In search of an airline standing match? Our information to airline standing matches and challenges in 2025

Whereas most loyalty applications don’t supply a approach to prolong elite standing past the present yr, there is a workaround out there: By matching your expiring elite standing to a competing loyalty program, you possibly can probably keep your advantages by deciding on totally different carriers.

Quite a few airline loyalty applications present the chance to match elite advantages from different applications. As an illustration, in case your Delta Air Strains Medallion elite standing will expire subsequent yr, you may be capable to match it to a competitor’s program. This usually grants you short-term elite standing with the competing program that you may prolong by assembly particular flight or income necessities.

Subsequently, when you qualify, you possibly can achieve complimentary elite standing with one other airline. Maintain studying to be taught extra about present airline standing matches and challenges you possibly can snag in 2025.

What’s an airline standing match?

A standing match usually entails getting an equal or decrease standing tier with a brand new airline primarily based in your current standing with a competitor’s program. So, why would airways supply a standing match problem?

If a traveler has proven important loyalty to at least one specific airline and program, this conduct will be engaging to a rival airline. The traveler could take into account switching loyalty as a result of they’re sad with their current program, or maybe their circumstances have modified. For instance, perhaps somebody moved from a metropolis like Houston, the place United Airways is the dominant provider, to Atlanta, the place Delta Air Strains has its largest hub.

If you wish to check out one other program however do not fancy ranging from scratch, a standing match or problem will be an effective way to resolve this drawback. It is value exploring the foremost elite standing match and problem alternatives out there if you wish to break up with an airline — although there are some caveats to contemplate.

What to learn about getting an airline standing match

There are some necessary methods and rules to recollect when pursuing a standing match or problem.

For a standing match, you should usually present a photograph of your membership card and a mileage assertion to show your standing. It’s essential to keep away from altering or falsifying your credentials, as this may end up in extreme penalties, together with account suspension.

Then again, a standing problem could or could not require you to have current standing. The airline will specify the variety of elite qualifying miles or {dollars} you should earn inside a selected time-frame to attain a specific elite tier. You must perceive the necessities and which actions rely towards the problem, as some cobranded bank cards or accomplice airline tickets could also be excluded. Do not forget that standing matches and challenges are sometimes restricted to as soon as per lifetime per account, though some carriers have exceptions.

It’s normally suggested to finish a match or problem after June to take pleasure in standing for the remainder of the yr and probably retain it for the next yr. Nonetheless, current airline standing match challenges, just like the one Delta started providing in 2024, will mean you can keep standing by January 2027.

Moreover, it is value mentioning that airways could not all the time publicize their standing match and problem alternatives. It’s possible you’ll have to name or electronic mail the airline’s customer support or verify web sites like StatusMatcher. Do not forget that the end result of your request could range relying on the agent processing it.

Associated: Is airline elite standing nonetheless value it?

Alaska Airways standing match

Since Alaska Airways acquired Hawaiian Airways in 2024, the applications now supply reciprocal elite standing matches. When you maintain standing with HawaiianMiles, go to this web page to request the equal Alaska Airways Mileage Plan standing.

When you maintain standing with one other airline, you should still be capable to get a match — however Alaska’s standing match course of features a problem part. Alaska will match elite standing from the next applications:

• Aeromexico Rewards
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• American Airways AAdvantage
• Delta SkyMiles
• Frontier Miles
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Southwest Speedy Rewards
• United MileagePlus

You’ll be granted the corresponding standing stage within the Alaska Airways Mileage Plan program for 90 days. To retain this standing past the preliminary interval, you should fly a selected variety of miles on flights marketed by Alaska Airways and operated by Alaska Airways, Horizon or SkyWest, relying on the tier you match.

The required flight thresholds are as follows:

• MVP: 5,000 miles
• MVP Gold: 10,000 miles
• MVP Gold 75K: 20,000 miles

Sadly, Alaska’s MVP Gold 100K tier has no standing match alternative.

To submit a request, go to the airline’s standing match web page and supply a screenshot of your present mileage assertion displaying your identify, standing and miles earned this yr or flown within the prior yr to attain elite standing. Complimentary standing and standing earned by a promotion don’t qualify.

