Vietnam Airlines Expands Status Match, Now Letting You Obtain SkyTeam Status From Hotel Programs

Vietnam Airlines has extended its status match program into 2025, allowing you to match over to top-tier Lotusmiles status. Even better, you now have the opportunity to match from hotel elite status into this airline program.

While there’s a fee, you can match up to Lotusmiles Platinum status — the highest level Vietnam Airlines offers — gaining SkyTeam elite status in the process.

Is this a good deal? Let’s take a look.

Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles Status Match

Vietnam Airlines is a member of the SkyTeam alliance, which includes airlines such as Delta, Air France, KLM, and China Airlines. By completing a status match, you’ll be able to enjoy SkyTeam Elite or SkyTeam Elite Plus status, which confers benefits like free checked luggage, priority check-in, priority boarding, priority waitlist, preferred seating, expedited luggage, access to sold-out flights, and select airport lounge access. These benefits apply when you’re flying any SkyTeam member airline, which can make status matching especially useful if you’re a Delta flyer.

Here are the details of the promotion:

• Receive 12 months of elite status after approval; keeping your status after that requires meeting the typical requirements.
• Application fee required: Titanium costs $99; Gold costs $159; Platinum costs $299.
• Request a status match online via the match page.
• Valid for residents of the United States and multiple other countries.
• Match from over 40 different airlines and 7 hotel programs.
• There’s no end date currently listed for this offer.

Matching is an option for those with American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and United Airlines elite status.

When the status match offer first launched in August of 2024, it was only offered matches from airline elite status tiers. Now, you can match from multiple hotel programs — though not to top-tier Platinum status, unfortunately.

Is It Worth It?

Most of us probably don’t live in Vietnam or travel there regularly enough to justify having elite status with Vietnam Airlines. And even as a top-tier member, you won’t receive many benefits when flying Vietnam Airlines.

However, SkyTeam Elite and Elite Plus status benefits are decent overall and compare favorably to those offered by Oneworld and Star Alliance.

The only exception to this is the lack of domestic lounge access when flying within the U.S. Both Oneworld and Star Alliance allow members matched from foreign airlines to enjoy the lounge, even when they’re traveling wholly within the U.S. However, starting April 1, 2025, those with SkyTeam Elite Plus status will be able to access airline lounges on domestic flights — though this isn’t overly helpful for U.S. travelers, as it excludes domestic Delta Sky Club locations.

Final Thoughts

Vietnam Airlines has expanded its status match opportunity for those with elite status from other airlines, now including the ability to match from hotel programs into this SkyTeam program. Although you’ll need to pay a fee, the match could be worth it if you’re a frequent Delta flyer or want an airline status you could potentially use for other status match opportunities.