If you fly regularly, having elite status across Oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance can be a major advantage. Thinking of switching alliances? You don’t necessarily have to start from scratch. Once you have status in one airline, you can often use it to ‘match’ your status to equivalent status (or lower) with another airline. Many airlines have status match promotions.
But which matches are still open, and which should you choose? Here’s everything you need to know!
In this post:
Status Matches in 2025
After the shake-up of the British Airways loyalty programme in January, a wave of status matches were announced—some of which are ongoing. Airlines have seized the moment to tempt people to switch alliances or give their loyalty programme a try.
Airline acquisitions, such as the now-expired ITA match with Lufthansa, prompted some. Others, like Virgin Atlantic’s longstanding status match, have ramped up promotion in recent months. We’ve even seen low-cost airlines such as EasyJet jumping in there with money off EasyJet Plus (now ended).
Before reading this article, make sure you’ve also read our guide to airline status matches. If you’re unfamiliar with alliances, make sure you also read our Airline alliances guide.
Here’s a summary of the main airline status matches currently available:
| Airline | Match To Alliance | Match From Alliance(s) | Type | Airline/Hotel Status Matched From | Levels Matched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Jordanian | Oneworld | SkyTeam, Star Alliance | Status Match (paid) |
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| American Airlines | Oneworld | SkyTeam and Star Alliance | Status Match, then a Status Challenge to keep after 4 months |
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| Lufthansa | Star Alliance | Oneworld | Status Match (paid) |
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| United | Star Alliance | SkyTeam and Oneworld | Status Challenge |
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| Virgin Atlantic | SkyTeam | Star Alliance, Oneworld | Status Match with booking requirement |
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| Vietnam Airlines | SkyTeam | Oneworld, Star Alliance | Status Match (paid) |
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Oneworld Status Match Opportunities
If you have SkyTeam or Star Alliance elite status, Royal Jordanian and American are currently offering a quicker route to Oneworld status. Once you have status, you’ll have benefits across the 14 airlines in the Oneworld alliance, including Qatar and British Airways.
The Royal Jordanian match is the most flexible, although it comes with a fee, whereas the AA match is good if you have travel plans and already have status with a major American airline.
Royal Jordanian
This is an ongoing status match offer, although it could end anytime. RJ first introduced this offer in 2024, then, after a short break, it’s been running since January. You can read our news article about the match here.
The great thing about this match is that you can match hotel or airline status, even if you got it via AMEX Platinum or something similar. You can match mid-tier airline status to Silver Jay and elite status to Gold Sparrow. This is available for many SkyTeam and Star Alliance airlines, giving you Oneworld status!
| Royal Jordanian Silver Jay | Royal Jordanian Gold Sparrow |
| Oneworld Ruby | Oneworld Sapphire |
| British Airways Bronze | British Airways Silver |
Alliances: SkyTeam > Oneworld & Star Alliance > Oneworld
Type of Status Match: Status Match
Eligible Airlines: Air Europa, Air France, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Egyptair, Emirates, Etihad, Gulf Air, KLM, Kuwait Airways, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Middle East Airlines, Oman Air, SAS, SWISS, Saudia, TAP Air Portugal, Turkish Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.
Eligible Hotel status:
- Marriott: Platinum, Titanium or Ambassador
- IHG: Diamond
- Accor: Diamond or Platinum
- Hilton: Diamond
- Hyatt: Globalist
Status Validity: 12 months
How to Apply: First, sign up for Royal Jordanian. Then, apply for your status match here. Once you’ve applied, your status will be matched within five business days! The match costs £40 to £121, depending on which level of status you are matching and whether you are matching hotel or airline status.
American Airlines
This structured status match programme offers a route from SkyTeam or Star Alliance into Oneworld. To participate, you must have status with a selected American-based airline (listed below).
This challenge is ideal if you have a busy 3-6 month period of AA or Oneworld flights lined up. Royal Jordanian’s match may be a better fixed-cost option if you’re flying less frequently.
Along with Delta, AA is one of the only US-based airlines to open up their status match to those outside the US.
| AA Status | Oneworld Tier |
|---|---|
| Gold (Hold) | Oneworld Ruby |
| Platinum / Platinum Pro | Oneworld Sapphire |
| Executive Platinum | Oneworld Emerald |
Alliances: SkyTeam > Oneworld & Star Alliance > Oneworld
Type of Status Match: Status Match (4 months) and Status Challenge to extend validity
Eligible Airlines: Delta, United, JetBlue, TrueBlue and Southwest
Status Validity: Meet a Loyalty Point goal every 4 months to continue your status and move on to the next phase. Once you meet all three goals, you’ll qualify for status for the rest of the membership year. You will need 13,000 points to continue with Hold, 25,000 for Platinum, 42,000 for Platinum Pro or 67,000 for Executive Platinum.
Exclusions: You must meet the complete status requirements with the airline you’re applying to. You are not eligible if you have registered for the Instant Status Pass promotion in the last two years.
How to Apply: Apply for your status match here. Proof varies by airline. Read what you’ll need here.
Star Alliance Status Match Opportunities
With many people looking to switch from Oneworld, plenty of airlines in the Star Alliance have opened up status matches. There are also matches available if you’re looking to move from SkyTeam to Star Alliance.
The Lufthansa match is an excellent option for obtaining Star Alliance status without major qualification requirements. The Delta match is also a great option, but it has many requirements.
Lufthansa
Lufthansa is currently offering a straightforward paid match into its Miles & More programme.
