As part of their sales push to bring back business travelers American Airlines has a new status match offer and it’s one of the most generous I’ve seen in a long time. They will match Gold and Platinum equivalents with another airline to one status level higher than what you have now.

And if you hold status they consider equivalent to their Platinum Pro or Executive Platinum levels, they’ll give you that status plus business class lounge passes. Keeping the status has also been made more straightforward.

I generally consider American’s miles to be better than United’s and Delta’s, and their status program better for many customers as well. They’ve had to lean into AAdvantage to compensate for some other limitations at the airline – and this strategy was even a key part of their Investor Day presentation last year.

For those of you that may find American a compelling option, especially as they pivot towards being a more premium and customer-centric airline, this offer (valid through end of October) may make sense.

What Your Current Status Gets You With American Airlines

Here’s the chart that shows what statuses they will match, and what they’ll give you at each level:

A Delta or United Silver, and Southwest A-List (achievable just with Chase Sapphire Reserve spending) becomes an American Airlines Platinum. That gets confirmed extra legroom seats at booking and business class lounge access on international itineraries.

American Airlines Main Cabin Extra Seats

A Delta or United Gold and even an Air France KLM Flying Blue Gold (achievable through Bilt Platinum status) receives American Airlines Platinum Pro. That’s oneworld emerald and gets first class lounge access with airlines like Cathay Pacific and Qantas.

Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge, London Heathrow

Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge, London Heathrow

Qantas First Class Lounge, Sydney

Southwest and Flying Blue doesn’t require submission of year-to-date activity… just current status and when it expires. In fact, only Delta, United and JetBlue elites are asked to show their current account activity as part of the match submission. That’s an invitation to folks who have received their status via matches or complimentary offers to slide into AAdvantage status.

I do think they are insufficiently generous with Air Canada Aeroplan and Lufthansa. I’m surprised that a Lufthansa HON Circle Member, Air Canada Super Elite, and Flying Blue Ultimate member tops out at Platinum Pro – they will only match United and Delta top tier elites to Executive Platinum.

Business Class Lounge Access Is A Nice Perk

The addition of Flagship lounge passes is a nice premium, and something they’ve been offering recently as part of promotions to encourage flying.

There are Flagship Lounges at LAX, Chicago O’Hare, Dallas-Fort Worth, Mimai and Philadelphia. Miami is getting a new one, and Charlotte will eventually have one as well. The business class lounge at New York JFK is the Greenwich lounge, shared with British Airways, and is not a ‘Flagship lounge’.

American Airlines Flagship Lounge Chicago O’Hare

American Airlines Flagship Lounge Chicago O’Hare

American Airlines Flagship Lounge Chicago O’Hare

Some of their Flagship lounges do become busy at peak times. Philadelphia, for instance, is absolutely gorgeous but way too small. They really should make the Admirals Club next door part of the Flagship lounge, and shouldn’t have given up the club space at the other end of the same terminal. Go early in the day and it’s mostly empty though!

American Airlines Flagship Lounge Philadelphia

American Airlines Flagship Lounge Philadelphia

American Airlines Flagship Lounge Philadelphia

Keeping The Status Made Simpler

When American Airlines brought back status challenges in 2022, they made things needlessly complicated with 3 ‘phases’ needed to keep the matched status. I heard from readers whose miles posted on the wrong day (per the terms of the program, even) who therefore missed out on keeping status, and no leeway was offered.

Now they’ve simplified their status matches. Regardless of what status you’re given temporarily, you can earn a higher status based on loyalty points collected over the four month trial period. Right now, the number of loyalty points collected in those four months determine your status through March 2027.

The hurdles here for lower tier status are easy and proportional while higher tier status requirements are fairly high.

• Gold normally requires 40,000; Platinum 75,000; Platinum Pro 125,000 and Executive Platinum 200,000.

• The 4 month run rates for Gold translate to 30,000; 75,000 for Platinum; 150,000 for Platinum Pro and 300,000 for Executive Platinum.

Not The Most Generous Status Match Ever, But Close

In 2022, Delta offered status matches one level higher than what customers currently held with another airline (and didn’t have any spending requirement to keep the status – just flights). It was a targeted offer sent from American Express, but anyone with the Amex invitation could use the match offer. The same targeted email could be used more than once. (Of course no business class lounge passes were offered – Delta didn’t have those yet!)

Ten years before that American offered Executive Platinum status matches to United 1Ks that then were followed up with Admirals Club passes and free wifi passes.

The most generous status match ever was KLM Flying Dutchman’s ‘Most Incredible Offer’ from 2001 where they matched not just current status but also the miles in your account.

And of course status matches years ago generally used to be straight up for a year, rather than challenges offering temporary status that has to be extended after three or four months.

Cathay Pacific The Pier First Class Lounge, Hong Kong

Still, this offer from American of status with them higher than what you currently have, simplified to extend, and topped off with business class lounge passes, is exceptionally generous.