US Airways offers a challenge program as a way to obtain Silver, Gold, Platinum, or Chairman's status. This does not require possessing status with a competing frequent flyer program, but does require you to pay a fee and travel a certain amount within 90 days. - To obtain Silver status you must: pay a $200 fee and fly 7,500 miles or 10 segments - To obtain Gold status you must: pay a $400 fee and fly 15,000 miles or 20 segments - To obtain Platinum status you must: pay a $600 fee and fly 22,500 miles or 30 segments - To obtain Chairman's status you must: fly 30,000 miles or 40 segments (US Airways does not specify a fee) The obtained status will be good through February 28, 2014. Further details and an enrollment form are here: http://www.usairways.com/en-US/dividendmiles/promotions/trialpreferred.html