Air France-KLM’s Flying Blue program is providing an opportunity for United States travelers to obtain a status match for a fee, according to The Points Guy.

Air France-KLM’s loyalty program, Flying Blue, is providing an attractive online status match opportunity for elite members from Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, American Airlines AAdvantage, JetBlue TrueBlue Rewards, and United Airlines MileagePlus programs.

Delta Air Lines SkyMiles elite members are not eligible for this offer, probably due to Delta being a fellow SkyTeam member with Air France-KLM.

The subsequent statuses will be equivalent to Flying Blue Silver (SkyTeam Elite): Alaska MVP and MVP Gold, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 1 and 2, and United Premier Silver.

If you possess any of the following statuses, you are eligible for a match to Flying Blue Gold (SkyTeam Elite Plus): Alaska MVP 75K and 100K; American Platinum, Platinum Pro, Executive Platinum, and Concierge Key; JetBlue Mosaic 3 and 4; and United Premier Gold, Premier Platinum, Premier 1K, and Global Services.

Unlike the status match challenges provided by other airlines, U.S. and Mexican residents are required to pay a fee. The cost is $99 to match to Flying Blue Silver status and $299 to match to Flying Blue Gold status.

What advantages come with Flying Blue Silver and Gold membership levels?

Airlines occasionally offer status matches to attract frequent flyers from rival carriers, encouraging them to switch their loyalty by providing a quicker path to achieving elite status.

Regrettably, residents of the U.S. and Mexico are not eligible for this match offer to obtain Flying Blue Platinum status, which allows booking Air France’s renowned La Premiere first class using miles.

Related: 10 aspects of Air France’s remarkable La Premiere first class that amazed me

Flying Blue Silver represents the entry-level tier of Flying Blue’s elite status program, offering a selection of fundamental benefits.

• 6 Flying Blue miles for every euro spent on tickets issued by Flying Blue
• Complimentary standard seat selection
• Expedited check-in and boarding
• SkyTeam Elite perks include a complimentary checked bag on all Flying Blue and SkyTeam partner flights as a significant advantage.

Flying Blue Gold members receive all the perks of Flying Blue Silver membership plus additional benefits such as:

• Earn 7 Flying Blue miles for every euro spent on tickets issued by Flying Blue
• You and a guest can access SkyTeam lounges when flying internationally with a Flying Blue or SkyTeam airline.
• Entry to affiliated lounges for airlines such as Virgin Atlantic, Qantas, and Air Mauritius.
• SkyTeam Elite Plus members enjoy benefits such as SkyPriority boarding, expedited immigration processing, and more.
• Half-price discount on preferred seats and Delta Comfort+

Related: The comprehensive guide to earning and redeeming with Air France-KLM Flying Blue

At TPG, we greatly appreciate Flying Blue, even for non-elite members, because the program partners with all major credit card currencies, making it simple to accumulate Flying Blue miles. Additionally, you can book business-class flights to Europe for as few as 50,000 Flying Blue miles, which is an outstanding offer.

To be eligible for the offer, you need to have an active Flying Blue account (which can be created for free online). A determination will be provided within three working days, and the updated status will be reflected in the member’s account within five working days.

After being matched, Flying Blue status remains effective for 12 months. To maintain your status beyond this period, you must requalify by achieving the regular Flying Blue qualification criteria; there is no expedited process for extending status during the matched period.

Keep in mind that although status matches provided by other programs are typically free, residents of the U.S. and Mexico are required to pay $99 for Silver status or $299 for Gold status.

Bottom line

This is a generous, albeit unusual, proposal from a reputable airline loyalty program. However, the requirement for members to pay to match their status—while other programs offer this service for free—might deter some individuals. Nevertheless, if you have upcoming trips with Air France-KLM or other SkyTeam member airlines such as Delta, Korean Air, or China Eastern Airlines, particularly for international travel, it might be an excellent opportunity to experience the benefits of another loyalty program.

You can submit your application for the Flying Blue status match online at this link.