Status Match to Flying Blue Silver, Gold, or Platinum

A new status match opportunity was recently announced at The Travel Summit 2024 in Toronto, offering Canadians with Aeroplan Elite Status or WestJet Rewards Elite Tiers (amongst others) the opportunity to match to Flying Blue Elite Status .
If you’re eligible, this can be a great opportunity to enjoy extra perks when flying with Air France, KLM, and other SkyTeam airlines for the next year.
Matching Status with Flying Blue
A new Flying Blue status match opportunity was announced on the Industry Leaders Panel discussion at The Travel Summit 2024 by Ben Lipsey, SVP of Loyalty and President of Air France KLM Flying Blue .
The status match offer is available for residents of Canada, the UK, and a handful of European countries who have status with the following airlines:

Aer Lingus
Air Canada
American Airlines
British Airways
Emirates
Etihad Airways
Finnair
Iberia
Lufthansa
Malaysia Airlines
Qatar Airways 
Singapore Airlines
TAP Air Portugal
Turkish Airlines
United Airlines
WestJet

Depending on your level of status, you’ll be matched to Flying Blue Silver, Gold, or Platinum status.
Enjoy elevated travel with Flying Blue Elite status
This status match opportunity is available exclusively on the Status Match website , and you’ll have to pay the following fees to match into Flying Blue status tiers if you’re based in Canada:

Silver: $79 (CAD)
Gold: $199 (CAD)
Platinum: $399 (CAD)

If you’re based in the UK or Europe, you’ll have to pay a different fee, which is listed on the Status Match website .
Once you’re approved, you’ll enjoy Flying Blue status for 12 months. If you’d like to extend the status further, you’ll have to fulfill the standard status requirements.
After submitting the application, you’ll hear back within three business days about your request; however, you may also be asked for further documentation.

As per the terms and conditions, you’re only eligible for one Flying Blue status match, which means that you won’t be eligible for any future status matches. Therefore, you may want to use this strategically, rather than opportunistically.
This offer is limited in terms of the number of status matches available, and it comes with no listed end date and may end at any time.
Flying Blue Silver, Gold, and Platinum Benefits
As a reminder, Flying Blue has four elite status Tiers :  Silver,   Gold, Platinum, and Ultimate.
Through this status match offer , it’s not possible to match to the top-tier Ultimate status, but you can still get some great perks with the other three.
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If you have Aeroplan 25K or WestJet Silver status, you’ll be matched to Flying Blue Silver, which offers the following benefits:

Earn 6 Flying Blue miles per euro spent on Air France & KLM flights, as well as selected extra options
Priority check-in, baggage drop-off, and boarding
Free selection of standard seats
Free seat options 24 hours before departure
One free extra checked bag on eligible flights

You’ll also enjoy SkyTeam Elite status at the Silver level, which comes with the following perks when flying in any class of service with a SkyTeam-member airline:

Priority reservation waitlist
Preferred seating
Priority check-in counters
Priority boarding or at leisure
Extra baggage allowance


If you have Aeroplan 35K or 50K status, or WestJet Gold status, you’ll be matched to Flying Blue Gold status, which comes with the following perks and benefits in addition to what’s offered at the Silver level:

Earn 7 Flying Blue miles per euro spent on Air France & KLM flights, as well as selected extra options
Free access to select lounges worldwide with a guest (conditions apply)
SkyPriority priority access throughout the airport
Free seat options 72 hours before departure
Free selection of standard seats
One free extra checked bag on eligible flights

Gold status with Flying Blue is equivalent to SkyTeam Elite Plus status, which grants you the following benefits when flying with a SkyTeam-member airline:

Guaranteed full-fare Y-class reservation on sold-out long-haul flights, at least 24 hours prior to departure.
Access to airport lounges worldwide, whatever the class of travel, for members in possession of a boarding pass accompanied by a guest.
Priority baggage handling on arrival, whatever the class of travel
Extra baggage allowance

Of the above benefits, the best perks are having access to lounges when travelling in any class of service, priority airport services, and an increased baggage allowance. 
Enjoy lounge access with SkyTeam Elite Plus status
Keep in mind that these benefits apply when flying in any class of service with SkyTeam airlines, which can be very useful if you travel in economy.
If you have Aeroplan 75K or Super Elite status, or WestJet Platinum, you’ll be matched to Flying Blue Platinum status, which comes with the following incremental benefits:

Earn  8 Flying Blue miles per euro spent  on Air France & KLM flights, as well as selected extra options
Enjoy complimentary access to select lounges across the globe for you plus one guest
SkyPriority priority access at the airport
Choose a standard seat when you buy your ticket, free of charge
Benefit from preferred seat options, free of charge
One free extra checked bag on eligible flights
Waived service fees for changes on award flights
Enjoy 24/7 access to the exclusive Platinum Service Line

Recall that as a Flying Blue Platinum member, you can also redeem Flying Blue miles for Air France La Première , which otherwise isn’t accessible with points or miles. 
Redeem Flying Blue miles for La Première as a Platinum member
If you’re eligible for this status match, consider the cost associated with the application, which is different than other status matches which are free. On the plus side, you’ll enjoy status for a full 12 months, which is a longer duration than other status match opportunities. 
To me, the sweet spot here is matching to Flying Blue Gold status, since it offers SkyTeam Elite Plus status, which can be leveraged for lounge access when flying with SkyTeam airlines in any class of service.
Conclusion
Air France KLM Flying Blue has launched a new status match opportunity, which is available to residents of Canada, the UK, and select countries in Europe who have status with select airlines.
If you’re eligible, head to the Status Match website to submit your request. There’s no end date for this offer, so be sure to act soon if you stand to benefit.
Then, once your status match request is complete, you can enjoy elevated travel with Air France, KLM, and SkyTeam airlines for the next 12 months.
The post Status Match to Flying Blue Silver, Gold, or Platinum appeared first on Prince of Travel by T.J. Dunn .