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Airlines in the U.S. are always competing for profitable customers, and elite status matches are one of their favorite tools for poaching frequent flyers from rivals. United Airlines is no exception. And once again, United is offering its MileagePlus elite status match challenge for 2026.
The program lets you temporarily match your status from another airline to United Premier status. From there, you can lock in that status all the way through January 2027 (or even later) by meeting some specific requirements — which are often much easier than earning status the traditional way.
Let’s break down all the details.
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United MileagePlus Premier Status Match and Challenge
In 2026, MileagePlus members with another airline's elite status can match it to United. On its status match program details page, United lists the following list of competitors that it matches from — but notes that this “is a partial list”:
| Frequent flyer program | Tier | Tier | Tier | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantage | Gold | Platinum | Platinum Pro | Executive Platinum Concierge Key |
| Delta Air Lines Medallion | Silver | Gold | Platinum | Diamond Delta 360 |
| Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards | A-List | A-List Preferred | N/A | N/A |
| Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards | Silver | Gold | Platinum | N/A |
| British Airways Club | Bronze | Silver | Gold | N/A |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | Silver | Gold | Platinum Platinum One | N/A |
| Corresponding United Airlines MileagePlus level | Premier Silver | Premier Gold | Premier Platinum | 1K |
After submitting the required matching documentation, you'll receive the corresponding United Premier status for 120 days — but only after completing an “activating flight” within 90 days. An activating flight must be operated by United or United Express and earn Premier qualifying credits.
An “Activating Flight” is a flight operated by United or United Express® that is completed within 90-days after the documentation that you submit for this offer is approved and the flight is posted to the member’s MileagePlus account. Flights on tickets that do not earn Premier qualifying credits do not qualify for meeting the requirements of this offer.
United MileagePlus award flights flown on United earn PQPs, so award flights should count as an Activating Flight.
If you’ve already flown with United or United Express within 30 days before requesting the status match — and that flight took place after January 1, 2026 — you can ask for it to count as your activating flight when you submit your application.
Related: Complete Guide to Airline Elite Status Matches and Challenges
How to extend your MileagePlus elite status past the trial period
To keep your matched Premier status beyond the initial 120-day trial, you’ll need to meet some specific travel requirements:
- Premier Silver: Complete 5 Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF) and earn 1,700 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP).
- Premier Gold: Complete 10 Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF) and earn 3,400 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP).
- Premier Platinum: Complete 15 Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF) and earn 5,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP).
- Premier 1K: Complete 20 Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF) and earn 7,500 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP).
Note that PQP can be earned on flights operated by United or United Express and/or from “purchases made with an eligible United Chase credit card within the Challenge Period.” Here's how United credit cards earn PQPs.
It's possible — but unlikely — that the bonus PQPs earned as part of the following United credit card welcome bonuses will count toward this requirement:
- 5 miles per $1 spent at Renowned Hotels and Resorts
- 3 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
- 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel
- 2 miles per $1 spent at restaurants
- 2 miles per $1 spent on select streaming services
- 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
- 2x on United® purchases
- 2x on local transit and commuting — including train tickets, taxicabs, mass transit, tolls and ride share services
- 2x at gas stations, restaurants and office supply stores
- 1x on all other purchases
It’s also important to note that you can only extend the Premier status level you matched. For example, if you matched to Premier Gold, you cannot leverage this challenge to qualify for Platinum or 1K status. You’ll need to meet United’s standard Premier qualification requirements to unlock a higher status.
Related: The Best Strategies for Earning United Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) by Flying
When you match your status to United matters
United offers two different lengths of Premier status extensions based on when you complete the challenge requirements:
- If you meet the requirements on or before June 30, 2026, your status will be valid through January 2027.
- If you meet the requirements on or after July 1, 2026, your status will be extended through January 2028.
Thus, you should aim to complete the challenge during the second half of the year to maximize the duration of your matched status. That means waiting until at least July 1 to initiate your status match. But if you need the MileagePlus perks sooner, there's less of a reason to wait.
How to request a United status match
To request a status match, navigate United's dedicated webpage for the MileagePlus Premier status match. Once there, you'll have to sign in and fill out a form that includes:
- United MileagePlus account number
- Valid email address registered on your MileagePlus account
- Digital copy of your membership card from the matching airline (with your name, elite status, frequent flyer number, frequent flyer program name, and status expiration date)
Once submitted, United may take up to 14 business days to respond and upgrade your account. Hopefully, your results arrive far sooner than that, though.
United Status Match Key Terms
- Status challenges are unavailable to members who have completed a status match or received a status exception within the last five years.
- Trial or temporary statuses aren't eligible for a MileagePlus Premier status match.
- Members won't receive Premier membership materials and may not have access to all reciprocal Star Alliance partner status benefits during the 120-day period, including Star Alliance lounge access.
- Members who complete the PQP and PQF requirements to retain Premier Platinum or Premier 1K status will receive PlusPoints (20 for Platinum or 100 for 1K) within 7–10 business days.
- If a member fails to meet the status challenge requirements, the matched status will expire, and they may return to a lower status tier or general member status.
- PQF and PQP requirements during the challenge period must be earned via United or United Express flights and/or on eligible credit card spending.
Bottom Line
United has relaunched its MileagePlus status match program for 2026. This program allows travelers to pick up United Premier elite status for 120 days and extend it by completing a challenge. It’s a great opportunity for elite flyers looking to switch airlines.
And if you can time it right, it's possible to unlock elite status through January 2028 — so you should try to wait until mid-year to initiate your match (if you can). And remember, United generally limits members to one status match challenge every five years, so it’s worth having a solid plan on how you'll use your perks before you jump in.
That said, you should consider how much value you’ll get from MileagePlus elite status. Several United credit cards offer similar perks to Premier elite status. So, it's possible that applying for a co-branded credit card might offer the same benefits and savings you value — without the flying requirements.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: United Quest℠ Card (Rates & Fees), and United℠ Business Card (Rates & Fees)
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