[Expired] Star Alliance Gold Through March 2023 With ANA Status Match

Update: The offer mentioned below has expired and is no longer available.

Do you like airport lounge access? Do you fly United often and find yourself frustrated when you can’t enter a United Club on domestic flights if you don’t have a membership?

If you have elite status with another airline, now’s the time to score Star Alliance Gold status that will get you into those very lounges, even when flying domestically.

Let’s take a look at how you can make this happen.

Promotion Details

All Nippon Airways (ANA) is currently offering an opportunity for select flyers to match status up to its Mileage Club Platinum level. Here’s a look at the terms you should be aware of:

• Apply before September 29, 2022
• Available for members of select airlines with valid 2021 or 2022 status
• Match to either Bronze or Platinum
• Status valid through March 31, 2023

Here are the airlines from which you can match:

The status match page notes that members from other airlines can apply, but matching isn’t guaranteed. Unfortunately, those with existing Star Alliance status cannot take advantage of this match opportunity.

Bronze elite status with ANA translates to Star Alliance Silver status. You don’t get much with this — just priority waitlist reservations and priority standby status.

Platinum elite status with ANA, meanwhile, translates to Star Alliance Gold status. You’ll receive far more benefits with Star Alliance Gold, including Gold track access at security and immigration, an additional free checked bag, priority boarding, priority airport check-in, and airport lounge access.

The most interesting of these, especially for United flyers, is the airport lounge access you’ll receive as a Star Alliance Gold member with a foreign airline. Unless you have a United Club membership, you won’t have access to a United lounge unless you’re traveling on specific transcontinental or international flights in premium cabins. This means that most domestic itineraries won’t allow you into the United Club with your ticket alone.

However, as a Star Alliance Gold member through ANA, you will receive United Club lounge access — even on domestic itineraries. This can be extremely valuable for those with frequent domestic flights on United.

Hot Tip: Learn more about the benefits of Star Alliance status in our detailed guide to The Star Alliance: Everything You Need To Know.

Other Options for Airport Lounge Access

If you don’t have elite status with one of the airlines mentioned above, there are still ways to get yourself United Club lounge access when traveling. The easiest method, by far, is by acquiring the United Club℠ Infinite Card, which includes a United Club membership. The annual fee for this card is high at $525, but still costs less than purchasing a United Club membership outright, which costs $650.

Of course, you can always skip out on United Clubs altogether and opt for other airport lounges. There are many credit cards with Priority Pass memberships, which can get you into over 1,400+ airport lounges. The Platinum Card^® from American Express also provides its own Global Lounge Collection of 1,400+ lounges, including Centurion Lounges and Escape Lounges in addition to the Priority Pass membership (upon enrollment).

Bottom Line: Fortunately, there are many other ways to gain entry to airport lounges even if you’re not able to take advantage of this status match opportunity from ANA.

Final Thoughts

If you’re able to take advantage of this status matching opportunity to ANA, make sure to do so before September 29, 2022, so you can have ANA status through March 31, 2023.

And if you match to Platinum status with ANA, you’ll also earn Star Alliance Gold, giving you access to United Clubs on domestic itineraries.