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American Airlines’ Instant Status Pass is one of the more unique status match and challenge offers out there. It grants eligible travelers instant AAdvantage elite status, but with a twist; you have to earn a certain number of Loyalty Points every four months (for a year) to keep it long-term.
Recently, American has been targeting disgruntled loyalists from other airline programs. First, due to recent negative changes at Southwest, American is luring Rapid Rewards members. Now through June 30, 2025, A-List members can match to AAdvantage Platinum, while A-List Preferred members can match to Platinum Pro — a more lucrative match than usual.
Now, JetBlue customers are in the crosshairs. JetBlue Mosaic members can qualify for an Instant Status Pass through June 30, 2025 as well. The new offer bumps Mosaic members a loyalty category higher than before, with Mosaic 3 and 4 members matching to American Executive Platinum.
If you're considering taking advantage of this limited-time offer — or just looking for a new airline to commit your loyalty to in general — here’s what you need to know.
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How to Qualify for the American Airlines Instant Status Pass
If you're interested in getting AAdvantage elite status perks via the Instant Status Pass, there are two primary ways to qualify:
- Status Match – If you hold elite status with Delta, United, Southwest, or JetBlue, you can request an Instant Status Pass by submitting proof of status. And you can click here to apply.
- Targeted Offers – Even if you don’t have elite status with a competing airline, you might still be eligible. Log in to your AAdvantage account, check the Promotions tab, or call American Airlines to see if you have an offer. However, it's worth noting that some travelers report needing to pay a fee to initiate an Instant Status Pass when calling.
Additional eligibility requirements
The targeted offers have fewer strings attached since American Airlines directly invites eligible members. However, if you secure an Instant Status Pass through a status match, you’ll want to pay attention to the following requirements:
- Your first and last name on your AAdvantage account must match the name on your competitor airline account.
- Members who have registered for this promotion in the last 2 years are not eligible for this offer.
- Only earned elite statuses qualify. Matched, transferred, lifetime, or promotional statuses are not eligible for this offer.
- American Airlines may request additional documentation and has sole discretion in determining your eligibility.
- Submitting fraudulent or forged documentation may result in the termination of your AAdvantage account.
- You can view all the terms and conditions here.
Once you submit your information and documents, you should receive an email from AA within two weeks detailing your new status and requirements. It will also inform you of the date when your status match will end if you don't meet the requirements to maintain the status.
Which Airline Elite Statuses Match to AAdvantage?
If you take the status match route, you can request an Instant Status Pass if you hold elite status with Delta, United, JetBlue (enhanced offer through June 30, 2025), or Southwest (limited-time offer through June 30, 2025). Here are the tiers you can match to based on the elite statuses you might currently hold:
| Program | Status Years Matched | AAdvantage Gold | AAdvantage Platinum | AAdvantage Platinum Pro | AAdvantage Executive Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Airlines | January 2027 expiration | Silver Medallion | Gold Medallion | Platinum Medallion | Diamond Medallion |
| United Airlines | January 2026 or 2027 expiration | Premier Silver | Premier Gold | Premier Platinum | Premier 1K |
| JetBlue | December 2025 or 2026 expiration | N/A | Mosaic 1 (limited-time offer) | Mosaic 2 (limited-time offer) | Mosaic 3, Mosaic 4 (limited-time offer) |
| Southwest | December 2025 or 2026 expiration | N/A | A-List | A-List Preferred | N/A |
If you have top-tier status with Delta, United, or now JetBlue, you can match all the way up to American Airlines Executive Platinum.
One notable omission from the list is Alaska Airlines. Airlines generally avoid offering status matches to competitors within the same alliance, and since Alaska is a Oneworld member, American Airlines does not extend this offer to Mileage Plan elites.
How the Instant Status Pass Works
Once approved for the Instant Status Pass, you instantly receive elite status, as the name implies — but only for four months. To extend it, you must earn a set number of Loyalty Points each phase.
| AAdvantage Status | Loyalty Points Needed (Every 4 Months) |
|---|---|
| Gold | 13,000 |
| Platinum | 25,000 |
| Platinum Pro | 42,000 |
| Executive Platinum | 67,000 |
If you meet the requirements, your status extends for another four months with a new Loyalty Points goal. This cycle repeats for three phases (12 months total). And you can track your progress in the AA app or under “Promotions” on the website.
Related: How To Play the American Airlines Loyalty Points Game to Unlock AAdvantage Elite Status
You can upgrade or downgrade your status during the challenge
One interesting aspect of this offer is that your status isn’t locked in for the full duration of the challenge. You can upgrade or downgrade your status every four months based on how many Loyalty Points you rack up. Here are two possible scenarios:
- If you match to Gold but earn 44,000 Loyalty Points in the first phase, you’ll bump up to Platinum Pro for the next phase.
- If you match to Platinum but only manage 14,000 points in the first phase, you'll drop to Gold for the second phase.
In my experience, I was matched to Platinum status but only earned 14,350 Loyalty Points in my first four months. That meant a downgrade to Gold for the next phase. To keep Gold, I now need 11,650 more points (26,000 total for the year).
Related: Shortcuts to Airline Elite Status With Status Match or Fast Track Opportunities
Final Thoughts
The Instant Status Pass is a creative way for American Airlines to attract loyal flyers (and spenders). You get instant elite perks, but you must consistently meet Loyalty Point targets to maintain them. This makes it a lot more demanding than typical airline status challenges.
If you're considering it, now is a great time to apply — especially if you're a Southwest or JetBlue elite interested in testing the waters with another loyalty program. If you start an Instant Status Pass challenge, make sure to take advantage of all the ways to earn Loyalty Points –which go well beyond just flying.
The enhanced Southwest and JetBlue offers end on June 30, 2025. But if you're matching from another program, it makes sense to start your challenge when you're in a position to start earning a lot of Loyalty Points.
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