Just days after Scandinavian Airlines exited its 27-year membership with Star Alliance, Star Alliance unveiled a lucrative status match offer specifically targeting elite SAS travellers in an effort to retain their loyalty.
Until November 30, 2024, SAS EuroBonus Elite members can request a status match to one of 13 participating Star Alliance member airlines. Here’s what you need to know.
Star Alliance Launches Status Match for SAS EuroBonus Elite Members
It doesn’t look like Star Alliance is willing to let EuroBonus Elite members with Scandinavian Airlines go quietly.
On September 1, 2024, Scandinavian Airlines officially ended its nearly three-decade-long relationship with Star Alliance and joined SkyTeam.
Just a day later, Star Alliance launched a lucrative status match promotion targeting SAS EuroBonus Elite members.
Until November 30, 2024, SAS travellers with EuroBonus Elite status tiers can request the equivalent status in a frequent-flyer program with any of the following participating Star Alliance member carriers:
- 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
It’s worth noting that each airline has its own requirements for maintaining status. The details for each can be found by clicking the links above, or by heading to the Star Alliance landing page for the status match.
In unveiling the new promotion, Vice President of Strategy at Star Alliance, Renato Ramos, says “Global travellers today seek an unmatched network, access to more lounges, and benefits at more airports. With its 25 world-class member airlines, only Star Alliance is best positioned to deliver these advantages to frequent flyers in the Nordic countries.”
The offer is quite compelling for customers in Northern Europe looking for seamless connectivity and unmatched loyalty benefits offered by Star Alliance.
Member airlines of Star Alliance operate more than 3,650 flights per month to Scandinavia from 26 hubs worldwide, offering customers connections to more than 1,070 international destinations — the most by any airline alliance.
How to Apply for an SAS EuroBonus Star Alliance Status Match
Star Alliance has made the status match application process pretty simple, setting up a dedicated webpage where it tells SAS EuroBonus members they can “make their move in just 60 seconds”.
This status match promotion is powered by StatusMatch.com in collaboration with Star Alliance and the participating member airlines.
Eligible SAS EuroBonus members can only status match into one Star Alliance member airline and once the application has been submitted, it can’t be changed.
In order to be eligible for the status match, your status with SAS must have been earned through flying or other program activity. In other words, if you obtained SAS EuroBonus status through a status match, you’re not eligible for this promotion.
Because each airline in the Star Alliance has different rules and terms, it’s recommended you review the rules carefully before making your choice to apply. Fortunately, this status match opportunity is free of charge for eligible members.
As is usually the case with status matches, you’ll need to submit a handful of information, including your frequent flyer number for the airline into which you’d like to match, your email address, proof of SAS EuroBonus status, and possibly proof of identification.
If your status match request is successful, you’ll then enjoy the corresponding status with a Star Alliance member airline through to the end of the expiration period, which is different for each airline.
For example, if you request a status match from EuroBonus Gold to Air Canada Aeroplan, you’ll enjoy Aeroplan 50K status through to December 31, 2025 without any additional flying requirements.
Meanwhile, if you were to request a status match from EuroBonus Gold to United MileagePlus, you’d enjoy United Premier Gold status for a 120-day trial period. If you’d like to extend your status through to January 31, 2026, you’d need to complete the following:
- Fly 8 PQF and earn 2,600 PQP on flights operated by United or United Express
If you’re eligible for this promotion, be sure to read through the various requirements for different airline status programs into which you can match, since there are different requirements for each.
Conclusion
Star Alliance has launched a status match campaign targeting SAS EuroBonus Elite members, shortly after Scandinavian Airlines left Star Alliance and joined SkyTeam on September 1, 2024.
Until November 30, 2024, SAS EuroBonus Elite members can request the equivalent status in a frequent-flyer programme with 13 participating Star Alliance member carriers including Air Canada and United.
Members can only status match into one Star Alliance member airline and can apply easily on a dedicated webpage.
