British Airways is offering a lucrative status match to customers based in North America and I took advantage of this opportunity almost instantly yesterday. You should too if you are considering it, because my hunch is this status match opportunity will not last until May.
How To Obtain British Airways Status Match
It’s very simple: on this page, submit your details and a copy of your elite membership card. British Airways will take up to five business days to process your request and match your status.
British Airways is matching elites from the following programs:
The status is granted for six months with no strings attached. To keep it, though, you must fly two transatlantic trips (originating in Canada, Mexico, or the USA) in business or first class. The flights must be marketed by British Airways (BA flight numbers), but can be operated by British Airways, American, Finnair, or Iberia.
Easy, right? Even if you do not take these two paid trips, it will give you a chance to enjoy elite status on British Airways for a half-year with no other strings attached.
Why I Took Advantage Of This
Admission: I miss oneworld emerald status very much. I’m a United Airlines loyalist and will continue to be, meaning I typically fly Star Alliance over oneworld, but I really enjoyed my time as an American Airlines AAdvantage Executive Platinum member, which gave me access to what I consider to the best portfolio of status-based lounges in the world, including:
- Cathay Pacific The Pier + The Wing – Hong Kong (HKG)
- SoHo Lounge – New York (JFK)
- Finnair Platinum Wing – Helsinki (HEL)
- JAL First Class Lounge – Tokyo Haneda (HND), Tokyo Narita (NRT)
- Qantas International First Lounge – Los Angeles (LAX), Singapore (SIN), Sydney (SYD)
- Malaysia Airlines Platinum Lounge – Kula Lumpur (KUL)
…and of course, there are many more around the world.
These lounges are all top-notch and certainly do make it appealing to fly a oneworld carrier.
As an LAX-based flyer, with British Airways Gold status I can access the Qantas First Lounge and use American Flagship First check-in even if I am traveling on a domestic economy class ticket. That’s quite a compelling reason to use AA on shorter flights.
CONCLUSION
British Airways is offering status matches to US-based flyers on a limited-time basis. I’ve already submitted a status match request and encourage you to do the same, if eligible.
I expect this promotion will have an overwhelming popular response. In fact, I think it will be so overwhelming that British Airways will pull it early.
Those British Airways Gold members who earned status the “hard” way need not worry: since BA does not offer complimentary upgrades, it’s not like anyone will be stealing “your” upgrades…
I did it immediately too. Based out of Dallas. Would prefer to fly out of Loves FBOs but when I have to go to DFW have AA exp and Aeroplab 75k. But now I can hopefully hop between Cap 1 and Flagship
The copy of your membership card seems silly in 2024.
Do you have to use your British Airways loyalty number on the Ticket to be able to access these lounges and American First Check In? Or can you just show that status separately to get access?
Thank you
I have always either given them my BA gold number verbally or showed them the card on my BA app for lounges, check in, etc.
Thanks!
Don’t they scan your boarding pass??
I tried multiple times and multiple browers but keep getting error saying Ensure you have properly completed all fields. Weird. I have double made sure I have completed everything before hitting Submit your request. Not sure what is going on
Did that for me too- my BA exec club number wasn’t entered.
Started to work again fine. I was able to send it in. Thanks
BA’s website was having some trouble working this AM for me, even just making a booking the site went down for a while– I couldn’t log on.
Did not work for me last night, will try again today.
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I really need BA Silver in order to avoid paying through the nose to make advance seat rez on some upcoming flights. so hopefully the matches will post quickly.
Matt, will you do a post of any premium fare deals ex US over the next six months? Took advantage as well. I dont see anything under $2K but curious if you are seeing anything that could make it worthwhile to keep after the next 6 months.
Sure. I’ll be on the lookout for deals.
Prepare for massive overcrowding at Flagship lounges this summer lol
Two round trips or two one ways? Quick look – the least expensive round trip on business from the US east coast to LHR is about $3,000.
Is $3,000 worth Silver, I assume for one year? Looks like 50 eligible flights annually to renew. Not sure how a US-based passenger would be able to do that.
It’s a round trip ticket, but it must originate in the US (or Canada or Mexico). As for $1,000 or whatever being worth it, presumably this would be a trip you would have taken anyway. What is not clear to me is how long after six months from now that you get to keep the status.
For one year, if I read the terms correctly.
It is worth it even for 6 months if you have some BA award flights. Free seat selection on BA awards can be worth several hundred dollars.
Was anyone able to get a response from BA and actually received the match? I submitted about 3 weeks ago but no email confirmation or any response yet
I got mine, but I had to follow-up.
A mate got his in three days with no follow-up.
Both matched 1K status.