Virgin Atlantic Status Match: Which Airlines Are Eligible?

Status matches are a popular way of reaching elite status quickly. Frequent travelers often hold status with one airline, offering perks and benefits when flying with that airline (and others if that airline is an alliance member). Of course, this severely limits the appeal of flying with other airlines where no benefits will be offered. Top-level benefits include complimentary upgrades, lounge access, extra baggage, and priority check-in and boarding. This creates major incentives to stick with the same airline or alliance partners when traveling.

Airlines are well aware of this, and many offer to match other elite status levels that travelers hold, especially with key competing airlines in other alliances. Virgin Atlantic is one of many major airlines that offer status matches. Its loyalty program, Flying Club, offers a match to Silver or Gold level from 13 other airline loyalty programs. This is easy to apply for, but requires the purchase of a Virgin Atlantic ticket before the match is applied.

Status matching with Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (the loyalty program of Virgin Atlantic) offers an ongoing status match promotion. This allows members of select other airline loyalty programs to match their status into Flying Club. This will be matched to either Silver or Gold level depending on the status level held with the other airline loyalty program.

Photo: Bradley Caslin | Shutterstock

All such status matches tend to come with terms and conditions. With Flying Club, the main terms of the match include:

• To match to Gold, the applicant must have a future revenue or redemption flight booked with Virgin Atlantic (or a codeshare partner with a VS flight number) in Premium or Upper Class.
• To match to Silver, the applicant must have a future revenue or redemption flight booked with Virgin Atlantic (or a codeshare partner with a VS flight number) in any cabin.
• If these qualifying bookings are canceled, then the status match will be canceled.
• The applicant must not previously have used a Flying Club status match.
• Matches are valid for 12 months, then must be renewed as normal.

Match status from 13 airlines

Like most airlines that offer status matches, Virgin Atlantic offers this only for select airlines. The airlines chosen will be based on those that the airline sees strategic value in attracting flyers away from. This could be due to operating region and completion (such as with British Airways) or for specific key routes that competitors fly (such as with Cathay Pacific).

Virgin Atlantic joined the SkyTeam alliance in 2023. This means that elite members of any of the SkyTeam airline members will also receive benefits with Virgin Atlantic. As such, the strategy in matching is usually to attract members away from the other alliances.

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The 13 airline loyalty programs that Virgin Atlantic Flying Club offers status matches from are:

• American AAdvantage
• British Airways Executive Club
• Cathay Pacific Marco Polo
• EL AL Matmid
• Emirates Skywards
• Hong Kong Airlines Fortune Wings
• Iberia Plus
• Lufthansa Miles & More
• Pakistan International Airlines
• Scandinavian Airlines SAS EuroBonus
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• South African Airways Voyager
• United MileagePlus

How to apply for a match with Virgin Atlantic

Applying for a match is done through the Flying Club website. Applicants must already be enrolled with Flying Club, and then complete a simple form with the following information:

• Basic personal details
• Flying Club membership number
• Confirmed airline booking reference (as per match terms)
• Other airline program name and tier
• Proof of tier with that airline (such as membership card or account screenshot)

Photo: Virgin Atlantic

The status matched depends on the elite tier that the member holds in that program, according to the mapping below. The match will be applied to the account only 72 hours before your qualifying flight, so it is important to time this correctly if you want to benefit on other flights as well. Remember that the match is conditional on taking this flight and could be revoked if the flight is canceled.

Status benefits with Virgin Atlantic

Once you have status through a status match, you will receive the same benefits with Virgin Atlantic and with other SkyTeam alliance partners as you would if status was obtained in the standard way.

With Virgin Atlantic Silver status, benefits include:

• 30% extra points on all flights
• Free seat selection in Economy Light (only the status holder)
• One extra checked bag
• Premium economy check-in

And with Virgin Atlantic Gold status, further benefits include:

• Upper Class check-in, dedicated security at London Heathrow, and SkyPriority at all partner airports
• Access to all Clubhouse lounges plus one guest
• Free preferred seat selection in Economy Light (member-only) and regular seats for any companion
• 60% bonus miles on all flights
• Gift Silver status to family or a friend
• Guaranteed economy seat on all flights

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The Different Tiers Of The Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

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There are also guaranteed benefits when traveling with any of the SkyTeam alliance member airlines. SkyTeam Elite (offered with Flying Club Silver status) gives priority check-in and boarding, preferred seating, additional luggage allowance and higher waitlist placing on all SkyTeam airlines.

The higher level of SkyTeam Elite Plus (offered with Flying Club Gold status) adds lounge access, SkyPriority access, and seat guarantees on sold-out flights.

Related

A Complete Guide To Elite Status In The SkyTeam Alliance

The program offers two tiers of Elite and Elite Plus, with good benefits at both levels.

Do you have elite status with Virgin Atlantic? Did you obtain this through a status match, or are you considering doing so? Do let us know in the comments section below.