In a rare turn of events, British Airways has launched a status match challenge to allow members of competing airlines the opportunity to join its frequent flyer program at an elevated tier.

How does it work?

The limited-time offer allows frequent flyers of other airlines to earn Silver (oneworld Sapphire) or Gold (oneworld Emerald) status in the British Airways Executive Club. Membership at these tiers includes benefits like additional baggage, lounge access, and priority check-in. The offer is only available to residents of the United States and Canada who complete the following steps:

1. Join the Executive Club or log into their existing account
2. Apply on British Airways' offer page by May 7th, 2024.
3. Upload proof of your status in an eligible Frequent Flyer program (see below).
4. The airline will review the application for up to five business days
5. Once approved, travelers will receive an acceptance email and an upgraded digital Membership card

Participants from the following airlines are eligible to apply for the match, which is completely free.

Once matched, passengers will be able to enjoy six months of Silver or Gold Membership. To extend the status further, members must book and travel on two qualifying transatlantic flights within six months of the upgrade. To qualify, flights should meet the following criteria:

• Be a British Airways-marketed flight in business (Club World) or First
• Be operated by British Airways, American Airlines, Iberia, or Finnair
• Originate from the US, Canada, or Mexico
• Be eligible to earn Tier Points and collect Avios

Following the qualifying trip, membership will be extended to the end of the next membership year. Passengers who do not meet the conditions for extending the status match will be downgraded to the Tier that matches the number of Tier Points they earned over the period.

Earning oneworld elite status

The move to launch a status match is one of few such initiatives in the oneworld alliance. Fellow carrier Royal Jordanian offers a paid equivalent to members of select airlines, who must also be from eligible countries (of which the US and Canada are not included).

Other carriers are expected to launch status match offers in the coming months in response to the news that SAS is leaving the Star Alliance. The airline is a founding member of the group and is departing for the SkyTeam alliance. Such seismic shifts are infrequent in the industry, and competing airlines may offer promotions for customers looking to change airline loyalty programs to stay in the Star Alliance or try new alternatives.