How SAS’s Star Alliance Exit Changes Baggage Rules and Elite Benefits from September 2024
How SAS's Star Alliance Exit Changes Baggage Rules and Elite Benefits from September 2024 - Goodbye Star Alliance Benefits for SAS EuroBonus Members Starting September 2024
From September 2024, the advantages EuroBonus members enjoyed within the Star Alliance network are no more. This change cuts off EuroBonus members from the broad collection of Star Alliance airlines and the associated benefits. Airport lounge access, reciprocal frequent flyer perks, and seamless connections within Star Alliance are things of the past. Those who held elite EuroBonus status will find their recognition is no longer guaranteed when flying on former Star Alliance partner airlines. Baggage policies are also shifting, requiring members to get to grips with rules that might be distinct from the unified standards of the Star Alliance. The real-world impact of these adjustments on frequent flyers is still unfolding, but the Star Alliance experience for SAS EuroBonus customers is definitively over.
As of September of last year, travelers in the EuroBonus program saw a distinct shift in their perks due to SAS's departure from the Star Alliance. This transition means that the advantages previously tied to the Star Alliance are no longer available to EuroBonus members. This has implications ranging from reduced access to partner airlines and their associated route networks, to the loss of access to the extensive Star Alliance lounge infrastructure worldwide. For those with elite status, the change likely brought a decrease in the consistent recognition and service levels they had become accustomed to when flying on airlines within the Star Alliance group.
Baggage policies also shifted with this separation. EuroBonus members now operate under baggage rules specific to SAS, rather than the harmonized standards that were in place within Star Alliance. The precise details of these new baggage regulations, including allowances and fees, are important for members to understand as they navigate travel on SAS since the alliance exit. These policies are now determined by SAS independently and are no longer bound by the previous Star Alliance frameworks.
What else is in this post?
- How SAS's Star Alliance Exit Changes Baggage Rules and Elite Benefits from September 2024 - Goodbye Star Alliance Benefits for SAS EuroBonus Members Starting September 2024
- How SAS's Star Alliance Exit Changes Baggage Rules and Elite Benefits from September 2024 - New Baggage Rules When Flying SAS After Star Alliance Exit
- How SAS's Star Alliance Exit Changes Baggage Rules and Elite Benefits from September 2024 - What Happens to Star Alliance Gold Status Benefits on SAS Flights
- How SAS's Star Alliance Exit Changes Baggage Rules and Elite Benefits from September 2024 - United Airlines MileagePlus Members Lose SAS Earning Options
- How SAS's Star Alliance Exit Changes Baggage Rules and Elite Benefits from September 2024 - Changes to Airport Lounge Access for Star Alliance Members Flying SAS
- How SAS's Star Alliance Exit Changes Baggage Rules and Elite Benefits from September 2024 - SkyTeam Points Redemption Options for EuroBonus Members
How SAS's Star Alliance Exit Changes Baggage Rules and Elite Benefits from September 2024 - New Baggage Rules When Flying SAS After Star Alliance Exit
With SAS's move away from Star Alliance completed last September, the impact on baggage rules has become tangible for passengers. The baggage policies are now those of SkyTeam, or more accurately, SAS’s own application of SkyTeam standards. EuroBonus members accustomed to baggage benefits tied to their Star Alliance status will find these have largely disappeared on SAS operated flights. Although SkyTeam elite status can offer baggage perks, these may not mirror the previous Star Alliance advantages. Travelers now need to pay close attention to the fine print, as the simplicity of baggage benefits once expected within Star Alliance is certainly less evident when flying SAS since the alliance change.
How SAS's Star Alliance Exit Changes Baggage Rules and Elite Benefits from September 2024 - What Happens to Star Alliance Gold Status Benefits on SAS Flights
For those holding Star Alliance Gold status, flying SAS has seen some significant changes. The privileges once associated with this elite tier, such as priority check-in, extra baggage allowances, and access to airport lounges, are no longer automatically extended when flying on SAS. Since September of last year, if you are flying with SAS, that Star Alliance Gold card no longer unlocks the same benefits it once did.
This shift means travelers who previously relied on their Star Alliance Gold status for a smoother journey with SAS have had to adjust. The consistent perks that many frequent flyers came to expect, like priority boarding or perhaps a bit more luggage allowance, are now a thing of the past on SAS flights due to the airline’s changed alliance affiliation.
The transition to SkyTeam brings a new set of loyalty structures and benefits, but for those accustomed to the Star Alliance Gold experience, the immediate effect has been the removal of those familiar advantages when traveling on SAS. Passengers are now navigating a different landscape of travel benefits, and for many, there's been a feeling of uncertainty about how their elite status will be recognized and rewarded going forward with SAS. It’s now essential to stay updated on the evolving terms and conditions for travel benefits and baggage rules when flying SAS in this new era.
Following SAS's departure from Star Alliance last September, the advantages that Star Alliance Gold status once conferred on SAS flights have evaporated. Previously, a Star Alliance Gold card acted as a key to various perks when flying SAS. However, with SAS’s strategic shift, this is no longer the case. Those who hold Star Alliance Gold expecting familiar treatment on SAS flights will encounter a system where these benefits are simply not recognized anymore.
