Jan 4, 2017, 11:12 pm
Last edit by: Jaenks
Update January 2020:
According to statusmatcher.com TK will only issue the the status match challenge to those holders of the following status:
Oneworld Emerald
Finnair Plus Gold (Oneworld Sapphire)
Skyteam Elite Plus
Emirates Gold/Platinum
Etihad Gold
Oman Air Gold
Other Gold Card holders including *G are out of luck.
Please report your experience in this thread and note the useful information in the Wiki below.
It appears that status matches are only granted once per lifetime, so think carefully before requesting if you might not re-qualify.
4/7/2015
Adding this Step-by-Step guide with screenshots to TK Status Match
http://dcta.boardingarea.com/2015/02...-status-match/
26/7/2015 - Jerry
TK asks for Elite card scan AND Account activity within last 2 months, so it's best if you have some activities!!
Timeline can range from few hours to few days, be patient!
02/11/2015 - flolee
It looks like TK might also ask you for a scan of your Passport now. So if you are in a hurry better submit it right away in the first place with all the other documents.
Date Requested
Current Airline and Status (note list of matchable status above)
Information submitted (i.e. physical card scan, activity statement, etc)
Any replies received other than confirmation
Date Confirmation Received
03/01/2016 - zap7
Multiple reports from December 16th 2015 onwards state that TK now only grants a match to 4 months "elite trial", requiring 1 international TK flight during the 4 months following the match to extend it to one year and 15000 k TK status miles during that year to extend elite status to 2 years:
04/11/2017 - CoweyB. TK has clarified that once a status match is given any miles collected during the first year of the match do not count for renewal - despite the email suggesting that 25,000 miles collected in the first year will secure renewal. TK has said that it is necessary to collect 37,500 in the second year to maintain Elite status for a further two years once the period of the status match ends.
According to statusmatcher.com TK will only issue the the status match challenge to those holders of the following status:
Oneworld Emerald
Finnair Plus Gold (Oneworld Sapphire)
Skyteam Elite Plus
Emirates Gold/Platinum
Etihad Gold
Oman Air Gold
Other Gold Card holders including *G are out of luck.
Please report your experience in this thread and note the useful information in the Wiki below.
It appears that status matches are only granted once per lifetime, so think carefully before requesting if you might not re-qualify.
4/7/2015
Adding this Step-by-Step guide with screenshots to TK Status Match
http://dcta.boardingarea.com/2015/02...-status-match/
26/7/2015 - Jerry
TK asks for Elite card scan AND Account activity within last 2 months, so it's best if you have some activities!!
Timeline can range from few hours to few days, be patient!
02/11/2015 - flolee
It looks like TK might also ask you for a scan of your Passport now. So if you are in a hurry better submit it right away in the first place with all the other documents.
Date Requested
Current Airline and Status (note list of matchable status above)
Information submitted (i.e. physical card scan, activity statement, etc)
Any replies received other than confirmation
Date Confirmation Received
03/01/2016 - zap7
Multiple reports from December 16th 2015 onwards state that TK now only grants a match to 4 months "elite trial", requiring 1 international TK flight during the 4 months following the match to extend it to one year and 15000 k TK status miles during that year to extend elite status to 2 years:
Welcome Miles&Smiles Turkish Airlines' advantageous Frequent Flyer Programme. Elite card trial period will be valid for 4 months. As of start date of elite membership within 4 months trial period one international Turkish Airlines flight should be realised for extending your card validity date to 1 year, if 15.000 status miles accumulate at the end of the first year elite membership will extend 1 year more and the total validity date will be 2 years.
TK status match (2017 onwards)
Aug 27, 2019, 2:34 am
#541
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 185
@ISTFlyer
Thanks for offering further help! It would be wonderful if I could just book another *A flight to fulfill the 15K requirement. However, at this point, I am bit confused as if you read @craigthemif comment, it seems that it would have to be operated by Turkish. The wording in the email is quite bad to be honest.
Any further light on this would be great. Change fee + fare difference + OTA fee is coming up to around 800Eur....
Thanks for offering further help! It would be wonderful if I could just book another *A flight to fulfill the 15K requirement. However, at this point, I am bit confused as if you read @craigthemif comment, it seems that it would have to be operated by Turkish. The wording in the email is quite bad to be honest.
Any further light on this would be great. Change fee + fare difference + OTA fee is coming up to around 800Eur....
@thelister
May I ask you, are you trying to fulfill your 15000 miles requirement?
If so, if you're flying with other *A members until 1 Mar, credit them to TK which would also fulfill the requirements.
Or do a mileage run which could be cheaper than changing your ticket. If you provide your hometown and miles that you would collect until 25-26 Feb, we could help you on finding the cheapest ways to earn the required miles.
May I ask you, are you trying to fulfill your 15000 miles requirement?
