There are three major global airline alliances oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance and each offers some level of reciprocal elite recognition. In separate posts, I’ve written about oneworld Emerald status, oneworld Sapphire status, and Star Alliance Gold status.
Continue reading: What Are The Benefits Of SkyTeam Elite Plus Status, And Is It Worth It?
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Elite Plus is worth it; Elite (standard), not as much. Booking base fares in Economy, getting free seat selection, checked bags, lounge access, and early boarding, is the sweet spot with Elite Plus. I've done this with AF/KL using Delta frequent flyer details, and it's worked out really well.
That's just silly. SkyTeam Elite Plus, Star Alliance Gold, and oneworld Emerald are the sweet spots in status across all the applicable airlines.
Did I miss it or did you not mention how to get Elite Plus status from Delta (or their partners)?
- Offering the additional baggage benefit on ALL fares of ALL airlines is only done by Skyteam and it's hugely valuable for short haul travel where checking a bag in can be as much as the cost of the cheapest ticket. This, together with business class check in, is also why Skyteam Elite is the best entry level status out there.
- On the other hand, the lounge access benefit is weaker than it seems as SkyTeam is the only alliance which has two airlines which operate no lounges of their own, plus all ST members in the Americas are naughty when it comes to outstation lounge access through not having contracts (e.g. AM at CUN), not allowing status holders to use contract lounges (DL, something that's also been copied by VS) and in one case offering no access to a Skyteam-branded lounge (AR at GRU).
SkyTeam would be my choice if I were to move away from LX/LH. They have lots of flights from YUL. I received a status match offer... gold for 300$ and platinum for 500$.
Earn Delta Gold or higher. 10K MQDs. Or, shortcut, hold four premium Amex Delta cards (like personal and business Platinum and Reserve, 2,500 MQD Headstart each), and don’t have to fly a single flight via that method, just pay like $2K in AFs.
It surely is worth it but it's silly you don't get domestic lounge access with Delta SkyTeam Elite Plus. With Delta SE+, you need Amex Plat (which has nothing to do with SE+ at all) or flying International Premium Economy for Delta SkyClub. With AF/SK/KE lounges in a domestic itinerary, they are available for any SE+ other than Delta and Argentina.
That is to say, in terms of lounge access, Delta SE+ is another step down to a typical SE+.
Flying Blue has a nice extra. If you remain Platinum for a consecutive 10 years in a row, you get Platinum-for-life status.
No need to requalify anymore, you are done. You will stay platinum and enjoy all benfits for as long as you live. I am not sure other programs have this.
What I would say in general, SE+ is good to have but assuming if you can only get two statuses, I would prioritize getting *G and OWS/OWE first before considering SE+.
In terms of entry level, I would argue SE is the best of the three due to the checked bag allowance is more generous than *S and OWR due to it's being enforced well and was provided as "an extra" checked bag other than the max of 1.
If you need to get SE+ and you don't fly Delta that much so that C+ doesn't matter as much to you (and assuming Gold is all you can get so that you can barely score a comp domestic F), do not go with Delta due to their poor treatment to their own elites but rather sell out to American Express Credit Card scheme.
Oh my god, thank you for explaining what "for life" means. Not once, but twice.
I was super confused what it meant. I thought you had to re-qualify every year. And thank you for your expert advice, there's literally not one. single. program. out there offering this.
As an Ultimate Plat myself, I think it's great people with low incomes can get Platinum on FB. It's really for povery-ridden people, but it's nice they, too, can get recognition.
Woah, had no idea about this. Thank you, JdV for mentioning. May have to ditch Delta and start crediting my SkyTeam flights to FB.
Rio, unfortunately, none of the big-3 US airlines gives domestic lounge access merely for flying economy domestic short-haul. DL, AA, UA, none of them. United is especially stingy as they do not provide premium lounge access for their premium transcon routes (like, no Polaris for EWR-LAX/SFO/HNL, etc.), whereas, at least DL provides DeltaOne for JFK-LAX/SFO, and AA provides Flagship/Soho/Chelsea for JFK-LAX/SFO.
For FlyingBlue, it makes sense to include lounge access for KLM, for instance, which has no 'domestic' flights within the Netherlands; like, every flight from AMS is to another country, unless you consider their Caribbean territories to be 'domestic,' yet, they would be long-haul already anyway.
@Jay,
Qantas Frequent Flyer (QF) allows *ALL* tiers (Silver, Gold, Platinum, Platinum 1) of its program to obtain Lifetime status, based purely on accrual of status credits. Status credits earned on other oneworld partners count, as well as those earned by flying Jetstar. Earning 7,000 SC's will see you obtain Silver Lifetime, 14,000 SC's get you to Lifetime Gold etc.
Due to the competitive nature of the market, Virgin Australia also has a similar Lifetime program, also based on Status Credit accrual.
I was travelling with SV on a domestic flight ex RUH and was denied entry to the T5 lounge. The staff insisted that entry is only for international connections. A supervisor came over also unaware of the recent changes to SkyTeam domestic lounges access. He took photos of the SkyTeam press release and the document listing that particular SV lounge and let me in. I am really surprised they haven't been briefed 3 months into the change.
UA Star Alliance has had that for years. Even if you are retired, they let you keep it.
It depends where you fly.
Saudia's Elite status already gets you lounge access, as well as the standard extra piece of luggage.
Several SkyTeam airlines have fares with two pieces, so SkyTeam Elite gets you three, which isn't possible with Oneworld.
I recently attained Elite Plus status which was very welcome for lounge access on other airlines albeit redundant on Saudia itself (it does get you access to their first class lounges which is better than not having it, but not essential.)
I don't fly in the US, so the considerations about Delta are irrelevant for me.
Worth noting e.g. that Saudia Elite Plus status gets you into the Air France LHR lounge on KLM and AF flights to Europe - this lounge is gatekept by operating airline, not FF card