Consider the changes at airports. Priority boarding, once a standard perk for Star Alliance Gold members on SAS, is no longer automatically granted. Lounge access now operates under a different logic as well. The extensive Star Alliance lounge network, previously accessible to Gold members flying SAS, is now essentially off-limits when flying on SAS itself with that Star Alliance status. Mileage accrual, too, has shifted. The straightforward system for earning miles on SAS flights within the Star Alliance framework has been replaced, requiring a re-evaluation of how one accumulates and utilizes frequent flyer currency when choosing SAS. The practical upshot is that the value proposition of Star Alliance Gold status, at least when flying with SAS, has been fundamentally altered, necessitating a recalibration of expectations for even seasoned travelers.
How SAS's Star Alliance Exit Changes Baggage Rules and Elite Benefits from September 2024 - United Airlines MileagePlus Members Lose SAS Earning Options
Following SAS's departure from Star Alliance last year, a key perk for United MileagePlus members vanished: the ability to earn miles on SAS flights. Effective late August 2024, every SAS flight taken by a MileagePlus member became essentially a mileage-free experience. This is particularly disappointing for those who strategically used SAS flights to bolster their MileagePlus accounts or to achieve Premier status levels. Beyond mileage earning, the expected reciprocal elite benefits, which MileagePlus elites had grown accustomed to on Star Alliance partners like SAS, are also now gone. This transition, driven by SAS joining SkyTeam, has undeniably diminished the value proposition for United loyalists who previously saw SAS as a convenient and rewarding option within the Star Alliance network. The shift underscores the ever-changing dynamics of airline alliances and the sometimes-unpredictable nature of loyalty programs.
Following SAS's departure from the Star Alliance last September, a significant change has materialized for United MileagePlus members. The straightforward method of accumulating MileagePlus miles on flights operated by Scandinavian Airlines has been discontinued. For those frequently using SAS, this represents a considerable adjustment, as their SAS flights will no longer contribute to their MileagePlus balances, impacting their ability to accrue rewards and advance their loyalty status within the United program.
Beyond just mileage accumulation, the exit of SAS from Star Alliance influences the travel experience in broader ways for these MileagePlus members. Baggage regulations have been reshaped. The previously standardized baggage allowances and priority handling that were often linked to alliance partnerships are no longer guaranteed for MileagePlus members when flying SAS. As SAS aligns itself outside of Star Alliance, the consistent benefits like lounge entry or potential upgrades, which MileagePlus members may have anticipated when choosing SAS flights, are now also subject to a different set of rules. This shift essentially means a recalibration of expectations is necessary for United frequent flyers who previously found value in SAS within the Star Alliance network. The practical convenience once offered through this partnership is now less predictable and potentially diminished.
How SAS's Star Alliance Exit Changes Baggage Rules and Elite Benefits from September 2024 - Changes to Airport Lounge Access for Star Alliance Members Flying SAS
With SAS officially out of the Star Alliance for several months now, the promised changes to airport lounge access for EuroBonus members are fully in effect. Since last September, the straightforward lounge access EuroBonus members once had via Star Alliance when flying SAS has vanished. Now, these travelers are finding themselves navigating a new reality where entry to lounges isn't quite as seamless as it once was. This shift also impacts the broader set of Star Alliance elite perks that used to simplify the journey, like priority boarding and smoother baggage handling when flying SAS. Instead of the familiar Star Alliance lounge network, SAS is pointing its frequent flyers toward SkyTeam-affiliated lounges, which might not have the same reach or convenience that many travelers were accustomed to. As travelers adjust to these changes, the overall feeling might be one of diminished value compared to the more predictable benefits of the Star Alliance era.
How SAS's Star Alliance Exit Changes Baggage Rules and Elite Benefits from September 2024 - SkyTeam Points Redemption Options for EuroBonus Members
As of last September, when SAS completed its move to SkyTeam, EuroBonus members found themselves with a new landscape for using their points. The shift to SkyTeam means that the points you've accumulated in EuroBonus can now be used across the SkyTeam alliance airlines. This opens up options to fly to different places using your points, tapping into SkyTeam's network.
However, it’s not simply a straightforward gain. SAS has introduced a new award chart for SkyTeam redemptions. While this new chart does include possibilities for booking Premium Economy seats with points, travelers should be aware that there have also been some increases in the points needed for certain routes and potentially new fees involved. So, while the destinations accessible via points might have broadened, the cost in points to reach those destinations might have also changed. EuroBonus members need to examine these new redemption options closely to really gauge the value and understand how these changes affect their travel plans.
Following SAS's move to SkyTeam that took place last September, EuroBonus members now operate within a different loyalty landscape regarding their points. The switch from Star Alliance to SkyTeam brings with it a new set of possibilities for point redemption, impacting how members can utilize their accrued EuroBonus points for travel. This shift presents both opportunities and considerations for those accustomed to the previous Star Alliance framework.
One notable change is the ability to redeem EuroBonus points across the SkyTeam network of airlines. This includes access to carriers like Delta, Air France, and KLM, which significantly broadens the geographic reach for point redemption compared to the prior Star Alliance partnerships. Destinations in regions perhaps less easily accessible via Star Alliance routes may now be