Jan 11, 2022, 3:40 pm
Last edit by: Long Train Runnin
Status Match Challenge
The Free Spirit Status Match Challenge is an opportunity for you to experience the most valuable benefits of the Free Spirit program. Show your loyalty to Spirit and immediately benefit from your Status levels. If you have elite status with another airline, we will give you the equivalent Free Spirit Status for ninety (90) days – complimentary. Plus, you many earn ongoing Free Spirit Silver or Gold status based on our Free Spirit page.
In three simple steps you could be on your way to enjoying Free Spirit Status.
1. Determine your eligibility
Once approved, you will be granted 90-days of Free Spirit Silver or Gold status based on your current elite membership with another airline. If your request is not approved, you’ll receive an email notifying you of our decision.
Use the Status Comparison chart to see what airline elite levels are qualified for the Free Spirit Status Match Challenge.
1. Determine your eligibility
- Must meet ALL the following criteria to participate in our Status Match Challenge:
- You have not received a Status Match or complimentary Free Spirit Status in the past two years.
- You currently have elite status with a qualifying airline that was earned through that airline’s published requirements (complimentary status or status earned through a promotion does not qualify)
- Must present an approved proof of membership document confirming your elite status with an airline listed above.
- Use the Status Comparison chart to see what airline levels are required for the Status Match Challenge.
- If you met all the criteria listed above, call our Contact Center team at 1-833-728-3359, or fill out the form here to be enrolled in the Status Match Challenge.
- Make sure you’re ready to begin the challenge before you submit your request as your ninety-day complimentary Status period will begin within 24 hours after you receive the email confirmation of being accepted for a Status Match Challenge.
Once approved, you will be granted 90-days of Free Spirit Silver or Gold status based on your current elite membership with another airline. If your request is not approved, you’ll receive an email notifying you of our decision.
Use the Status Comparison chart to see what airline elite levels are qualified for the Free Spirit Status Match Challenge.
Enjoying your complimentary Free Spirit Status? Extend it by earning the required amount of Free Spirit SQP's during the 90-day complimentary period.
- Your account will not be credited with Status Qualification Points (SQP's) equivalent to the normal earning requirement.
- Our Guest Relations team will place you at the correct Status level based on your selected challenge level.
- Enjoy full benefits of the Silver or Gold tier during the 90-day challenge period.
- If you don't qualify at the end of the 90-day period under the terms of the Status Match Challenge, your membership level will be returned to the level it was prior to the challenge period.
- If you meet the challenge criteria, you will enjoy the benefits of the Silver or Gold program level for the remainder of that calendar year plus the following calendar year.
- If you do not meet the challenge criteria, the Silver or Gold status will be terminated immediately, and you will be returned to the Free Spirit level held prior to the Status Match Challenge.
- You are allowed one Status Match Challenge every two years.
- An email will be sent confirming the outcome of the Status Match Challenge
Link for info here:
https://customersupport.spirit.com/en-us/category/article/KA-01493
Spirt Airlines Status Challenge Info
Apr 12, 2023, 7:48 am
#121
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AS MVPG, DL KM, Bee Six, Bonvoy Plat, Avis PC, Natl Exec, Greyhound Road Rewards Z"L
Posts: 16,721
-J.
Apr 12, 2023, 7:48 am
#122
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: LAS
Programs: Hilton, Delta, Hyatt, MGM
Posts: 199
I think you’ll get it regardless, as although I’m Spirit Gold and paid for a carry on, the other person in my party who isn’t Gold and didn’t pay for carry ons also got Shortcut Boarding and security.
Apr 12, 2023, 7:57 am
#123
Join Date: Apr 2021
Programs: United
Posts: 2
Would any of the big players do? I am trying to eventually get a status for Turkish Airlines.
Apr 12, 2023, 8:08 am
#124
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AS MVPG, DL KM, Bee Six, Bonvoy Plat, Avis PC, Natl Exec, Greyhound Road Rewards Z"L
Posts: 16,721
Not sure what the case would be if you earned Spirit Gold the hard way (actually flying and spending). Most airlines don't list Spirit as an option but give you the opportunity to submit an "other" airline, so there's no way to know. This might be a better question to ask on the Turkish forum.
-J.
Apr 12, 2023, 10:35 am
#125
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Orlando, FL
Programs: UA 2mm 1K, Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Hilton Diamond, National Executive Elite
Posts: 267
If you have a reservation before you get Gold, you have to call and have your Spiirt # removed and re-added. You should see reflect your status. Also this important for your free beverage and snack on board.
Apr 12, 2023, 3:13 pm
#126
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 57
I had two flights purchased prior to matching to Gold. I had also purchased carry-on bags for $64 each.
1st flight: Was able to move to a different day for free with flight flex and when I went to edit my bags during rebooked, it let me add the carry-on bags for free and it gave me my prepaid carry-on bag fees back as a reservation credit.
2nd flight: I did website chat with a Spirit agent (waited 2.5 hours when it estimated 40 min) and they refunded my prepaid carry-on bag fees back as a reservation credit since I am now gold.
2 flights, two people (both matched to gold), carryon bags fee saved $64 * 4 = $256 back as reservation credits. This status match is already paying for itself.
