Most airline loyalty programs contain several tiers of elite status reserved for their most loyal customers. Some of the perks of airline elite status include: free bags, no change fees and free upgrades. While most people work hard to earn their status and try to stick with one airline or alliance, sometimes it becomes necessary to change. When that happens competitors are often waiting in the wings in order to earn your business.

One of the ways airlines take high value customers from their competitors is through elite status matches. With many airlines, if you express an interest in shifting your business and can prove your elite level in another program, they will give you instant status. Many times these matches are unpublished or require you to call for details, but Alitalia has decided to take the opposite approach.

Alitalia SkyTeam Elite Status Match

Through December 31, 2015 Alitalia has a published status match program. If you are a Silver, Gold or Platinum member of a competing airline, they will match you to a similar level within their Millemiglia mileage program. (You can find Alitalia elite status levels & benefits here.) Even if you don’t fly Alitalia often, this status can be quite valuable, since it also provides SkyTeam elite status which can get you priority boarding, lounge access and other perks when flying on their partner airlines.

How to Status Match to Alitalia

Alitalia makes it very simple to match your airline elite status. To request a match, simply send an email to [email protected] with the following information:

• First and last name.
• MilleMiglia frequent flyer number.
• A copy of your elite status card from a competitor.

If approved they will match your status through March 31, 2016. If your current elite status expires after March 31, 2016, then you will receive status through March 31, 2017.

My Recent Alitalia Status Match Experience

Recently I decided to match my Alaska MVP Gold status to Alitalia. After sending in the requested information, it took about two weeks for them to match me to their gold tier called Freccia Alata. I wasn’t ever emailed about the match from Alitalia, but instead discovered the elite status reflected in my account. Others have reported similar experiences.

My match to Alitalia Gold also means I now have SkyTeam Gold status which includes lounge access, priority boarding, preferred seating and more. I get these benefits whenever I am flying on a SkyTeam carrier which includes Delta, KLM, Air France, Korean Air and more.

Airline Status Match Tips

Here are a few tips whether you are looking to match your status to Alitalia or another airline:

• If an airline doesn’t have a published status match policy, it never hurts to ask.
• Status Matcher is a great resource where people share their recent match experiences across all airlines.
• Many airlines will offer you a challenge instead of a match. During a challenge you generally agree to fly a certain number of miles to get or keep elite status.
• Most programs will only allow you to status match once. Keep that in mind before requesting a match.

Bottom Line

Matching your airline elite status can be a powerful tool towards getting some of the perks that make travel more comfortable. If you are thinking of shifting your business or find yourself flying a new airline more often, it never hurts to ask if a status match is available. Alitalia’s match is easy to request and makes a lot of sense if you have elite status with a competitor and plan to fly on SkyTeam airlines such as Delta regularly.