United MileagePlus offers an elite status match challenge where members can be matched to their status in a non-Star Alliance airline for 90 days and then must reach certain thresholds to retain the status for the rest of the elite status year. As we go to press, the following are the requirements, and they have lower thresholds than last year, but United warns that the thresholds may change from month to month.

Premier Silver can be retained when flying 7,000 Premier Qualifying Miles (PQM) or eight Premier Qualifying Segments (PQS) on flights operated by United, United Express or Copa (was 10,000 PQM or 15 PQS). Premier Gold can be retained when flying 12,500 PQM or 15 PQS (was 17,500 PQM or 22 PQS) and Premier Platinum can be retained when flying 18,000 PQM or 22 PQS (was 25,000 PQM or 30 PQS).

If you delay applying for the status match until after July 1, 2013, you’ll retain your elite status until Jan. 31, 2015; otherwise, your status will end Jan. 31, 2014 after you’ve reached the desired mileage or segment threshold. The offer is not valid for members who have participated in a OnePass or MileagePlus status match within the last five years.

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