Under the contact form to submit an inquiry to American, when you choose AAdvantage account service, you can now select ‘status match’.

That brings up the option to request a status challenge.

For an AAdvantage® status match, fill out the form and submit the required documents. If accepted, you’ll be automatically registered for the Instant Status Pass™ promotion. Once it begins, you’ll have your equivalent status for 4 months with an opportunity to keep status for the rest of the membership year.

Please allow up to 2 weeks to receive an email about your request.

American had been selling access to the Instant Status Pass program. And of course each year they offer a status challenge to Hyatt elites. But this offer is free to anyone with United, Southwest or Delta status.

Interestingly, your United or Southwest status can be ending with the end of the current status year (e.g. December 2024 or January 2025) but for Delta you need to have requalified for next year. They will even match up to Executive Platinum.

You just upload the required screenshots from the account where you have status and submit them.

• Earn points in the first few four months that determines your status in the next four months
  
• And your earning during those four months determines what status you have for the next four and what status you’re “going for”
  
• Finally, during the last four months to earn points to keep the status for the year ahead

In the past couple of years this hasn’t always been available and hasn’t always been free. In contrast this is an explicit offer for anyone with United, Southwest or Delta status of any kind. Similar past published offers have been to top elites (Platinum Pro/Platinum and above with United and Delta) only.

Still, there are a lot of hoops to jump through for a competitor’s top customers to move their business.

• A Delta Diamond would receive 4 months of American Executive Platinum
  
• They’d need to earn 67,000 Loyalty Points in 4 months to keep it for another 4 months
  
• And then do something similar in the next four months to keep the status

For top Delta (and United) top elites, American Airlines shouldn’t use this tool at all. American should want Delta Diamonds. Match them to Executive Platinum for a year. Send them a couple of lounge passes, “we know your lounge access at Delta is limited, and the lines to get in can be long, we welcome you to our Admirals Clubs.” And take the message a step farther, “we value your business, every time you step into the airport. You have full benefits every time you fly, no matter what the fare. We’ll upgrade you on basic economy fares, and welcome you into our lounges.”

They should strive for fast, simple, and welcoming. A customer that’s matched status is at the peak of their interest. The status match is focal. The customer will pay attention to the product, and American should be educating them about it and helping them to educate themselves. It’s the perfect time to sign them up for the credit card!

It should be a simple process for a customer they actually value, and there should be a follow up communication strategy. In contrast, the offer says “Please allow up to 2 weeks to receive an email about your request.” But that’s down from 4 weeks a year ago, so this is an improvement!

(HT: Jonathan B)