SkyTeam status match now extended to 25 airlines including British Airways

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Last week we covered how you can get status in the SkyTeam airline alliance by matching your British Airways Executive Club status.

This is due to the launch of ITA Airways, the replacement airline for the bankrupt Alitalia, and its new frequent flyer programme Volare.

If you are successfully matched, your new SkyTeam status will begin on 1st January and run for the whole of 2022.

The match has now been extended. There are now 25 airlines who are accepted for the status match, up from the previous 11.

Match your British Airways to SkyTeam with ITA

Which 25 airlines are now being matched?

ITA is obviously very happy with how the match is going, because it has now been extended to 25 airlines.

Even if you don’t have BA status you may still qualify. You can also apply if you have status with:

Aeroflot
Aerolíneas Argentinas
Air Europa
Alitalia
Air France/KLM
American Airlines
ANA
Czech Airlines
Delta Airlines
EL Al
Emirates
Iberia
Korean Air
Lufthansa
Middle East Airlines
Qatar Airlines
Royal Jordanian
Saudia
Singapore Airlines
SWISS
TAP
Tarom
Turkish Airways
United Airlines

Which airlines are in SkyTeam?

If you match your British Airways or other status to ITA Airways, your status will get you benefits with the following members of the SkyTeam airline alliance:

Aeroflot
Aerolineas Argentinas
AeroMexico
Air Europa
Air France
China Airlines
China Eastern
Czech Airlines
Delta
Garuda Indonesia
ITA Airways
Kenya Airways
KLM
Korean Air
MEA
Saudia
TAROM
Vietnam Airlines
Xiamen Air

How does the ITA status match work?

Full details are here. The match process itself is easy, but you won’t get your status immediately.

ITA’s frequent flyer programme will be called Volare. The details are here. However:

the programme does not launch until 1st January 2022

you cannot redeem points until 1st March 2022

You can earn points immediately if you fly with Volare – in fact, there is a 10,000 points bonus available if you register by 15th November and complete two one-way flights or one return flight on Volare by 31st December. These points will not be credited until the programme launches on 1st January.

What does this mean for the timing of the status match?

The status match application process runs until 30th November 2021.

You will contacted by 31st December 2021 with information on whether your match has been successful.

If it has, your status will run from 1st January 2022 until 31st December 2022.

How I do apply for the ITA status match?

You can apply for your match here.

It will literally take you 1 minute to do. Once you’ve registered for Volare, all it wants you to email is a copy of your British Airways Executive Club status card (an online version is accepted) and a copy of your passport.

There is no requirement to send information on your flight history or to book any flights with ITA Airways.

Will I get SkyTeam benefits from 1st January 2022?

It seems so, yes.

The SkyTeam announcement implied that ITA Airways had joined immediately. It normally takes at least a year for a new airline to join an alliance after applying for membership, but as ITA Airways is basically still Alitalia, I assume the necessary IT was already in place.

That said, it’s worth noting that the SkyTeam website still features Alitalia’s logo and has no word about ITA.

The only other question is whether your status is active on 1st January or if you will have to wait until 1st March 2022 when the Volare programme will start allowing redemptions. I am guessing 1st January is the key date.

Will you get lounge access if you match from BA Silver?

Yes, but there are quirks.

British Airways Silver is being matched to ‘Premium’ in Volare. This does include lounge access but ONLY for the cardholder when flying with ITA.

British Airways Gold is being matched to ‘Executive’ which is the top tier. This gives you lounge access WITH a guest.

However, in terms of SkyTeam access, I don’t think they can discriminate. Normal lounge rules would apply when flying with any other airline in the alliance which means that you would get a guest.

Conclusion

You have nothing to lose by requesting a status match from your British Airways Executive Club account to ITA Airways and its new Volare programme.

Elite members of 24 other schemes can also now jump in.

At the very worst, you might be able to use it to match back to another oneworld or Star Alliance programme later in 2022 if your British Airways status slips.

Full details of the status match, and how to apply, are on the ITA website here.

