Star Alliance Strikes Back at SAS Move to SkyTeam with Bold Status Match​ Offer

With Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) departing from the Star Alliance and joining the rival alliance SkyTeam this week, the airline may have taken tens of thousands of Star Alliance elite passengers with them. In response, Star Alliance is making a play to retain the carrier’s most frequent flyers with a status match offer from 13 member airlines, including heavyweights United, Lufthansa, and Turkish Airlines.

Photo: Courtesy of SAS

SAS formally joined SkyTeam on September 1, after core member Air France-KLM took a 19.9 percent stake in the carrier during its bankruptcy proceedings. Elite members of SAS’s EuroBonus loyalty program are now recognized as SkyTeam Elite and Elite Plus members, with perks including priority boarding, extra baggage, and lounge access across the alliance’s 19 other members.

However, those passengers have officially lost status with Star Alliance. That is unless they take up a status match offer from the alliance.

How it works?

Launching just hours after SAS’s departure, the promotion allows EuroBonus Silver, Gold, Diamond, or Pandion members to claim like-for-like status with one Star Alliance airline of their choosing.

In its promotional statement, Star Alliance emphasized its continued connectivity in Scandinavia. Eighteen of its airlines fly more than 3,650 direct flights to and from the region each month to 26 major hubs.

Photo: Air India, Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner in Star Alliance colors. Courtesy of Boeing

From those hubs, travelers can connect to more than 1,070 international destinations, more than any other airline alliance, the group said.

“Global travelers today seek unmatched network, access to more lounges, and benefits at more airports,” said Renato Ramos, Vice President of Strategy at Star Alliance. “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 promotion will run until November 30 this year.

According to Ramos, 13 of 25 Star Alliance members are offering status to SAS members:

• 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

However, the offers are all slightly different in duration, the status you’re assigned, and how you retain that status. So you’ll need to choose carefully.

For example, Eurobonus Silver members can’t match to Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles program or Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus. And Diamond and Pandion members are limited to Gold (or the equivalent) status with most airlines, with the exception of United Airlines and South African Airways.

Photo: Turkish Airlines. Courtesy of Samet Dayı / Unsplash

In addition to perks with their chosen airline, travelers will receive benefits from all Star Alliance members, such as lounge access with Gold status and above.

A full rundown of the status available to Eurobonus members follows: