How To Status Match With United Airlines [In-depth 2023 Guide]

You must also fly on the the “metal” of the airline you want to get status on. So if you want United, you cannot fly on a codeshare partner even though they are in the same affiliation. This can make it harder overseas as United hands off to Lufthansa, for example, and the Lufthansa miles would not count.

2 Questions ~

1) How long from the time you submit the request till you receive an email confirmation that your account has updated status?

2) If you booked flights before the status challenge request but the trip falls after the suggested start date will you get credit for the miles?

Do miles flown from award tickets count toward the PQM requirement for the status challenge?

Great article, thanks Christine! I followed your steps and had submitted a request to United to status match my British Airways Bronze membership and, within 3 business days, they replied to confirm we have been matched to United Gold!

Just need to see how to fly those 12,500 miles during our status match challenge period now…

Thanks for this helpful article! I have just gotten my Delta Platinum status challenge confirmed with United, and I was wondering, would miles earned from signing up for a credit card count towards the match? I’ve timed this well with hopefully two international trips coming up, but I’m not sure if I will make the 18k miles without an additional boost…Thanks for the advice!

Hi there. I’m a Lufthansa Senator. Any idea how I can get United status to benefit from their luggage and wait list policies?
Cheers, JB

Fantastic article! I am travelling on United in a couple months and was considering applying for a status match. Currently I’m Emirates Skywards Gold and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Gold, do you think any of these would be valid for a status match with United? Thanks in advance!

Hi,

Nice article. I have a Platinum Medallion Status on Delta. If I were to take the United Challenge, will I lose the Platinum Status on Delta? In other words, when we switch loyalty, do we lose the status on the other airline or will we have it for both the airlines? I do understand we still have to fly a lot to maintain them both for the following year!

Hi Christine,

I just was approved for a match to premier 1k for united as I am currently delta diamond. I am curious if I don’t complete the challenge for premier 1k in 90 days (35k PQM or 40 PQS), but complete the requirements for premier platinum (18k PQM or 22PQS), will I be awarded premier platinum status? Or is it all or nothing in the status match challenge? It seems difficult to fly enough in 90 days to achieve the premier 1k status, but I believe I should be able to to hit the 18k PQM or 22 segments for premier platinum.

Thanks!
Brandon

Question that I can’t seem to figure out! I have Platinum status on AA, but have since moved to a United hub and am not flying AA much. I have 2 upcoming flights on United and was hoping to status match, but they are just shy of 90 days apart (May 7 and August 3). What is my best way to time my request so I can cover both flights with status? I don’t often have status (this was a bit of a fluke with work travel) so I don’t mind not being able to request for another 5 years.

Any suggestions?

Curious if you might be able to start the status match earlier – in April and complete it in July – and get the benefit of the stub year and the year after or whether the July date is when you start the match.

To get the best “bang for the buck”, I am trying to finish the challenge in early July for it to carry over the next year. Is the requirement for the challenge to both start and end in July (or after) or just finish in July?

Thanks!

I have AA Platinum status ending 5/15. If I submit a request for a status challenge on 5/14, and it may take up to 7-14 days to get approval, would I be denied the challenge by United because my AA Platinum status would have expired by the time they make their decision? United lets you choose the starting date of your challenge up to 2 weeks after you submit, so just wondering if I should make sure I get approved before my status with AA expires on 5/15. Thank you, excellent article!

What do you do if you don’t get a card? Will they accept a screen shot of my app showing status and YTD miles and segments flown?

Great article. I’ve applied for and received matching status for my husband who is a million miler on AA and has Gold. Originally, united rejected as no “through” date, but I added a pointer to the URL for american which shows Million Milers have no expiration.