Alliances: Oneworld > Star Alliance
Type of Status Match: Status Match (paid)
Eligible Airlines: British Airways and Iberia
Status Validity: Until 28th February 2026
How to Apply: Visit statusmatch.com to submit your application and pay the €99 fee. Proof of ID and status needed.
You can find out more about Miles & More here
United
After approval, you must take a United-operated flight within 90 days – this becomes your “Activating Flight” and triggers your 120-day challenge period.
During the challenge, you must fly a set number of Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF) and earn Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) to keep your matched status:
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Premier Silver: 5 PQF + 1,700 PQP
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Premier Gold: 10 PQF + 3,400 PQP
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Premier Platinum: 15 PQF + 5,000 PQP (plus 20 PlusPoints)
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Premier 1K: 20 PQF + 7,500 PQP (plus 100 PlusPoints)
Alliances: SkyTeam > Star Alliance & Oneworld > Star Alliance
Type of Status Match: Status challenge
Deadline: 30th June 2025
Eligible Airlines: American, Southwest, Delta, Alaska Airlines, British Airways and Qantas
Status Validity: 120 days, extendable through to January 2027 if requirements are met post-1st July
Exclusions: Matched status is not available to those with temporary or promotional status, or who participated in a similar challenge in the past five years.
How to Apply: Submit your details and documentation (including proof of valid elite status through 2025) via United’s official page.
SkyTeam Status Match Opportunities
SkyTeam currently has the most status match promotions ongoing to match from Star Alliance to SkyTeam or Oneworld to SkyTeam.
The Air France promotion has proved very popular with readers, and the Vietnam Airlines match is a little-known match with huge benefits that’s well worth a look!
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
The Virgin Atlantic Flying Club has a continuous status match promotion open to elite status holders of selected airline loyalty programmes.
Depending on the status level you hold, you can match the Silver or Gold level in the Flying Club. For Silver, you must have second-tier status with an eligible loyalty programme (e.g. BA Silver) and make a booking (paid for in points or money) in any cabin on a Virgin Atlantic flight, or a codeshare partner with a VS flight number.
For Gold, you must provide proof of top-tier status with a qualifying airline programme and make a Premium or Upper Class booking (paid for in points or money).
Alliances: Star Alliance > SkyTeam and Oneworld > SkyTeam
Type of Status Match: Status match with booking requirement
Eligible Airlines: Air Canada, Air India, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Iberia, Lufthansa, Qatar and South African Airways.
Status Validity: 12 months
Exclusions: You can’t have matched with Virgin Atlantic in the past 5 years, or already have elite status with another SkyTeam airline.
How to Apply: Fill out the status match form with your Flying Club number, booking reference, loyalty programme you’re matching from and current tier. Go to the Virgin status match page here.
For more details, you can read our full article on the Virgin Atlantic status match.
Read our Virgin Atlantic loyalty programme guide for insight into status benefits.
Vietnam Airlines
Vietnam Airlines offers one of the most wide-reaching status match schemes in SkyTeam, covering 47 airline programmes and 7 major hotel chains.
It’s a paid match with 12 months of elite status available, and flexibility to match into their Titanium, Gold, or Platinum tiers, depending on your current level. It’s worth noting that you can’t match hotel status to Platinum.
This match is a great choice if you’re looking for SkyTeam Elite Plus perks without flying requirements. It’s also useful if you want to match your hotel status!
Alliances: Oneworld > SkyTeam & Star Alliance > SkyTeam
Type of Status Match: Paid status match
Eligible Airlines: 47! View the complete list here. It includes airlines like BA, Finnair, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Qatar, Emirates, Etihad, and Lufthansa.
Eligible Hotel loyalty programmes: Accor, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott, Radisson Hotel Group and Wyndham Hotels and Resorts.
Status Validity: 12 months
Exclusions: Members approved for a Status Match will not be eligible for any subsequent Status Match with Vietnam Airlines.
How to Apply: Pricing varies from £49.95 to £240 depending on your matching status. You will need to provide proof of existing status. Apply via the official page here.
Other Status Match Opportunities
Although these airlines are not part of an airline alliance, these status matches are still well worth a look.
airBaltic
airBaltic has its own loyalty programme, and elite status is beneficial. Depending on your status level, you’ll have benefits such as fast track, priority airport check-in, lounge access, and VIP customer support. You would usually have to complete 30-60 one-way flights for status, so this is a great offer if you plan to fly with airBaltic.
Type of Status Match: Status Match
Eligible Airlines: Finnair Plus, SAS EuroBonus and Lufthansa Miles&More
Status Validity: 12 months
Exclusions: Once per lifetime per account. Elite status must be from flight miles or segments.
How to Apply: Send your airBaltic Club membership number, valid loyalty card and account statement to [email protected].
Air Astana
Offering a match from a variety of airlines. The fee is £36-£148. We match a variety of airlines from all three alliances, including Virgin Atlantic, Qatar, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and KLM—even EasyJet Plus/EasyJet flight club. A long list of hotel loyalty programmes, too.
Global Airlines
It’s worth mentioning that Global Airlines has promised a two-year status match to its Global Aviator loyalty programme, but full details have yet to be released. We first reported on this here. Global Airlines will match any Oneworld, Star Alliance or SkyTeam airline when you book your first flights this year. We will keep an eye on this!
Final Words
2025 has come with plenty of status match opportunities, many of which are ongoing! Whether you’re thinking of switching to a loyalty programme in another alliance and you want a headstart, or you’re hoping to hold status in more than one airline alliance, there’s a match to suit everyone.
Are you thinking of going for one of these status matches? Or have you already successfully applied? Let us know in the comments below:
