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Turkish Airlines elite status and Star Alliance Gold perks are only a status match away. While there's no official offer on the table, StatusMatcher.com is abuzz with travelers posting success stories about matching into Miles & Smiles and picking up Turkish elite status. Even better, the vast majority of data points suggest the requirements to keep your status past the trial period are nothing short of reasonable.
Here's all you need to know about status matching to Turkish Airlines.
Status Match to Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles
Turkish Airlines offers four tiers of elite status: Classic, Classic Plus, Elite, and Elite Plus. By many accounts, Elite is accessible via status match. As the icing on the cake, Elite carries Star Alliance Gold perks, which present expanded benefits across the 26 member airlines, as well as lounge access on international itineraries.
Earning Star Alliance Gold status through Turkish Airlines will also get you access to United Club lounges even when flying United on domestic U.S. flights, which is possibly the best perk of all.
Since there's no official offer, we don't have a full list of airline tiers that match to Turkish elite tiers. However, it looks like matches are reserved for those with Oneworld Emerald and SkyTeam Elite Plus. Some Star Alliance flyers have reported success as well — according to StatusMatcher.com.
If you're after the perks and don't have top-tier status, it might still be worth a shot to apply. The worst Turkish can say is “no.”
How to status match to Turkish Airlines
Matching to Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles is a convoluted process. To apply, you'll first want to create a Turkish account if you don't already have one or sign in. The next step is filling out the feedback form and clicking the “Membership Processes” button to start your match.
You'll need to supply Turkish with three items to supplement your status match request:
- A copy of your physical or digital elite membership card.
- A screenshot showing recent account activity from the past few months.
- The photo page of your passport.
In the feedback section of the form, let Turkish know why you're requesting a status match. Through the success stories we've seen, most applicants have received a response from the carrier within a few days — some within just a few hours. If approved, Turkish will congratulate you and inform you that status is yours to keep for a trial period of four months, but you can extend it for up to two years with qualifying activity.
Those who were denied report the reason as not holding status that's equivalent to Elite.
Related: Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles Award Chart Sweet Spots
How to extend your Miles & Smiles status
In the grand scheme of things, four months isn't that long. And surely, it's not enough time to enjoy all of what Star Alliance Gold has to offer. Or, maybe it is, depending on how often you travel internationally. But what's unique about this Turkish status match offer is that you can extend your status twice.
You can first extend your status for eight months by taking one international Turkish Airlines flight within the four-month trial period. And to extend your status by an additional year, you'll need to earn 15,000 Turkish status miles on international flights flown in the first year of membership.
Turkish elites can earn up to 175% of mileage flown, meaning the 15,000 status miles can reasonably be within reach if you plan to fly Turkish internationally — especially on a connecting long-haul itinerary. Unfortunately, partner flying doesn't count.
For reference, you can find the earning table below:
Related: Do Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles Miles Expire?
Final Thoughts
If you haven't landed on an elite status plan for 2024, matching to Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles is a great option. Eligible status holders can pick up Turkish Elite, which offers Star Alliance Gold perks. Even better, there's no cost to apply, and the requirements to keep the status past the trial period are reasonable if you foresee yourself flying Turkish Airlines internationally.
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