I also applied to match my AA status which is currently Platinum Pro. Here is the reply I received:

—
We appreciate your interest in the MileagePlus Premier Status Match Challenge; however, the purpose of this program is to match the earned status in the frequent flyer programs of select airlines. Based on the document(s) you submitted, we’re unable to offer you a challenge as it appears you have a promotional status.
—

United is correct. I received Platinum Pro as a promotion and it expires on Sep 25. The online card status shows “through Sep 25, 2019”. How does United know this is a promotional status – based on the date? I’m flying both in June and again July 18 and July 27 on United and would love a match. Perhaps I should try the email method?

Thanks for any advice.

Mahalo for the article!! I was awarded a trial period of Premier Silver status for 90 days and fully expect to complete the challenge within that time frame. My questions is, during this 90 day challenge period, would I be able to enjoy the benefits of Premier Silver? How long before temporary status is updated in the system? Thank you for your time!!

United will only match a airline where you have earned a status by flying.
IE: if you have earned AA Platinum Status as a match from a hotel status, United will deny you their matched Gold status.

Do MileagePlus Premier Accelerator PQM’s count for this promo?

Does the status match apply to Southwest at all?

FYI to all, this program has an end date of Sept. 30th. United will not start any 2019 status match challenges following the end of the month until details for 2020 match are released and a new year starts.

Thanks for the article. I have two questions.

Will United do a status challenge if you already have status? I would be matching from Delta Platinum but already have United Silver as a Marriott Titanium perk.

If I wanted to wait until July 2020 to take the challenge to keep Platinum status through 2021, would I have to submit details showing that I have qualified in 2020 (for 2021) or only my 2019 MQMs and MQDs which qualified me for Platinum for 2020? Assuming it is for the qualifying year as I can’t imagine most people would qualify for Platinum Medallion in a current year by July (and certainly not by January if they are matching then) unless they were well on their way to Diamond Medallion, but wanted to double check. Thank you!

Thanks for the detailed post and replying to the comments (lots of others do not). Had some questions.
1. 2019 MileagePlus status ends on 12/31/2019 and not 1/31/2020 like the GPUs, correct?
2. I’m about halfway to Mileageplus silver for 2019. I have a booked United long haul RT, departs and returns next month in January 2020 where a friend used two GPUs. Since this is already booked, if I am approved for an United status match to silver, would I receive the silver bonus miles on this RT flight that’s already booked?
3. Any other thoughts to maximize my situation?

United is not status matching to Southwest. I have a companion pass on Southwest and was just trying to match to Gold. Got a denial instead.

Thanks for this very informative article! I was wondering if I get approved for the status challenge, would the benefits of United Premier (e.g. Silver on United) carry through on ALL Star Alliance carriers? So, if during the challenge period, I fly on Croatia Airlines, would I be recognised as Silver in the Star Alliance programme?
Thank you so much!

Great commentary – I’m trying to complete a status match and when I go to the website to “log-in” the status match website just seems to spin. Any others facing this issue?

Two questions re United:

1. I flew enough Delta in 2019 to earn Gold Medallion status the old fashioned way through 2020. I did not fly nearly that much in 2020, though, and only have Gold Medallion status now because Delta extended it for a year for everyone. Does United consider that an earned status they would match, or a promotional status they would not?

2. Assuming they do recognize my “stale” earned status, it sounds like the most bang for one’s buck can be had by requesting the match/challenge before July 1 (so you’ll get 120 days vs. 90) but not completing the last required segment until after July 2 (so it will be considered “earned” then and status wil be valid through Jan. 2023 instead of 2022). Am I reading that correctly?

Awesome article! I was awarded a trial period of Premier Gold status for 90 days starting on Feb 1st. My questions is, will qualifying miles earned on United during January count towards the challenge? Thank you

The status match challenge I’m seeing on United gives 120 days to meet the requirements, not 90. Is this targeted to me or is everyone getting 120 days?

So no more 1k match this year?

Can you share what is the 1k requirements? I am thinking of applying for 1k too as I am Diamond with Delta. Thanks

Great article. I don’t currently have a status with any airline. Does United consider a request for status challenge without a status match?