When you request a standing match by the top of June and fulfill the necessities, your new standing can be legitimate till the top of the calendar yr. Then again, when you provoke your standing match between July 1 and Dec. 31 and fulfill the necessities, your standing can be legitimate till the top of the next yr, so making use of for it in July or August of this yr would maximize the size.

Associated: Final-minute methods for incomes Alaska Airways Mileage Plan elite standing

American Airways standing match

American Airways gives a standing problem program referred to as On the spot Standing Move to Delta Air Strains, JetBlue, Southwest Airways and United Airways elite members. To take part, you possibly can apply on American’s web site and be matched to AAdvantage Gold, Platinum, Platinum Professional or Government Platinum.

This system consists of three phases, every lasting 4 months. Upon registration, you’ll instantly take pleasure in the advantages of the chosen standing tier. To keep up your short-term standing for an additional 4 months, it’s worthwhile to earn a prorated variety of Loyalty Factors, which is round one-third of the complete requirement for a yr.

The Loyalty Factors required for every tier are as follows:

• AAdvantage Gold: 13,000 Loyalty Factors
• AAdvantage Platinum: 25,000 Loyalty Factors
• AAdvantage Platinum Professional: 42,000 Loyalty Factors
• AAdvantage Government Platinum: 67,000 Loyalty Factors

Throughout every part, you possibly can earn Loyalty Factors by qualifying actions with American, its companions and cobranded bank card spending. These actions rely towards your standing problem.

The standing you obtain within the first part determines your start line within the subsequent part. Which means that whatever the preliminary tier you registered for, you’ll start the second part with the advantages you unlocked within the earlier part.

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Delta Air Strains standing match

Delta SkyMiles is presently providing a standing match, as much as Platinum Medallion, to elite members of assorted airline applications, together with worldwide applications like British Airways Government Membership, Lufthansa Miles & Extra and Virgin Australia Velocity, in addition to most main U.S. applications.

After submitting your info and proof of your present standing, you may be matched to the corresponding Medallion tier for 3 months.

In 2024, Delta moved to a Medallion Qualification Greenback system for incomes standing. Which means you should earn the next MQD quantities inside the three-month interval to increase your standing:

• Silver: 1,250 MQDs
• Gold: 2,500 MQDs
• Platinum: 3,750 MQDs

When you enroll and full these necessities anytime in 2025, your Medallion standing can be prolonged by Jan. 31, 2027.

Associated: Delta to check new fare ‘subcategories’ in 2025; ponders higher-end Amex bank card

Frontier Airways standing match

Based on the airline’s web site, “Frontier Standing Match is revamping and can be coming again shortly.”

For now, Frontier Miles is providing a paid shortcut to standing to pick out journey rewards bank card holders within the U.S. You possibly can see when you’re eligible on this web page, and in that case, you may have the choice to buy Elite Gold standing (this system’s second-lowest tier out of 4) for $499. This standing can be legitimate by Dec. 31, so the sooner you get it, the longer you can take pleasure in it.

Associated: Frontier Miles elite standing: What it’s and earn it

Hawaiian Airways standing match

Because of Hawaiian Airways’ current merger with Alaska Airways, Mileage Plan MVP members can request a standing match to HawaiianMiles.

What when you’ve got standing with an airline aside from Alaska? Whereas not publicly marketed, HawaiianMiles has beforehand supplied standing matches as much as top-tier Platinum standing on a case-by-case foundation through its on-line contact kind. It does not harm to ask.

To request a standing match with Hawaiian Airways, the corporate usually requires two issues:

• Proof of present elite standing
• Documentation of flights accomplished that earned the elite standing, together with flight exercise to at the least certainly one of Hawaiian’s locations

Matches are normally good for one calendar yr from the time of improve.

Associated: Capitalize on Alaska-Hawaiian merger: Potential methods to maximise your miles, elite standing and extra

ITA Airways standing match

ITA Airways’ loyalty program, Volare, has been recognized to run occasional standing match promotions, like this one in the summertime of 2024. Whereas there are not any standing matches proper now, you might wish to verify this system’s checklist of present promotions if that modifications.

A Volare standing match could possibly be value contemplating even when you’re not an ITA Airways frequent flyer, because it provides you a chance to get SkyTeam elite standing.

