Etihad Airways is offering to status match elites from other airlines to their Gold level.

Status matches are of course common though increasingly airlines will only give you status for a limited period of time, if at all, until you first fly a certain amount with them.

Etihad on the other hand offers straight-up status matches, but only irregularly and they can take some time to respond. They also limit the total number of matches at any given time (or say they do).

The program is most beneficial for folks flying Etihad (bonus miles and extra baggage) and in particular in economy (with lounge access, expedited immigration, etc). But it’s increasingly useful given that the airline has been buying stakes in other carriers around the world and also is a points transfer partner of Citi ThankYou Rewards.

Here’s how to obtain the match:

• Existing Etihad Guest members: “Send us a scanned copy of your Gold card with another airline loyalty programme, copy of your latest miles statement along with your Etihad Guest membership number to EYGCorporate@etihad.ae”
  
• Non-Etihad Guest members: “Send us a scanned copy of your Gold card with another airline loyalty programme, copy of your latest miles statement along with your full name, email ID, date of birth, physical address and telephone number to EYGCorporate@etihad.ae”

Expect a confirmation email within 2 “working weeks” and a new Gold card sent within a month of that confirmation.

Here are the terms:

Only a limited number of Gold cards will be issued and Etihad Guest reserves the right to select the successful applicants. All applications should be received before 15 March 2015. This tier match promotion does not extend to members of the frequent flyer programmmes of Etihad Airways Partners (Air Lingus, airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Jet Airways) & Virgin Australia. Only gold cards with airline loyalty programmes will be considered. If the requested documents are not clear or in case of incomplete personal details your application will not be processed. Any decision towards acceptance/rejection of any application received remains exclusively with Etihad Guest. This offer is for existing Etihad Guest base, silver and non-Etihad Guest members. Current Etihad Guest miles balance for existing base, silver members will be carried forward at the time of upgrade to Etihad Guest Gold. Etihad Guest reserves the right to withdraw this promotion at any time without any prior notice.

(HT: Frequent Flyer Bonuses