end to swing $50K of business to them in 2006. They were slow in replying, then dropped their replies in the US Mail instead of emailing or calling as requested.
I am flying 7000+ MQM in January. But those flights won't count for the challenge, since the challenge starts 2/1.
Another person I submitted for should also have been matched, but got the challenge instead. Unfortunately this person won't be flying until May. If there had been any discussion of challenge dates, I would have deferred the request.

AA's challenge is far easier. It all can be handled on the phone in one call. You don't have to demonstrate ANYTHING. You get to pick a challenge start date of the first or 15th of any month. They go 5000 and 10000 EQP instead of 6000 and 12000 MQM.

Apparently Delta just doesn't do status matches anymore, as CLEARLY, being top-tier on FOUR airlines (AA,AS,NW,US) if there ever was a match opportunity, that would be it.

The slowness of their system, the rigidity of the offer, and the resort to US Mail TWICE made the entire process take 36 days, and then not what I asked for, and for dates that don't work well for either paticipant (one wanted earlier, the other later). Their written offer letter, once you get it, is clear, accurate, complete, and understandable.

Delta's response was not customer friendly or customer oriented. They passed on an opportunity for $50K+ in 2006 revenue.

IF you choose to go for a DL status match or challenge, I suggest you CALL DL first, and ask them what to do, and what to expect. When they tell you what to do, or if you just send a fax, make sure you include your request, copies of your elite cards, and perhaps a printed statement from the other airline. You might also specify the date you HOPE to start on; at least then IF there is any flexibility, you gave them the opportunity to be flexible. If you don't dot every I and cross every T, you are bound to get frustrated.

I hope you have better results than I did. And Delta, if you are listening, you still have the opportunity to earn my $50K+ in 2006 revenue, but you won't get it by the challenge you just offered me. Please PM, call, email, or, if you must, write me a US Mail letter. I'm waiting.

Hi!

This is my first post, so be gentle with me. I have been reading and getting mightily confused all the ins and outs of Mileage programs. I think I had a nightmare about Mileage Runs the other night!

I'm in Australia and am a member of Qantas and UA FF, although with no status.

I would like to get status on both if possible.

I understand that with the AA Mileage Challenge I can achieve Platinum fairly easily, with one trip to the US from Australia.

I understand from this UA may well Status Match me with their program, I guess to Premier Executive (?)

Does Qantas Status match? Would they therefore status match the UA to their equivalent? (I know they won't status match AA, I guess because they are both OW members).

I'm defintiely planning on the AA Challenge at least!

Hope this is the right thread etc.

Ernie

Has anyone had success requesting a status match from SPG Gold to other hotel chains?

Not necessarily. Challenges are based on points, not miles. Lower fares earn 0.5 points/mile, so SYD-LAX-SYD would net just under 7,500 points - well below the 10,000 you need. To do it in one round trip, you'd have to either continue on to the U.S. east coast or route via NRT.

And that's if you book an AA flight number. If you book as QF, which is often cheaper, the lower fare classes only earn half the actual distance in AA miles - and then half of that in points.

In other words, be prepared to shell out more than the absolute minimum if you plan on achieving AA Platinum status this way.

Spg Gold can be obtained without status match if you have certain AE cards.

Sent NW a match request, including documentation of past year with DL and also future flights (will make the same status in the next 45 days, with or without a match)

Will see how they respond...

Gleff, this is super thread. Is there an alike one for hotels? Or, would you please expand this one?

Just updated Continental and Frontier on the front page of this thread. What other updates need to be made? What's the deal on HP/US matching these days?

I thought this thread had hotel status matches noted too?

For Starwood, Hilton and Hyatt, Starwood and Hyatt will match up to -- including to -- their top-tier status from one another.

Hilton will NOT match top-tier status generally, but Hilton will provide challenges so that 10 stays (or some such thing) within 90 days provides status for the remainder of the year and through the next membership year.

All such matches require faxing a copy of your elite status card and a printout or copy of your account activity to customer service at the loyalty program in which you are interested.

gleff has kindly started a Hotel Status Match Master Threat just now -- and it is rich -- so I guess this one becomes the "airline" Status Match Master Thread.

Hotel status matches were buried in several places in this thread. I've started a new MilesBuzz thread on hotel loyalty program status matching. But it's very much a work in progress, hopefully others will share their experiences to help add to it.