On September 1, 2024, Star Alliance member carrier SAS exited the Alliance and joined as the 21st member of the SkyTeam Alliance. Consequently, SAS EuroBonus Elite Members will now get benefits on SkyTeam carriers, but if they were deeply entrenched in the Star Alliance ecosystem, they would be at a loss.
Star Alliance member carrier Lufthansa/Swiss/Brussels Airlines and other member carriers with a unified loyalty programme, Miles & More, ran an elaborate status match programme for SAS members to join and earn similar status in Miles & More. Now, Star Alliance has struck back with a much more significant response.
Star Alliance loyalty programmes offering a status match to SAS EuroBonus members
Star Alliance has a coordinated response for SAS EuroBonus Elite Members. The alliance has partnered with StatusMatch.com and now offers status matches across 12 member airline programmes. You can pick only one match opportunity out of the 13 and get a new status in a Star Alliance member carrier. The status match is available through November 30, 2024, for the eligible elite tier members of SAS EuroBonus. Participation in the promotion is free of charge. You can apply for the Status Match here.
The following member airlines are offering a Status Match:
- Air Canada – Aeroplan
- Air China – PhoenixMiles
- Air India – Flying Returns
- Austrian – Miles & More
- Brussels Airlines – Miles & More
- Ethiopian Airlines – ShebaMiles
- Lufthansa – Miles & More
- South African Airways – SAA Voyager
- SWISS – Miles & More
- TAP Air Portugal – TAP Miles&Go
- Thai Airways – Royal Orchid Plus
- Turkish Airlines – Miles&Smiles
- United Airlines – MileagePlus
Each Star Alliance member airline has requirements for retaining status after the initial period. Your status with SAS must have been earned through flying or other program activity to be eligible for the status match. Here is the status parity that will be awarded.
What are the offers from various airlines?
- Air Canada Aeroplan: Earn status through December 31, 2025. If approved, members cannot apply again for a status match until 2028.
- Air China PhoenixMiles: You get trial status for 90 days, and from there, you must fly to get the status for 12 months. Two Challenges are available.
- Challenge 1: Any Routes
- Silver: Must fly four segments within the 90-day challenge period in a qualifying fare class on an eligible airline.
- Gold: Must fly eight segments (or four segments in any first or business class revenue class) within the 90-day challenge period in a qualifying fare class on an eligible airline.
- Eligible Flights are operated and marketed by Air China Family carriers (Air China, Beijing Airlines, Dalian Airlines, Air China Inner Mongolia, Shenzhen Airlines, Shandong Airlines, and Air Macau).
- Challenge 2: China – Europe Routes
- Silver: Must fly four segments within the 90-day challenge period in a qualifying fare class on an eligible airline.
- Gold: Must fly eight segments (or four segments in any first or business class revenue class) within the 90-day challenge period in a qualifying fare class on an eligible airline.
- Eligible Flights are operated and marketed by Air China Family carriers (Air China, Beijing Airlines, Dalian Airlines, Air China Inner Mongolia, Shenzhen Airlines, Shandong Airlines, and Air Macau).
- Only applicable to routes between China and Europe, and an international flight segment/segments must be included. Domestic segments of transfer/connecting international flights are ineligible to earn flown segments.
- Challenge 1: Any Routes
- Air India Flying Returns: Applicants will receive a status valid six months from the approval date. To retain the status beyond six months and extend it for a further 12 months, the following challenge must be fulfilled:
- Silver members need to either:
– Take ten flights (including connections or stopovers), of which Air India must operate two; OR
– Earn 5,000 Tier Points, of which 1,000 must be from Air India flights. - Gold members need to either:
– Take 20 flights (including connections or stopovers), of which four must be operated by Air India; OR
– Earn 10,000 Tier Points, of which 2,000 must be from Air India flights.
- Silver members need to either:
- Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa & Swiss Miles & More: You will receive the corresponding frequent flyer status in the Miles & More programme, valid until February 2025. You will receive a further year extension if you meet the following requirements:
- Frequent Traveller Challenge: Complete 2 flight segments with Lufthansa Group airlines or co-issuing Miles & More airline partners by November 30, 2024, to extend status to February 2026.
- Senator Challenge: Complete 6 flight segments with Lufthansa Group airlines or co-issuing Miles & More airline partners by November 30, 2024, to extend status to February 2026.
- Eligible airlines include Air Dolomiti, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Airlines, Discover Airlines, Eurowings, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Lufthansa City, Luxair and SWISS.
- Ethiopian Airlines ShebaMiles: Approved applicants will receive valid status until December 2024. To extend it for a further 12 months until December 2025, the following challenge must be fulfilled:
- Silver members must book one return flight with Ethiopian Airlines by December 2024 for travel before August 2025.
- Gold members must book two return flights with Ethiopian Airlines by December 2024 for travel before August 2025.
- South African Airways SAA Voyager: Status approved is valid through December 31, 2025.
- TAP Air Portugal TAP Miles&Go: Status approved is valid for a minimum of 12 (twelve) months from the date of approval. You receive a further year extension if you meet the following requirements:
- Silver: Complete 2 flight segments with TAP Air Portugal AND 10,000 status miles starting on the day status was granted.
- Gold: Complete 6 flight segments with TAP Air Portugal AND 20,000 status miles starting on the day status was granted
- Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus: Status approved is valid for 24 Months.
- Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles: Approved applicants will receive a status that is valid for four months (trial period). The member must have one international Turkish Airlines flight to retain the status after that four-month trial period and extend it up to 12 months. To maintain the status for a further 12 months and make the status valid for two years, elite members must accumulate a minimum of 15,000 status miles before the end of the first 12 months following approval.
- United Airlines MileagePlus: You get a 4 Month Trial Period with an option to extend it through January 31, 2026, by:
- Premier Silver: Fly 4 PQF and earn 1,300 PQP on flights operated by United or United Express
- Premier Gold: Fly 8 PQF and earn 2,600 PQP on flights operated by United or United Express
- Premier Platinum: Fly 12 PQF and earn 4,000 PQP on flights operated by United or United Express
Bottomline
Star Alliance member airlines worldwide now offer a Status Match for elite SAS EuroBonus members. These members can apply for one of the thirteen airlines of Star Alliance, which are offering a status match by November 30, 2024. The airlines will match up for a trial offer in some cases and a full 12-month status in others.
What do you think of this alliance-wide response to the exit of SAS from Star Alliance?
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