Associated: SkyTeam alliance information: Member airways, lounges and elite standing

JetBlue standing match

JetBlue TrueBlue launched an ongoing standing match program in August 2024 referred to as Match to Mosaic. Now you can match to Mosaic 1 or 2 from the next applications:

• Alaska Airways Mileage Plan
• American Airways AAdvantage
• Delta SkyMiles
• Free Spirit
• Frontier Miles
• Southwest Speedy Rewards
• United MileagePlus

To apply, submit a screenshot of your frequent flyer program profile exhibiting your full identify and proof of standing. If matching to Mosaic 2, you may want a screenshot or picture of your most up-to-date boarding go or flight affirmation electronic mail exhibiting your standing.

As soon as permitted, you may obtain complimentary Mosaic standing for 3 months. You possibly can prolong or elevate your standing by incomes a set variety of Tiles, which JetBlue awards for actions like JetBlue flights, cobranded bank card spending, JetBlue trip packages and journey booked by Paisly by JetBlue.

To increase your standing by the following calendar yr, you should earn the next variety of Tiles inside the three-month promotional standing interval:

• 10 Tiles to maintain Mosaic 1
• 25 Tiles to maintain Mosaic 2
• 40 Tiles to earn Mosaic 3

Associated: JetBlue Mosaic elite standing: What it’s and earn it

Lufthansa standing match

In 2024, Lufthansa’s Miles & Extra program launched a standing match supply to elite members of Scandinavian Airways’ EuroBonus program. This match is not out there, however you possibly can register to be notified of future standing match alternatives.

Scandinavian Airways standing match

SAS’ EuroBonus program supplied a standing match promotion final yr for Oneworld and Star Alliance elite members, however that is not out there. Since SAS joined SkyTeam in 2024 after being a longtime member of Star Alliance, future standing match gives might look very totally different.

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Southwest Airways standing match

Beforehand, it was tough to find Southwest Airways’ standing match and problem applications as they weren’t broadly marketed. Nonetheless, the airline has now made these applications extra accessible by offering all of the phrases and situations on its web site.

You have to have standing with one other home airline to qualify for a Southwest A-Checklist standing match. Any standing stage appears to be accepted. To provoke the method, electronic mail southwest.statusmatch@wnco.com along with your full identify, Speedy Rewards account quantity and proof of elite standing.

As soon as your request is processed, you’ll obtain promotional A-Checklist standing for 90 days.

To increase your A-Checklist standing for an extra 12 months, you should guide and full three qualifying round-trip flights or six one-way flights inside 90 days of affirmation of your enrollment. These flights have to be paid fares, not award tickets. Whereas current bookings could not rely, Southwest permits simple cancellation and rebooking with out penalties. So, you possibly can convert current bookings into new ones if the fare has not elevated considerably.

To qualify for the Southwest standing match, you should not have obtained promotional A-Checklist standing from any program — together with standing matches and challenges — inside the previous 12 months. Current A-Checklist members with expiring standing will not be eligible for a standing match.

Associated: Southwest A-Checklist standing: What it’s and earn it

Spirit Airways standing match

Spirit Airways is providing a limited-time standing match problem, however you may should act quick: The airline should obtain your utility by Jan. 31.

You possibly can apply for this standing match when you maintain elite standing with one of many following:

• Alaska Airways Mileage Plan
• American Airways AAdvantage
• Delta SkyMiles
• Frontier Miles
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Southwest Speedy Rewards
• United MileagePlus

To be eligible, you should have earned your standing by the airline’s printed necessities. (Complimentary standing or standing earned by a promotion doesn’t qualify.) Moreover, you should not have obtained a standing match or complimentary standing from Free Spirit prior to now two years.

As soon as permitted, you may be granted 90 days of Free Spirit Silver or Gold standing primarily based in your present elite tier. You possibly can prolong your standing by Dec. 31 by incomes sufficient Spirit Qualification Factors on flights operated by Spirit or spending on Spirit’s cobranded card. You have to earn the next inside your 90 days of complimentary standing to increase it:

• Free Spirit Silver: 500 SQPs
• Free Spirit Gold: 1,250 SQPs

Silver and Gold elite members obtain waived charges for extras like seat choice, precedence boarding and same-day standby. You are even eligible for a free checked and carry-on bag on the Gold stage.

