Kenya Airways has launched a new paid status match program in partnership with StatusMatch.com, giving travellers a shortcut to SkyTeam Elite or SkyTeam Elite Plus benefits for 12 months.
Whether you hold status with Air Canada, WestJet, another of 40+ airlines, 15+ hotel programs, or even certain premium credit cards, you could qualify for this match and enjoy benefits like lounge access, SkyPriority, and extra baggage on SkyTeam flights around the world.
Matching Status with Kenya Airways Asante Rewards
The match is processed entirely online, with the fee depending on where you live and what type of status you’re matching from.
For residents of Canada, the US, the Americas, and select Asian countries:
From airline status:
- Silver Elite: $99 USD
- Gold Elite Plus or Platinum Elite Plus: $299 USD
From hotel status:
- Silver Elite: $99 USD
- Gold Elite Plus: $299 USD
From credit card status:
- Silver Elite only: $99 USD
For residents of all other countries:
From airline status:
- Silver Elite: $80 USD
- Gold Elite Plus or Platinum Elite Plus: $175 USD
From hotel status:
- Silver Elite: $80 USD
- Gold Elite Plus: $299 USD
From credit card status:
- Silver Elite only: $80 USD
Note that pricing is the lowest when you match from an airline status outside the Americas and Asia. If your address happens to be in the UK, France, or another “rest of world” country, you could pay as little as $80 USD for Silver or $175 USD for Gold/Platinum. We all have relatives in Europe, right?
Which Programs Can You Match From?
Kenya Airways accepts matches from airline programs, hotel programs, and premium credit cards.
Your matched Asante Rewards tier depends on your current program and status level — higher tiers from airlines can get you to Platinum, while hotels can take you up to Gold, and credit cards up to Silver.
Eligible Airline Programs
If you hold elite status with one of these 46 airlines, you can match to Silver, Gold, or Platinum depending on your tier. This is the only path to reach Asante Rewards Platinum Elite Plus, such as holding a top-tier status like Aeroplan 75K or Super Elite.
Eligible Hotel Programs
If you hold select hotel elite status, you can match up to Asante Rewards Gold Elite — the entry point for SkyTeam Elite Plus benefits.
This is arguably the easiest and sweetest path to SkyTeam Elite Plus, since you can get Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite or Hilton Honors Gold status simply by holding an American Express Platinum Card.
Eligible Credit Cards
Select premium credit cards can get you Asante Rewards Silver Elite, unlocking basic SkyTeam Elite benefits.
Kenya Airways Asante Rewards & SkyTeam Benefits
Kenya Airways’ Asante Rewards program has three elite tiers available through the status match. Each tier comes with its own benefits, plus the corresponding SkyTeam Elite or SkyTeam Elite Plus perks across the alliance.
Asante Rewards Silver → SkyTeam Elite
- 50% bonus points on Kenya Airways flights
- One extra checked bag on Kenya Airways and partner airlines
- Free seat selection within 24 hours of departure (excluding economy comfort seats)
- 25% discount at Kenya Airways lounges
- SkyTeam Elite benefits:
- Priority check-in and baggage drop-off
- Preferred seating (where available)
- Priority boarding
- Extra baggage allowance on most SkyTeam airlines
Asante Rewards Gold → SkyTeam Elite Plus
- 75% bonus points on Kenya Airways flights
- Complimentary Kenya Airways lounge access for you and one guest
- Free seat selection within 72 hours of departure
- SkyPriority services at all airport touchpoints
- One extra checked bag on Kenya Airways and partner airlines
- SkyTeam Elite Plus benefits:
- All SkyTeam Elite perks
- Lounge access for you and one guest when travelling internationally on any SkyTeam airline, regardless of class of service
- Priority security, immigration, and boarding lanes
- Priority baggage handling
Asante Rewards Platinum → SkyTeam Elite Plus
- 100% bonus points on Kenya Airways flights
- Complimentary lounge access for you and one guest
- Free seat selection at booking
- SkyPriority services at all airport touchpoints
- 24/7 Platinum customer service line
- One extra checked bag on Kenya Airways and partner airlines
- Same SkyTeam Elite Plus perks as Asante Rewards Gold
Should You Consider This Match?
If you’re a frequent Kenya Airways flyer, this match might make sense on its own.
For everyone else, the real value likely comes from the SkyTeam Elite perks — lounge access, SkyPriority, and extra baggage — which can easily offset the one-time match fee after just a few trips.
With relatively easy-to-get statuses like Marriott Bonvoy Gold or Hilton Honors Gold, you can unlock SkyTeam Elite Plus without ever stepping on a qualifying flight.
Plus, you never know when this status could open the door to other match opportunities in the future.
For example, I matched my Marriott Bonvoy status to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Gold earlier this year, and now I can use that status to match into Asante Rewards Gold — unlocking SkyTeam Elite Plus benefits for only $175 USD, without taking a single Kenya Airways flight.
Conclusion
Kenya Airways’ paid status match is a straightforward way to enjoy SkyTeam Elite or Elite Plus benefits for 12 months, whether you’re a frequent Kenya Airways flyer or simply looking to upgrade your experience with partner airlines like Air France, KLM, and Delta.
With perks such as lounge access, SkyPriority, and extra baggage, the value can easily outweigh the one-time fee after just a few trips.
And with easily attainable statuses like Marriott Bonvoy Gold or Hilton Honors Gold, unlocking SkyTeam Elite Plus has never been simpler — especially if you can take advantage of rest-of-world pricing to bring the cost down to $175 USD.
This story originally appeared on princeoftravel