If so, if you're flying with other *A members until 1 Mar, credit them to TK which would also fulfill the requirements.
Or do a mileage run which could be cheaper than changing your ticket. If you provide your hometown and miles that you would collect until 25-26 Feb, we could help you on finding the cheapest ways to earn the required miles.
Operated by Turkish.
If you read the main thread, you'll see lots of complaints from people who did their miles with a *A airline. TK status match (2017 onwards)
If you read the main thread, you'll see lots of complaints from people who did their miles with a *A airline. TK status match (2017 onwards)
Amigos,
For those who received a similar email after status match, could you please shed some light on whether the 15,000 Status Miles have to be operated by Turkish Airlines? Or would any in Star Alliance be okay?
Excerpt from email: Elite Status Match was done as per your request in your feedback, and your membership account number TKxxxx has been shifted to the Elite status. The Elite card trial period is 4 months. Subsequent to the inclusion of an international flight you will perform with Turkish Airlines within the first 4 months following the beginning of your Elite membership in your account, your trial period will be extended for 8 months and regarded valid for one year in total. If you earn 15,000 status miles in Turkish Airlines international line flights in the first year of your Elite membership, your membership will be extended for one year, and it will be valid for two years in total.
Thanks.
T
For those who received a similar email after status match, could you please shed some light on whether the 15,000 Status Miles have to be operated by Turkish Airlines? Or would any in Star Alliance be okay?
Excerpt from email: Elite Status Match was done as per your request in your feedback, and your membership account number TKxxxx has been shifted to the Elite status. The Elite card trial period is 4 months. Subsequent to the inclusion of an international flight you will perform with Turkish Airlines within the first 4 months following the beginning of your Elite membership in your account, your trial period will be extended for 8 months and regarded valid for one year in total. If you earn 15,000 status miles in Turkish Airlines international line flights in the first year of your Elite membership, your membership will be extended for one year, and it will be valid for two years in total.
Thanks.
T
Aug 27, 2019, 3:59 am
#542
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,572
However, at this point, I am bit confused as if you read @craigthemif comment, it seems that it would have to be operated by Turkish. The wording in the email is quite bad to be honest.
Any further light on this would be great. Change fee + fare difference + OTA fee is coming up to around 800Eur....
Any further light on this would be great. Change fee + fare difference + OTA fee is coming up to around 800Eur....
Aug 27, 2019, 5:01 am
#543
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
@ISTFlyer
Thanks for offering further help! It would be wonderful if I could just book another *A flight to fulfill the 15K requirement. However, at this point, I am bit confused as if you read @craigthemif comment, it seems that it would have to be operated by Turkish. The wording in the email is quite bad to be honest.
Any further light on this would be great. Change fee + fare difference + OTA fee is coming up to around 800Eur....
Thanks for offering further help! It would be wonderful if I could just book another *A flight to fulfill the 15K requirement. However, at this point, I am bit confused as if you read @craigthemif comment, it seems that it would have to be operated by Turkish. The wording in the email is quite bad to be honest.
Any further light on this would be great. Change fee + fare difference + OTA fee is coming up to around 800Eur....
800 EUR is too much for a change fee.
Aug 31, 2019, 6:02 am
#545
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 7
Hey Frequent Flyers,
I need your help. I asked for status match. This has been approved. According to the E-Mail this status is valid for 2 years and its a match and not a challenge.
According to the mobile app the status is only valid until 31.12.19.
What is correct?
Thank you :-)
I need your help. I asked for status match. This has been approved. According to the E-Mail this status is valid for 2 years and its a match and not a challenge.
According to the mobile app the status is only valid until 31.12.19.
What is correct?
Thank you :-)
Sep 1, 2019, 10:44 am
#546
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,045
We need more information. Did you actually fly 40k miles? Have you taken your TK flight after requesting the status match and/or complete the 15k? Does the end of December match up with the 4 month trial period? (i.e. when did you receive the match)
Sep 18, 2019, 5:59 am
#547
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,572
Being 1 year into my status match in which I needed to gather 15,000 miles on TK flights only (I managed around 25k) - Turkish Airlines' brilliant IT system decided to downgrade me to Classic Plus 
I gathered from reading on the forums/internet that such glitches are fairly common and can be easily/quickly solved by their help desk? I'm not surprised this actually happened - I was actually pleasantly surprised that in the beginning of the status match (perform a TK flight within the first four months) gave zero problems and extended automatically in their systems
I created a feedback ticket and called the hotline (AMS number) - the first agent (AMS based) said that she could indeed see that I'm right in that my status should be extended for a second year, but said she could not help me further reinstating the Elite status. She however transferred me to another number of customer service where a guy (not sure if he completely understood my questions/corresponding feedback ticket!) said that the back office would need to deal with it.