Associated: Is it time to rethink Spirit Airways and its Free Spirit program?

United Airways standing match

United Airways not too long ago up to date its MileagePlus Premier Standing Match Problem promotion for 2025. Elite members of different applications can register between now and June 30 to obtain complimentary United MileagePlus standing for 120 days.

Based on United’s web site, that is solely a partial checklist. The Premier Standing Match Problem kind offers a full checklist.

To use, fill out the above kind with the required info, together with your MileagePlus account quantity, electronic mail handle and a digital copy of your 2025 membership card for the frequent flyer program you might be matching from. As soon as permitted, you may have 90 days to take an “activating flight” operated by United or United Specific. (Or, when you’ve taken a qualifying flight on or after Jan. 1, 2025, and inside 30 days earlier than you utilized for the standing match, you possibly can request that this flight be thought-about your activating flight.)

Your United standing can be upgraded to Premier Silver, Premier Gold or Premier Platinum inside 5 to seven enterprise days after your activating flight. You’ll maintain this standing for 120 days.

Be sure you time your utility in order that you can full the activating flight requirement. If you don’t full an activating flight inside 90 days of approval, you may turn into ineligible for this and some other United standing match problem in 2025.

As soon as your standing is upgraded, you may have 120 days to earn a set variety of Premier qualifying flights and Premier qualifying factors to increase your elite standing. Be aware that the flights have to be operated by United or United Specific; accomplice flights (together with these on Star Alliance carriers) aren’t eligible.

When you attain the above thresholds to increase your standing earlier than July 1, 2025, your standing can be legitimate by January 2026. When you earn standing after July 1, 2025, your standing will final by January 2027.

Assembly the above necessities will solely mean you can prolong your current matched standing tier. To maneuver to the next tier, you should meet United’s printed elite standing standards.

Since United standing match challenges are restricted to as soon as each 5 years per MileagePlus account, consider carefully about whether or not now’s the appropriate time to take part.

Associated: United Premier standing: Methods to earn it — and is it value it?

Virgin Atlantic standing match

Virgin Atlantic gives a publicly out there standing match to members of choose competing applications.

Relying in your current standing tier, you are eligible for an on the spot match to Second Tier (Silver) or High Tier (Gold). Nonetheless, those that match to Gold will need to have a future paid flight booked in Higher Class or premium financial system to be eligible. In the meantime, these matching to Silver will need to have a flight booked in any cabin to be permitted for a match.

Here is a have a look at what applications and standing tiers are eligible:

As soon as your standing is upgraded, you may take pleasure in your standing for 12 months. Here is what you should earn within the 12 months to retain your standing:

• Silver: 400 tier factors
• Gold: 1,000 tier factors

These with Virgin Atlantic standing profit from flying with the airline and its companions. On Delta flights, Gold members obtain precedence seating, lounge entry on choose flights, precedence baggage and different advantages. Plus, they obtain advantages on SkyTeam airways, together with Air France, KLM, Korean Air and China Jap Airways.

Sadly, since Virgin Atlantic is now a member of SkyTeam, you possibly can’t use your Delta standing for this match. This supply isn’t out there to Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership members who additionally maintain any stage of membership with certainly one of Virgin’s SkyTeam companions or those that have taken benefit of a standing match inside the previous 5 years.

Associated: Flexibility is vital: Why I (principally) just like the Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership modifications

Backside line

Standing matches and challenges present a shortcut to having fun with perks and financial savings, particularly if you’re shifting to a hub the place your most popular airline does not function (or has a smaller presence). They can be advantageous for particular journeys or when you’re prepared to interrupt up along with your current airline due to unwelcome modifications to its program.

Nonetheless, earlier than making use of for a standing match or problem, perceive the phrases and situations, and select essentially the most opportune time to use. Do not overlook alternatives with international carriers that would grant alliance elite standing in addition to supply advantages like lounge entry and elevated baggage capability on home airways.

In case your present elite standing is about to run out, keep in mind to submit your standing match request earlier than it does to keep away from lacking out on the chance. And do not forget to verify for different shortcuts to standing, like focused buy-up gives for American AAdvantage standing and United Premier standing.