Summary
- Exciting news for EuroBonus status holders as SAS joins SkyTeam Alliance, offering new benefits and reciprocal status.
- Silver members upgrade to SkyTeam Elite status, while Gold and Diamond members receive Elite Plus status with extra perks.
- Potential challenges for EuroBonus members losing Star Alliance benefits, including loss of some lounge access and connectivity.
Scandinavia’s SAS confirmed today that it will join the
SkyTeamAlliance on September 1st after leaving the
Star Allianceon August 31st. While this is a frankly impressive timeline, it has the potential to create positive and negative impacts for frequent flyers with
EuroBonus
status. Here’s how the changes will affect frequent fliers.
Related
BREAKING: SAS Officially Joins SkyTeam On September 1
SAS spent almost 30 years with Star Alliance, having been one of the founding members in May 1997.
Gaining new benefits
When
revealed its Star Alliance departure, it said that agreements had only been made with a selection of SkyTeam partners but wouldn’t divulge which. Today’s announcement is good news for potential travelers who would find use in traveling on SkyTeam member airlines.
Related
A Complete Guide To Elite Status In The SkyTeam Alliance
The program offers two tiers: Elite and Elite Plus.
Any EuroBonus member with earned status (i.e., not the default Blue) will have reciprocal status across the SkyTeam Alliance. This will have the most impact for Silver members who will now hold SkyTeam Elite status. Right now, outside of SAS, Silver members only get priority on waitlists and standby. Meanwhile, Gold and Diamond members will have Elite Plus status.
Please see the table below for a comparison of the different status levels with Star Alliance and with SkyTeam. Additional perks gained from joining SkyTeam have been bolded.
|
SAS Status |
Silver |
Gold & Platinum |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Alliance |
Star Alliance |
SkyTeam |
Star Alliance |
SkyTeam |
|
Waitlist priority |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Standby priority |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Priority check-in |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
Priority baggage handling |
Yes |
Yes |
||
|
Airport lounge access |
Yes |
Yes |
||
|
Priority boarding |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
Extra baggage |
Yes (10kg) |
Yes (20kg) |
Yes (20kg) |
|
|
Security fast track |
Yes |
Yes |
||
|
Seating choice priority |
Yes |
Yes |
||
|
Touchpoint recognition |
Yes |
|||
|
Transfer desk priority |
Yes |
|||
|
Guaranteed reservations |
Yes |
|||
Joining the SkyTeam alliance will also open the doors to a whole wealth of additional destinations through connectivity with other partners. The airline specifically highlights Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Additionally, members can collect and spend EuroBonus points with all of these new carriers.
Who are the losers?
Of course, opening one door means another is closing, and EuroBonus members will lose their reciprocal status with airlines in the Star Alliance. It is thought that a Star Alliance carrier might launch a status match to keep passengers in the alliance, but nothing has been announced.
Photo: Star Alliance
For most people, the changeover from Star Alliance to SkyTeam will likely have little effect, as most members will be loyal to the airline and not the alliance. If you were used to connecting through Frankfurt to fly to Cape Town on Lufthansa, it wouldn’t make much difference to most to make that connection instead in Paris and onto Air France.
The real losers are those who predominantly earn points on other Star Alliance carriers. A EuroBonus member based in Frankfurt would suddenly find many doors, including at the lounges, shut in their face. For them, flying SkyTeam to London, for example, would now mean a stop-off as none of the member carriers fly direct.
Photo: Star Alliance
Speaking about London, the switchover could also potentially prove problematic at airports where SAS flies from a Star Alliance stronghold, such as Terminal 2 at London Heathrow Airport. There is no SAS lounge in Terminal 2, as passengers are directed to other member airline lounges. There are also no SkyTeam lounges at the terminal.
While one would assume that SAS would eventually move to Terminal 3 or 4 to co-locate with other SkyTeam airlines, this may not be the quickest or most straightforward switchover. Another option for the airline is to remain at Terminal 2 and pay for access to another lounge, though this would also be detrimental to SAS flyers, as they would no longer have the choice of which lounge to visit.
What do you think of SAS’ switchover from Star Alliance to SkyTeam? Do you consider the move a positive or negative change? Let us know what you think and why in the comments below.
