In late 2003, Airtran offered elite status matches. Not big news, most US airlines have offered something like that. Except that Airtran status was more or less ‘for life.’ Once you achieved elite status there was no requalification requirement.

I haven’t seen Airtran offer status matches since then, and I was happy to have gotten in on the offer at the time five years ago.

Unfortunately along with the introduction of new elite benefits, Aitran is apparently now Airtran elite status will start expiringgoing to require that elite members requalify or lose their status. Understandable, but personally disappointing.