Agent did tell me that only the gold member gets the free carryon bag and free seat assignment. Any other passengers have to pay their normal fees, if not gold.
1st flight: Was able to move to a different day for free with flight flex and when I went to edit my bags during rebooked, it let me add the carry-on bags for free and it gave me my prepaid carry-on bag fees back as a reservation credit.
2nd flight: I did website chat with a Spirit agent (waited 2.5 hours when it estimated 40 min) and they refunded my prepaid carry-on bag fees back as a reservation credit since I am now gold.
2 flights, two people (both matched to gold), carryon bags fee saved $64 * 4 = $256 back as reservation credits. This status match is already paying for itself.
Agent did tell me that only the gold member gets the free carryon bag and free seat assignment. Any other passengers have to pay their normal fees, if not gold.
Apr 13, 2023, 8:43 am
#127
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Global Entry
Posts: 2,871
This is a phenomenal deal. I've flown Spirit plenty of times, and never had an issue except for about 10% or less of the flights being delayed. Which is typical to other lines. Although, to be fair, I don't show up to the airport, expecting free luggage or other things, as many of the angry people do.
Apr 15, 2023, 8:04 am
#128
Join Date: Oct 2021
Posts: 15
Any update on how long the matched status will show up in your account?
I am a newbie to Spirit. I noticed there are spirit.com, and another site https://www.spirit.com/s/free-spirit-status which requires a different login password.
My status match was approved a week ago, but the status did not show up in my spirit.com account. Do I need to also set up an account (with the same spirit number ) on https://www.spirit.com/s/free-spirit-status? So confused.
I am a newbie to Spirit. I noticed there are spirit.com, and another site https://www.spirit.com/s/free-spirit-status which requires a different login password.
My status match was approved a week ago, but the status did not show up in my spirit.com account. Do I need to also set up an account (with the same spirit number ) on https://www.spirit.com/s/free-spirit-status? So confused.
Apr 15, 2023, 7:34 pm
#131
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: Nectar Card
Posts: 1,093
But as GW McLintock usefully noted, the path to Turkish would be much better answered in the Turkish forum. (And of course to get Spirit Gold through this match, one already needs one of the 32 listed statuses.) Personally I would be intrigued to learn of a pathway from Spirit to Turkish. Good luck.
I had two flights purchased prior to matching to Gold. I had also purchased carry-on bags for $64 each.
1st flight: Was able to move to a different day for free with flight flex and when I went to edit my bags during rebooked, it let me add the carry-on bags for free and it gave me my prepaid carry-on bag fees back as a reservation credit.
2nd flight: I did website chat with a Spirit agent (waited 2.5 hours when it estimated 40 min) and they refunded my prepaid carry-on bag fees back as a reservation credit since I am now gold.
2 flights, two people (both matched to gold), carryon bags fee saved $64 * 4 = $256 back as reservation credits. This status match is already paying for itself.
Agent did tell me that only the gold member gets the free carryon bag and free seat assignment. Any other passengers have to pay their normal fees, if not gold.
1st flight: Was able to move to a different day for free with flight flex and when I went to edit my bags during rebooked, it let me add the carry-on bags for free and it gave me my prepaid carry-on bag fees back as a reservation credit.
2nd flight: I did website chat with a Spirit agent (waited 2.5 hours when it estimated 40 min) and they refunded my prepaid carry-on bag fees back as a reservation credit since I am now gold.
2 flights, two people (both matched to gold), carryon bags fee saved $64 * 4 = $256 back as reservation credits. This status match is already paying for itself.
Agent did tell me that only the gold member gets the free carryon bag and free seat assignment. Any other passengers have to pay their normal fees, if not gold.
Apr 16, 2023, 7:34 am
#133
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 57
Listed on mine at "StatusMatch* Spirit Singapore SG." My guess is it won't count. Last year, I used our incidental credits for the Saver's Club and that was reimbursed. I also used the rest to buy seat assignments or bags immediately after completing the cheapest ticket purchase I could find. Even though the bags and seats cost more, I would then cancel the ticket for a reservation credit (including seats and bags). I then used the reservation credit for a ticket I actually wanted.
Apr 16, 2023, 9:59 am
#134
Join Date: Mar 2022
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 60
Listed on mine at "StatusMatch* Spirit Singapore SG." My guess is it won't count. Last year, I used our incidental credits for the Saver's Club and that was reimbursed. I also used the rest to buy seat assignments or bags immediately after completing the cheapest ticket purchase I could find. Even though the bags and seats cost more, I would then cancel the ticket for a reservation credit (including seats and bags). I then used the reservation credit for a ticket I actually wanted.
Apr 16, 2023, 9:21 pm
#135
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: Nectar Card
Posts: 1,093
Because the match is run by StatusMatch rather than the airline (Spirit) itself, it follows that the charge emanates from StatusMatch (possibly to cover its overhead) and that it regularly passes a list of new elites onto the airline. Perhaps a really generous Amex CSR might manually offer credit but it seems unlikely to autocredit as StatusMatch probably isn't even merchant-categorized as an airline.