Anyone has any experience how long this will typically take them? I need to book some flights for the upcoming weekend with a fairly long layover at ATH and would hate it to be left out in the public spaces of the airport instead of the lovely little LH lounge
I gathered from reading on the forums/internet that such glitches are fairly common and can be easily/quickly solved by their help desk? I'm not surprised this actually happened - I was actually pleasantly surprised that in the beginning of the status match (perform a TK flight within the first four months) gave zero problems and extended automatically in their systems
I created a feedback ticket and called the hotline (AMS number) - the first agent (AMS based) said that she could indeed see that I'm right in that my status should be extended for a second year, but said she could not help me further reinstating the Elite status. She however transferred me to another number of customer service where a guy (not sure if he completely understood my questions/corresponding feedback ticket!) said that the back office would need to deal with it.
Anyone has any experience how long this will typically take them? I need to book some flights for the upcoming weekend with a fairly long layover at ATH and would hate it to be left out in the public spaces of the airport instead of the lovely little LH lounge
Sep 18, 2019, 2:22 pm
#548
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
Just a remark that 15000 miles should be done on TK international flights, domestic flights do not count.
I don't have any information about how long it takes for these kinds of cases to be fixed but the earliest you fill out a feedback form, the earliest the issue would be solved.
I don't have any information about how long it takes for these kinds of cases to be fixed but the earliest you fill out a feedback form, the earliest the issue would be solved.
Sep 18, 2019, 3:08 pm
#549
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,572
Just a remark that 15000 miles should be done on TK international flights, domestic flights do not count.
I don't have any information about how long it takes for these kinds of cases to be fixed but the earliest you fill out a feedback form, the earliest the issue would be solved.
I don't have any information about how long it takes for these kinds of cases to be fixed but the earliest you fill out a feedback form, the earliest the issue would be solved.
I filed the ticket 2 days ago/called today on top of it. Will keep the forum posted when/how it gets resolved for future reference!
Sep 19, 2019, 3:05 am
#550
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 64
Hey Frequent Flyers,
I need your help. I asked for status match. This has been approved. According to the E-Mail this status is valid for 2 years and its a match and not a challenge.
According to the mobile app the status is only valid until 31.12.19.
What is correct?
Thank you :-)
I need your help. I asked for status match. This has been approved. According to the E-Mail this status is valid for 2 years and its a match and not a challenge.
According to the mobile app the status is only valid until 31.12.19.
What is correct?
Thank you :-)
Is this a wrongly directed standard-e-mail, or do I really not have to fulfill a challenge?
EDIT: The website states a validity of 4 months for the status, hence I suppose the regular status match rules apply?
Last edited by jonasfischer; Sep 19, 2019 at 3:28 am
Sep 20, 2019, 5:01 am
#551
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,572
Dear Mr. X,
Since you have reached a total of 40000 Status Miles within the past 12 months, your card level has been upgraded to Elite Card.
If you reach a total of 45000 Status Miles during your membership period for 2 years, your Elite card will be extended for 2 more years.
if you reach 80000 Status Miles by 30/09/2020 your membership card will be upgraded to Elite Plus Card.
Since you have reached a total of 40000 Status Miles within the past 12 months, your card level has been upgraded to Elite Card.
If you reach a total of 45000 Status Miles during your membership period for 2 years, your Elite card will be extended for 2 more years.
if you reach 80000 Status Miles by 30/09/2020 your membership card will be upgraded to Elite Plus Card.
I suspect this is just an automated/standard email answer as of course what is written is weird and not applicable at all to the 2nd year of the status match at all. Heck, I didnt even reach 40k miles.. I only reached just over the 15k+ on TK flights in year 1 of the status match so far as required by it..!
So sould I now follow this email for requalifying goals (40k in 2 years)? Or disregard it and assume my initial goal for the 2nd year of status match still counts? (37.5k in the 2nd year)?
Sep 21, 2019, 11:49 am
#552
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: Flying Blue, Miles & Smiles
Posts: 467
I requested a status match from Flying Blue Gold (SkyTeam Elite +). Was given a match/challenge, whereby
- The Elite card trial period is 4 months, with expiry exactly 4 months forthwith.
- Extended by 8 more months (so 1yr in total) after taking a TK int'l flight within the initial 4 months.
- If I earn 15,000 status miles with TK int'l flights within first year, membership will be extended by another year.
Upon gaining the status match, the account overview gave an expiry date of 4 months from the matching date. However, after the subsequent TK flight, this has not changed. I have it confirmed from TK, via email, that I have met the criteria for the first extension but I don't know when this will reflect. My reading from here seems a few people get their status dropped off, and have to request it to be re-instated - so perhaps that will be what will happen, but I hope it won't happen as I have a journey I hope to use to additional baggage two days after the 4month trial expiry (although I do make more TK flights before that too).
