Points Guru: What is airline status matching?

Escape’s points expert, Sabine Leroy, answers your questions about frequent flyer programs.

Status matching is a little-known points trick.

Is status matching worth the time and effort? Or is it just a gimmick?

I occasionally see emails and offers about status matching but don’t know much about it. What is it and how does it work?

If you’re a frequent traveller or planning a big holiday, it’s a good one to get your head around as it may offer benefits for your trip.  Status matching is when an airline matches the status you have with another airline, hotel chain, car rental and sometimes even cruise liners. All your hard work climbing the ladder with an airline pays off, and you enjoy the same level status with another service. Neat, huh? It’s often a trick only points dorks know and 100 per cent worth looking into.

Why do airlines do status matching?

It’s a way of luring travellers away from the competition to trial their product – who doesn’t like a little freebie?

Hilton is one chain involved in status matching programs.

It’s not always a free lunch – the status challenge

Hilton recently announced a status match promotion where you can earn Hilton Honors Gold or Diamond status for the next two years. To qualify, you need to hold equivalent status to Hilton Honors Gold or Diamond with another hotel loyalty program. Are you Gold with IHG or Marriott Bonvoy? You can have that status matched at Hilton. 

But it comes at a price.  First, you need to apply. If your application is accepted and successful, you need to stay eight nights at any Hilton property within the 90-day trial period to earn Gold status for two years. For Diamond status, this bumps up to 14 nights at any Hilton hotel (including Conrad and DoubleTree by Hilton).  Perks of the status include free breakfasts, room upgrades and spa discounts. The offer is only available to people who haven’t been granted a Hilton status match before. 

Virgin has some interesting status matching deals for ABN holders.

Businesses can also benefit

Airlines and hotels often have loyalty programmes and offers for businesses. Earlier this year, Virgin Australia rolled out a status matching offer for anyone with Silver status or above with any other airline. To benefit from the offer, travellers need to sign up to the Virgin Australia Business Flyer with their ABN. So if you have Silver with Qantas, you’d instantly gain it with Virgin Silver for 12 months. 

Outside of Australia 

If you already have status with Virgin or Qantas, you can look further afield to make that status work for you. Qatar Airways had a status matching offer for Velocity members a few years back and it was a great deal. As one of Skytrax’s 5 star certified airlines, matching your status can get you into the airline’s luxurious lounges and if you play your cards right, an upgrade to its even more luxurious Business Class. 

It starts with loyalty

The key to unlocking the perks of status matching is to start being loyal to one airline. If you’re a frequent traveller, it can be to a few airlines or hotel chains. Sign up to the loyalty program and attach your membership number to every flight, stay or hotel lunch. Next, make sure you’re subscribed to the newsletter to spot any status matching offers. If you have specific travel plans in the next year which means you have a preferred airline to get you there, sign up to the newsletter. Alternatively, periodically research the airline you’re interested in to see if they have a status match promotion.  Some airlines keep their status matching offers under wraps, so you could always ring in and see if they have an offer available.

Have a question about points? Drop Sabine an email at [e-mail]. Personal replies are unfortunately not possible.

Originally published as Points Guru: What is airline status matching?