Admirals Club: New $1,400 membership rewards loyalty less than plastic.

Kenya Airways' Asante Platinum match for all Accor Gold, Platinum, and Diamond members unlocks SkyTeam Elite Plus benefits, including lounge access and SkyPriority, for a $299 fee. Silver (Elite) costs $99 in most regions. The 12-month status is useful if you fly SkyTeam airlines regularly, where extra luggage fees and lounge access can offset the fee. But the program's partner award charts and crediting remain unproven, so this is a short-term status play, not a long-term loyalty move.

American Express Platinum members in 12 countries now get Accor Gold status automatically, but the United States is conspicuously absent from the list. Gold brings free Wi-Fi, late checkout, room upgrades subject to availability, and bonus ALL points at Accor's 45+ brands, including luxury properties like Raffles, Fairmont, and Sofitel. Earning Gold the hard way requires 30 elite nights or about €2,800 in spending, so the card-linked match is a genuine perk. US Platinum holders are left with Hilton Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold, neither of which delivers consistent breakfast or meaningful upgrades. Accor's thin US footprint and the cost of honoring status matches likely drove the exclusion. The transfer option to ALL points is also not coming to the US, but that's less of a loss — 1,000 ALL points are worth only €20, and typical transfer ratios land near a penny per Membership Rewards point, no better than cashing out via Amex Travel.