Loyalty Register glossary
Status match
An offer that grants a new member a tier equal or close to the status they already hold in a competing loyalty program.
A status match is an offer in which a loyalty program grants a member a tier equal or similar to the status they already hold in a competing program. The member provides proof, such as a recent statement or a screenshot of their account, and the program places them in the matching tier without requiring them to earn it from scratch. Status matches are most common among airlines, hotel groups, casinos and car rental companies.
Updated · By Loyalty Register Editorial TeamRelated terms
How does a status match work?
The program publishes, or offers on request, a table of which competitor tiers it will recognize and what it will grant in return. After checking the proof, it assigns the tier, usually for a limited time rather than a full status year. Many programs attach a condition: to keep the matched status, the member must complete a reduced amount of activity during the trial, which turns the match into a status challenge. Programs commonly limit how often one person can receive a match.
Why do programs offer status matches?
Elite members of competing programs are valuable and hard to attract, because switching means giving up their benefits. A match removes that barrier and lets the member try the program at the level they are used to. It is also a relatively low-risk test for the program: benefits are granted for a limited time, and the member’s behavior during the trial shows whether they are actually moving their business.
What are the risks?
Some people collect matches across programs without intending to switch, using each trial for a few trips. Proof can be forged or out of date. Matched members also draw on limited benefits such as upgrades, which can annoy long-standing members if matches are offered widely. And a match tied to a competitor’s tier inherits that competitor’s standards, which may be easier than your own.
What should you weigh before offering one?
Decide which competitors and tiers you will match, and whether you will grant the same tier or one level lower. Set a time limit and, usually, a reduced activity target to keep the status. Verify proof carefully and limit matches to once per member over a set period. Then measure results as you would any acquisition offer: how many matched members complete the target, how much they spend in the following year, and how that compares with the benefit costs of the match.