A brand new standing match alternative presents SkyPriority advantages on SkyTeam alliance flights like these operated by Delta Air Strains, and, in a novel twist, you may even match your expired standing.
Italy-based service ITA Airways, which took over operations from former Italian nationwide service Alitalia, is providing a standing match to elite standing members on two dozen airways, together with American Airways.
You’ve got till Aug. 19 to submit a request for ITA Airways to acknowledge the identical elite standing in its Volare frequent flyer program that you simply get pleasure from on one other eligible airline. Processing occasions can take as much as 60 days.
What’s Ita Airways?
ITA Airways is owned by the Italian authorities and is predicated in Rome. It started service after changing Alitalia, which had been in chapter since 2017 and was later nationalized by the Italian authorities early within the COVID-19 pandemic.
The airline is a member of the SkyTeam alliance, and it introduced codeshare agreements with a number of main worldwide airways, together with Delta Air Strains and Air France-KLM.
ITA Airways operates direct flights between Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO) and Boston Logan Worldwide Airport (BOS), Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX), San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO), Dulles Worldwide Airport (IAD), Miami Worldwide Airport (MIA) and New York’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK). It additionally has an intensive short-haul community throughout Europe.
Associated: A overview of ITA Airways enterprise class on the A330neo from Rome
What’s ITA Airways’ standing match?
ITA Airways has invited elite standing members of 19 different airways to use for a standing match in its frequent flyer program, Volare. The eligibility applies to elite-status members of SkyTeam and non-SkyTeam companions, together with packages well-liked within the U.S. like American AAdvantage, British Airways Govt Membership and Emirates Skywards. You may view the total listing of eligible packages right here.
This standing match promotion requires elite members to first join Volare membership and full a standing match request type, which entails importing proof of their standing on one other airline. You’ll not be eligible for this standing match in case you have beforehand requested a Volare standing match, as this system has supplied standing matches up to now.
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What makes this standing match much more beneficiant is that when you would usually want to carry present elite standing to be thought-about for a match to a different program, ITA’s Volare program will match expired statuses supplied they expired no sooner than January 2023.
So even when your elite standing expired 18 months in the past, you may nonetheless match that standing to ITA Volare.
If accredited, the standing can be legitimate via Dec. 31, 2025, and matched members will obtain 10,000 Volare standing qualifying factors towards renewing or upgrading their standing past that date.
Associated: Present airline elite standing match and problem choices
ITA’s elite ranges
ITA has 4 ranges inside its Volare frequent flyer program, though the preliminary Membership Good is simply entry-level (the place all people begins after they be part of). The Membership Plus stage is the place SkyPriority advantages via SkyTeam start to kick in. Members of Membership Plus get precedence boarding and baggage supply, extra baggage allowance and check-in privileges at airport business-class counters.
Above Membership Plus is Membership Premium, after which Membership Govt, the place lounge entry is available in. Every of those two ranges is SkyTeam Elite Plus.
Relying in your standing with an eligible program, ITA will match as much as top-tier Membership Govt standing within the Volare program; for instance, for American Airways AAdvantage Platinum Professional, Govt Platinum and Concierge Key elite members.
SkyTeam elite standing advantages
An enormous purpose this standing match initiative can be intriguing for patrons of different airways, particularly within the U.S., is the chance to make use of the standing match at ITA Airways to realize SkyTeam elite standing. As a reminder, SkyTeam has two standing ranges: SkyTeam Elite and SkyTeam Elite Plus.
Associated: Greatest web sites for looking SkyTeam award availability
SkyTeam’s web site says that after a flyer earns elite standing in a single member airline’s program, you turn into a SkyTeam Elite member, acknowledged throughout all 20 carriers within the alliance. That makes this initiative a novel alternative for elite members of different airways’ frequent flyer packages to realize elite advantages when flying on SkyTeam flights, together with Delta.
SkyTeam Elite Plus standing (Volare Membership Premium and Membership Govt) presents the next perks:
- Assured full-fare Y-class reservation on sold-out long-haul flights no less than 24 hours earlier than departure
- Entry to airport lounges worldwide, regardless of the class of journey, for members with a boarding move, plus a visitor
- Precedence baggage dealing with on arrival, regardless of the class of journey
- Additional baggage allowance
ITA Airways operates its lounges in Rome and Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP). Moreover, ITA’s web site specifies the airport lounges that its members can entry, together with a number of Delta and Air France lounges within the U.S. and Europe. Typically, SkyTeam first-class, business-class and Elite Plus members touring internationally have lounge entry in the event that they’re flying with an airline member of the alliance.
Lufthansa Group is ready to accumulate ITA Airways later this 12 months. The airline will be part of Lufthansa’s Miles & Extra loyalty program and, per the information launch, transition from SkyTeam to Star Alliance. With the standing match legitimate till December 2025, it is unknown right now if the SkyTeam standing can be transformed to Star Alliance elite standing.
Backside line
It is a very beneficiant standing match provide from ITA Airways, although the listing of packages you may match from excludes some heavy hitters like Delta SkyMiles and United MileagePlus.
A standing match lasting round 18 months, together with matching statuses that expired any time after Dec. 31, 2022, is a good alternative for elite standing in a SkyTeam program with little effort required.
This standing match alternative is offered via Aug. 19 solely, so do not delay if you wish to make the most of it.
