Status Match Opportunity. Here's how to get Star Alliance Gold for 12 months with just one flight in economy

It has been a few months since an interesting Status Match opportunity popped up., and today's is particularly attractive to all holders of a Skyteam card, or ITA Airways' current alliance. Thanks to the reporting of Stephen, who as a faithful reader, though on vacation alerted me to the opportunity offered by Turkish, and it seems only fair to remind all potential interested parties of it.

The benefits of Gold Star Alliance status

This is the highest status within the alliance in which Lufthansa Group companies participate, as well as United, Singapore Airlines, All Nippon Airlines, to name a few. With this level the main privileges you get are:

• Fast track (if any) at the airports served by the companies
• Priority At check-in, boarding and baggage claim
• Lounge access, including Lufthansa Senators, with a companion
• Additional baggage in the hold

Turkish Airlines' Status Match Offer

Before aiming for a status match request, one needs to know. these promotions are usually "once in a lifetime" so you should not activate it unless you are sure you can take advantage of it and/or complete the challenge, otherwise you will not get a second chance, so better to wait than to waste the opportunity.

This proposal has been open for years, there is no expiration date or even a published regulation, is an operation that TK leaves open and evaluates individually based on the requests received.

The status match Will recognize the Miles&Smiles Elite level of Turkish Airlines, the second most valuable in the loyalty program of the Turkish flag carrier. With this status you will have access to all the privileges provided by the Star Alliance Gold level, when flying with TK and all other alliance airlines, practical benefits ranging from lounge access, increased baggage allowance to the use of fast lanes at Istanbul and all other airports. Indeed when you fly TK the benefits are even greater since Turksih lounge access Is also extended to children or a third guest.

There's a new Priority Pass lounge at JFK is the former home of Alitalia

If the Status Match request is successful, you will immediately receive the Turkish Airlines Elite level valid for four months from the date of approval, and with a single international flight in any class of travel the duration of the status will be extended to 12 months. There are two challenges to extend the status:

Challenge #1

Taking a single international Turkish Airlines flight within the 4-month free period, in any class of travel and on any international flight (even an Athens/Istanbul), the duration of the Miles&Smiles Elite stauts will be extended for a full year.

Challenge #2

If within the first 12 months of card ownership. Miles&Smiles Elite you will get almeo 15 thousand qualifying miles aboard TK flights the duration of the card will be renewed for another 12 months. In practice, the second challenge guarantees an easier renewal of the card by offering a discount of the number of miles needed to qualify. A discount of more than 50% since. normally 40 thousand qualifying miles are required to obtain/renew the card.

Who is eligible for Turkish Airlines' 2023 match status?

As in previous years, Turkish Airlines limits its proposal to those with the highest level of competing frequent flyers and excludes, of course, a priori all status holders in other SA companies, so if you were thinking of using this as a parachute for the expiring card, you can't do that.

1. If you possess the level equivalent to the Oneworld Emerald i.e., the Gold card in British Airways' Executive Club or Platinum from Finnair, Malaysia Airlines, and Qatar Airways. This level considerably more complicated to obtain than the Oneworld Sapphire.
2. Definitely easier for SkyTeam Elite Plus holders: namely ITA Airways' Premium card, the Gold in Air France/KLM, Delta Air and Virgin Atlantic programs.
3. Emirates Skywards Gold or Platinum
4. Etihad Airways Guest Gold or Platinum

How to Apply for Status Match at Turkish Airlines

There is no page on the website, so first you have to register in the program, which I remind you is free.

Once registration is completed you have to go to the support page And open a new request.

In the different service options you have to go to the loyalty program item and select the Membership processes option

You will then have to fill out a form explaining why you are requesting the level match. My advice is to include, if you have it, the PNR of an existing reservation or communicate that you will be planning to fly a lot with SA companies in the future, perhaps even mentioning the sale of ITA Airways to Lufthansa, and that being able to have the status would help convince you in the desirability of targeting Turkish Airlines as the preferred carrier of the alliance.

Among the documents I recommend you attach is definitely the scan of your current card, any statement of flights made in the past 12 months and a document.

PS being smart only leads to unnecessary risks, avoid creating fake cards, making up flight lists. True, the companies do not talk to each other, but the platforms of the different companies allow you to check a status and/or search for a passenger's activities.

The procedure, being manual, could take up to a month, but in any case you should receive an e-mail response from the company.

In conclusion

Interesting offer, but must be used judiciously. Since it is practically always valid, it should be triggered at the moment when it is certain that it can be exploited. This means that it must be triggered in these two cases:

1. you are scheduled to fly with Turkish and then you are assured of status for at least 12 months.
2. You are NOT going to fly with TK, but you have scheduled in the 4 months of economy flights with SA companies and then having status with TK would open up all the benefits for those flights already scheduled.

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