Status Match: Virgin Atlantic Offering the Opportunity to Match to Top-Tier Sky Team Elite Plus

Through February 14, 2025, Virgin Atlantic is offering Flying Club members the opportunity to match their status with one of eleven other airlines (list below) to Flying Club Silver or Flying Club Gold. Flying Club Gold and Silver are the middle and top-tier status levels within the Flying Club program. While Flying Club Silver and Gold both offer benefits when Flying on Virgin Atlantic, the real value to most non-UK based travelers (or those who don't otherwise regularly fly Virgin Atlantic) is how these statuses translate to the SkyTeam alliance - Flying Club Silver will net you SkyTeam Elite and Flying Club Gold equates to SkyTeam Elite Plus. Let's dive into the details. 

Rules and Details of the Virgin Atlantic Status Match

With this promotion, Virgin Atlantic matches the status of eleven different frequent flier programs. Here are the programs and status equivalents:

To status match, you'll need to do three things: 

1) be a Flying Club member,

2) book a qualifying flight on Virgin Atlantic (codeshared flights count as do award tickets)

3) Fill out the status match form to show proof of your existing status with one of the designated eleven airlines. 

You must complete the status match form by February 14, 2025, though the flight you booked does not need to depart before this date. 

• Importantly, your status will only be 'matched' (upgraded) 72 hours before your qualifying flight.
• For a valid status match, you must have your Virgin Atlantic Flying Club number on your booking when you apply and travel. Additionally, if you cancel your flight, you'll need to let the status match team know before your departure, as your status match is linked to the qualifying booking you give when you apply. Failure to do so might result in canceling your status match, and your status will revert to Flying Club Red. You also won't be eligible for future status matches. 
• UK-based participants are eligible for a sweetener as five Flying Club members participating in the status match will be chosen to win one million FlyingClub points. K-E-W-L.

Why Might You do this? What Does Flying Club Status Get You?

As mentioned above, Flying Club status is mostly useful for Virgin Atlantic frequent fliers. Here are the benefits for Flying Club Gold and Silver, respectively. 

Modest benefits as compared to some other frequent flier programs, though I supposed there's some value for Virgin Atlantic loyalists based in and around London.

The real prize is Sky Team Elite Status, particularly SkyTeam Elite Plus, as this brings the alliance's network of upscale lounges into your travel plans. Here are the benefits of those two status levels. 

As you can see, lounge access, priority security access, and priority baggage delivery are a few benefits available to Elite Plus travelers, but not offered to lowly SkyTeam Elites. Such, normies.

Flying on any of these airlines with SkyTeam Elite Plus allows you to access premium lounges even if you travel in a non-premium cabin.

Ok, But Is it Worth It? 

I think so. I'm a sucker for a solid airport lounge and upping my upgrade changes. If you travel on SkyTeam Airlines with any frequency, having SkyTeam Elite Plus is a nice feather in your camp. I should mention that Vietnam Airlines, another SkyTeam airline, launched its status match last summer, so that's another avenue to the coveted SkyTeam Elite Plus. With the Lotusmiles status match, instead of booking a flight like the Virgin Atlantic offer, you need to pay money for the status match - $299, to be exact, for Lotusmiles Platinum (which delivers SkyTeam Elite Plus). As both statuses are good for twelve months (after you qualify), the questions you'll need to answer for yourself are:

• "Do I want to pay any cash at all for this?" (save for maybe taxes and fees associated with award flight for the Virgin Atlantic offer)
• "Which program will be easier to requalify for (assuming you want to)?

As the Vietnam Airlines offer was launched in August 2024 and is still available, it might be on the table 12 months from now as well. The Virgin Atlantic offer seems to be a here today, gone tomorrow situation, so it might make sense to start there. If you find you value the status but haven't gone through the hoops to requalify after 12 months, then pay for the Lotusmiles offer.

Either way, both programs offer eligible travelers a low barrier to entry for a meaningful alliance status. Let me know what you think in the comments!