Category

Air France KLM and Flying Blue, American Airlines and AAdvantage, British Airways and Avios, Emirates and Emirates Skywards, Iberia and Iberia Plus, Lufthansa and Miles & More, Qatar Airways and Privilege Club, SkyTeam alliance partners, United Airlines and MileagePlus

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

John says:

9 Nov9 November 05:49

Bit of a silly question here – does anyone know how to obtain their new Volare number?
I signed up for the programme and was successfully status matched… but I honestly can’t find my new number in any of the emails they sent me. When I log into the website… not much seems to happen. It says “welcome…” but there doesn’t appear to be a link to “my profile” or anything. I’m sure I must be missing something obvious…
- Ian M says:
  
  9 Nov9 November 06:01
  
  I’ve been wondering the same thing. It seems our Volare number is top secret
  - Save East Coast Rewards says:
    
    9 Nov9 November 18:02
    
    I don’t think there is a Volare number as of yet. The programme seems to have been put together in a rush. The EU wouldn’t let ITA take over the Alitalia MilleMiglia programme and although they seem to have inherited all the Alitalia IT for bookings and other systems when you go to do anything with Volare it takes you to a different website
southlondonphil says:

9 Nov9 November 06:04

From what I have read on FT there isn’t one…yet. When they say that the Voltaire programme goes live on 1st January they appear to mean exactly that, with FFNs not being notified until after they switch the system on!
Advice seems to be to save the welcome email as your sole proof of membership until your membership number is assigned and notified to you at some future date.
- John says:
  
  9 Nov9 November 07:20
  
  Thanks for this!
  - roberto says:
    
    9 Nov9 November 07:47
    
    Download the app.
    It offers a little more information but presumably more will be made available. I have executive level from BA gold and flying Air France next week but currently its of no benefit atm
southlondonphil says:

9 Nov9 November 06:06

Volare, not Voltaire! Grrr, Autofill!
Cheshire Pete says:

9 Nov9 November 06:14

It’s coincidence ‘mymiglia’ sent a marketing email yesterday introducing a new partner! Even though at the bottom it stated the current edition is due to end 31st Dec unless extended.

However, what got me thinking based on the above queries about missing membership number, is if you’re already in the current program do we forget this membership number and do the status match as if a new member, or are they transferring existing members to the new program!?
- Save East Coast Rewards says:
  
  9 Nov9 November 18:05
  
  You need to status match Alitalia to Volare as the EU did not allow ITA to take over MilleMiglia. They would love to transfer existing members over (it would create a better impression) but they’re not allowed to
SM says:

9 Nov9 November 07:24

I assume no point in applying if I only have BA bronze?
- David says:
  
  9 Nov9 November 09:29
  
  I am bronze and am now matched to Plus
  We are pleased to inform you that your request for a Status Match to the ITA Airways Volare loyalty program has been accepted and you have now joined the Club as a Plus Member.
  Whatever that means…
  - AndyC says:
    
    9 Nov9 November 09:38
    
    +1
vlcnc says:

9 Nov9 November 07:24

I don’t know if others have tried this but when I registered yesterday there was a form to request status match and upload images of your i.d. and a digital copy of your frequent flyer card, rather than sending an email. This creates a support ticket which you can then check on through support tab when you login to the Volare program via the link you’ll get in an email asking you tp complete your registration.
Paul says:

9 Nov9 November 07:41

Does the TAP Star alliance status match still work ? I looked at the site to see if it was still on and it seems so. Has anyone tried recently?
Iain says:

9 Nov9 November 07:52

I’m BA Blue atm but will be silver come renewal date in early March ’22. Will I be status matched on my current blue and will it then be upgraded when I’m at silver level?
TIA
- vlcnc says:
  
  9 Nov9 November 07:54
  
  No, you won’t be matched – from the t&c’s it says status matching only applies to ‘exclusive levels’ which I think we can take to mean premium tiers of programmes only.
  - QFFlyer says:
    
    9 Nov9 November 11:48
    
    Well, in theory he’ll be matched instantly on signup, to the corresponding base level.