I have 2 trips w United – one domestic and an international trip, and another international trip w a partner airline that will allow me to get PQPs for a status challenge easily in next 120 days. thanks.

Thanks for the great article! I did the status match with United in August but never took a flight because my travel plans completely changed and I couldn’t gain status while overseas.
I thought what the heck, why not try again, even though I know you’re not supposed to try again for 5 years. 10 minutes after the request, I was approved for another status challenge with United.
Do you think United will take back the status challenge? Or am I good to go because they’ve already approved me for the next 120 days?

I’m BA Gold and have a flight on United on 8th Jan 2023 in domestic first. Is it worth doing a status match to get lounge access after our arrival on BA to IAH? When should I do the status match?

Hi Christine,

With United’s recent 11/8/22 update to the Premier program and how to achieve or maintain status, do you think the changes will also be able to apply to the members who got their status in a challenge? For example, in 2023, all Premier status members will get PQP deposits. Does this include those who got status through a challenge and are working within the 120 day window to keep it? Same question in regards to the update of award flights being eligible to receive PQPs and PQFs; could someone in that 120 day window use award flights to be able to meet the challenge requirements?

Hi there,
A flight from Sydney to New York via San Francisco, is that 2 PQFs or one? Thanks.

thank you Christine

Thank you so much for such an informative article and all your responses here Christine! I notice in the T+Cs for the status match challenge it says “During the 120-day Offer Period, you may not have access to all reciprocal Premier benefits with United’s partners, including access to Star Alliance lounges.” The word “may” here is ambiguous. With a status match to Premier Gold would I get access to the Air New Zealand lounge in Auckland when I fly Air New Zealand from Auckland to Sydney during the 120-day offer period? What about the extra luggage allowance benefit on the Air NZ flight that comes with Star Alliance Gold?

Hello, I lost my 1K status and now I am Silver . How can I request United Status Challenge to Gold status for 2023? During the challenge they give Gold Status? Regards, Ricardo

Christine – I just love this article! So incredibly helpful, thank you!

I have a few questions re 2023, please.

1. Are PQPs triggered by act of purchase (earlier) or flying the purchased flight (later)?

2. From that trigger point, how long does it take for PQPs to hit your account?

3. How long does it take for PQFs to hit your account after you fly?

4. If I fail to meet the challenge requirements, and my match status expires, do the PQPs and PQFs I did earn in the 120 days still count toward earning some level of elite status by Jan. 31, 2024, for the 2024 year?

5. I only just heard that award flights newly count (as of 2023) toward PQPs and PQFs on United. Any word yet as to whether this type of earning (if on United or United Express planes) counts during the 120 days toward satisfying the match requirement?

Thank you so very much!

Anne
(sadly lost United status this month for first time in years; hoping to match my American Platinum Pro status back to the airline I prefer lol)

Thank you so much, Christine! Super appreciate it.

I am a million miler with Alaska. Does that count toward the United status challenge or is it just my lifetime MVP Gold?
Also, if I complete the challenge, will all miles/segments flown after the challenge get me to a higher status?

Does anyone know if it’s possible to sign-up for the status challenge with American and then use that status to match with United? Or will United know you signed up for a challenge with American and deny it? I’d rather have status with United but they said no to a status challenge without a corresponding status with another airline. I have booked flights with United already that they could see.

If I purchased a one way United flight to the middle east- 3 segments- two of which are on United (last leg is on Gulf), how do the PQF and PQPs work towards the status match? Thanks.

Great article two things on about the status match. 1.) I can’t upload my membership card it won’t accept any files for some reason. and 2.) They increased the premier platinum requirement to 12 PQF. Thanks.

I did a United Status match on July 12, 2018. I just tried doing another one today and despite it being July 19, 2023, United claims it hasn’t been 5 years. Their rationale is they don’t base it off of calendar date but rather the following calendar year, meaning I wouldn’t be able to do it again until 2024. Does this make sense, or has this been seen before?