Question:
Does the status drop off after the 4month extension and you need to request it to be re-instated or is it automatically done?
Thanks!
- The Elite card trial period is 4 months, with expiry exactly 4 months forthwith.
- Extended by 8 more months (so 1yr in total) after taking a TK int'l flight within the initial 4 months.
- If I earn 15,000 status miles with TK int'l flights within first year, membership will be extended by another year.
Upon gaining the status match, the account overview gave an expiry date of 4 months from the matching date. However, after the subsequent TK flight, this has not changed. I have it confirmed from TK, via email, that I have met the criteria for the first extension but I don't know when this will reflect. My reading from here seems a few people get their status dropped off, and have to request it to be re-instated - so perhaps that will be what will happen, but I hope it won't happen as I have a journey I hope to use to additional baggage two days after the 4month trial expiry (although I do make more TK flights before that too).
Question:
Does the status drop off after the 4month extension and you need to request it to be re-instated or is it automatically done?
Thanks!
Last edited by ahopkins767; Sep 21, 2019 at 11:58 am Reason: Add question
Sep 21, 2019, 4:16 pm
#553
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,572
The supposedly automatic extension after the first year... not so much as you can read above
as I got erroneously downgraded to Classic Plus.I had the same kind of situation as you fear could happen to you in that the erroneous downgrade happened a few days before a flight involving a long layover. For a moment I dreaded not having lounge access if my status would not be reinstated in time, but all TK staff I spoke told not to worry. In sucha a case you should call back at T-24 as in the case of an upcoming TK flight within a day, the TK back office can handle such cases with high urgency and give your problem immediate priority.
In my case the erroneous downgrade was set back three days after my initial call and in time for my flight, so it did not apply to me. But it seemed by the words of the TK staff I spoke that there will always be a quick solution in case it is urgently needed.
Sep 21, 2019, 4:46 pm
#554
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: ZRH, MNL
Programs: FB Gold
Posts: 974
I requested a status match from Flying Blue Gold (SkyTeam Elite +). Was given a match/challenge, whereby
- The Elite card trial period is 4 months, with expiry exactly 4 months forthwith.
- Extended by 8 more months (so 1yr in total) after taking a TK int'l flight within the initial 4 months.
- If I earn 15,000 status miles with TK int'l flights within first year, membership will be extended by another year.
Upon gaining the status match, the account overview gave an expiry date of 4 months from the matching date. However, after the subsequent TK flight, this has not changed. I have it confirmed from TK, via email, that I have met the criteria for the first extension but I don't know when this will reflect. My reading from here seems a few people get their status dropped off, and have to request it to be re-instated - so perhaps that will be what will happen, but I hope it won't happen as I have a journey I hope to use to additional baggage two days after the 4month trial expiry (although I do make more TK flights before that too).
Question:
Does the status drop off after the 4month extension and you need to request it to be re-instated or is it automatically done?
Thanks!
- The Elite card trial period is 4 months, with expiry exactly 4 months forthwith.
- Extended by 8 more months (so 1yr in total) after taking a TK int'l flight within the initial 4 months.
- If I earn 15,000 status miles with TK int'l flights within first year, membership will be extended by another year.
Upon gaining the status match, the account overview gave an expiry date of 4 months from the matching date. However, after the subsequent TK flight, this has not changed. I have it confirmed from TK, via email, that I have met the criteria for the first extension but I don't know when this will reflect. My reading from here seems a few people get their status dropped off, and have to request it to be re-instated - so perhaps that will be what will happen, but I hope it won't happen as I have a journey I hope to use to additional baggage two days after the 4month trial expiry (although I do make more TK flights before that too).
Question:
Does the status drop off after the 4month extension and you need to request it to be re-instated or is it automatically done?
Thanks!
Sep 22, 2019, 6:31 am
#555
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: Flying Blue, Miles & Smiles
Posts: 467
I hope your first flight with them goes smoothly. Mine was less so.
I was booked for SIN-IST-BHX then BHX-IST-MNL. I was due to spend 2 or 3 nights in Singapore before boarding the TK flight, but as I boarded a plane at Manila Airport enroute to SIN I got an email notifying me as a schedule change. They had cancelled the original BHX-IST on the return trip due to the 737MAX outage. No problem I thought, I'll fix that later - but when I later rang, it turned out it was a problem. I had to reconfirm my flight and fix the return before I could board, and if I didn't, well the flight would be cancelled. I had booked through GotoGate, so this was a little kerfuffle, and would involve either going to a ticket office (which was closed for a weekend and national holiday) or doing it through the travel agent, which I managed after several attempts.
...I think TK will take some getting used to, but other than that I've been impressed with their long haul product.
And thank you Romanianflyer for the nugget of your experience
Last edited by ahopkins767; Sep 22, 2019 at 6:33 am Reason: Correction