Virgin America Matching United and American Airlines Status

If you currently have status on United or American Airlines, you can submit a status match to Virgin America’s Elevate Gold or Silver status. This status match will last for a few months until April 30, 2013 and you will also have an opportunity to do a status challenge to earn the desired status through the end of the year.

Do to this you must email Virgin America at statusmatch@virginamerica.com with your Elevate number. If you are not a current Elevate member, you can join here.  You also must include one of the following:

• A copy or screenshot of your most recent mileage summary showing your name and current elite level.
• Or, a copy of your membership card that identifies your name and current elite level in the United Air Lines or American Airlines frequent flyer program.

Equivalent status match:

• If you are United Premier Silver or Gold or American AAdvantage Gold or Platinum = Elevate Silver status
• If you are United Premier Platinum or 1K or American AAdvantage Executive Platinum = Elevate Gold status

Now, I’ve actually never taken an Virgin Atlantic flight, the perks seem to be pretty decent, especially the 25% off annual ticket that you get.

Elevate Silver Status Perks:

• Point Bonus: 25% bonus
• Main Cabin Express seat selection: Can select at time of booking
• Complimentary upgrades to Main Cabin Select: 12 hours in advance
• Priority check-in, boarding, security
• Complimentary day passes to the Virgin America airport lounge at LAX: 2 day passes
• Priority reservation line, live chat, and email: Silver dedicated line
• Take 25% off any non-refundable Main Cabin ticket: 1 tickets per year
• Complimentary checked bag weighing up to 50 lbs.:  1 free
• Waived Call Center Service Fee

Elevate Gold Status Perks:

• Point Bonus: 100% bonus
• Main Cabin Express seat selection: Can select at time of booking
• Complimentary upgrades to Main Cabin Select: 24 hours in advance
• Priority check-in, boarding, security
• Complimentary day passes to the Virgin America airport lounge at LAX: 3 day passes
• Priority reservation line, live chat, and email: Gold dedicated line
• Take 25% off any non-refundable Main Cabin ticket: 2 tickets per year
• Complimentary checked bag weighing up to 50 lbs.:  3 free
• Waived Elevate Redeposit Fee
• Waived Call Center Service Fee

Now this status will last through April 30th, but you are able to keep the status if you earn a lesser number of points by this date. This will extend your status through the end of the year. If you have the Virgin America Visa Signature credit card, you can be accelerated even faster.

• To extend Elevate Silver status: Earn 8,000 status points; If you are a credit card member, you will only need 3,000 status points
• To extend Elevate Gold status: Earn 12,000 status points; If you are a credit card member, you will only need 5,000 status points

To maintain status, this requires only a few roundtrip flights, which is great. To learn more about the promotion take a look at this Virgin America site. Also, keep in mind that they state it takes 7 to 14 days to update your Elevate status.

Disclosure: The Virgin America Visa Signature credit card is an affiliate link. Thanks for supporting the site and enjoy traveling on a deal!