Kenya Airways Will Match You Into SkyTeam From About £60 - Even With Just a Credit Card

Kenya Airways is running an ongoing Asante Rewards status match, and it's one of the most generous I've seen. It accepts airline status, hotel status, and - unusually - a travel rewards credit card. Because Kenya Airways is in SkyTeam, the status works on Air France, KLM, Delta and the rest of the alliance.

For UK residents, a match to SkyTeam Elite Plus from airline status costs US$175, or roughly £131. Here's who qualifies, what you get, and the small print.

WHAT // There are three ways in, and what you pay depends on the route and where you live. UK residents fall into the "all other countries" band for airline matches, which is the cheaper one:

Airline elites are matched to the equivalent Asante level, so you can't apply for a tier above the one you hold - the eligibility table shows where your programme lands. Hotel matches top out at Gold Elite Plus, with Accor Gold, Platinum and Diamond members able to apply for Platinum. And the card route only needs a travel rewards credit card, with the fee paid on that card.

WHY IT MATTERS // Gold Elite Plus and Platinum Elite Plus line up with SkyTeam Elite Plus - the alliance tier that opens lounges on international SkyTeam trips, plus priority services and extra baggage. That's the same alliance tier BA Silver members get from Flying Blue's paid BA match, for a slightly lower fee. Silver Elite lines up with SkyTeam Elite: priority perks, but no lounges.

The airline route is the sweet spot. If you have earned mid-tier airline status, £131-ish for 12 months of SkyTeam Elite Plus is good value if you'll fly Air France, KLM or Delta a few times. If a lounge visit would cost you around £20, it pays for itself in about seven visits.

The card route is interesting, but limited. It's rare to see a match that needs no status at all. But it only gets you Silver Elite - no lounges - for about £74 (US$99). That's worth it only if priority boarding and extra baggage on a few SkyTeam trips matter to you. Not every card counts: the accepted types are Visa Infinite, Signature, Rewards and Platinum, Mastercard World and World Elite, and American Express Platinum or charge cards. Kenya Airways doesn't say which countries or issuers qualify, so check the eligibility table and your card's terms before you pay.

The hotel route is the priciest. US$299 for Gold Elite Plus is a lot more than the airline route, so I'd only use it if hotel status is all you have.

All fees are in US dollars, so pay with something that won't add a foreign transaction fee. For the card route the fee must go on the qualifying card itself, so check that card's FX charges first.

Earned status only. The match runs through StatusMatch.com, whose terms let it decline any application where it believes the status wasn't earned, or where the status came from another status match. If your Flying Blue or Virgin status came from a BA match, expect a possible refusal.

One match per person. And the tier is set by your status on the day you apply - if you move up later, the match doesn't.

Refunds only if you're declined. Approved fees aren't returned. Decisions come within three business days of a complete application, and benefits only apply to flights taken after activation.

Keeping it. Status lasts 12 months. Kenya Airways says the bar to keep status is lower than the bar to earn it, but you'd still need to credit SkyTeam flying to Asante Rewards rather than Flying Blue or Virgin.

Eligibility. You need a free Asante Rewards account first. Residents of Argentina, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan can't apply, and corporate or household accounts are excluded.

I won't be applying. I already hold Flying Blue Platinum, which is SkyTeam Elite Plus. That status came from a status match, and StatusMatch can decline status it believes wasn't earned on merit, so I wouldn't count on a second match.

But I think this is one of the more interesting matches out there, mainly because of the credit card route. Status matches have always been a game for people who already have status. Letting someone in on the strength of a rewards card turns that on its head. It's a small airline using a cheap, low-risk tool to put its name in front of people who would never otherwise think about Asante Rewards.

The bigger thought: SkyTeam Elite Plus is now available to UK flyers from at least two directions at similar prices - Flying Blue's BA match and this. When several airlines sell the same alliance tier for under £150, it tells you how much that tier is really worth to them. Pay accordingly, and don't treat it as a badge - treat it as a year of lounges you either use or you don't.

For UK residents with earned airline status and a few Air France, KLM or Delta trips coming up, the US$175 Elite Plus match is a solid deal. The card route is a fun novelty but only worth it if you value bags and priority boarding. Either way, time it to your travel - you only get one go.

New to the basics? Our guide to how status matches work covers the rules, and Award Travel Finder will help you find SkyTeam award seats to use your new status on.

That's all from me for now. Any questions, just hit reply - I read every email.

Safe travels,
Jack