It’s back: Get SkyTeam elite status (19 airlines) by matching your British Airways status

ITA Airways, the ‘replacement’ carrier for Alitalia, has brought back the elite status match that it first ran last October.

This allows you, for free, to get elite status across the entire SkyTeam alliance – including Delta, Air France and KLM – by matching your British Airways status.

Even if you never plan to fly with SkyTeam, doing the match could even help extend your elite benefits with British Airways if another oneworld airline was willing to match your ITA status.

The offer runs to 15th April and you can apply here. Your new status will last until 15th April 2023, if I understand the wording correctly, although it is a little vague.

I did the match last year when it ran. I’m looking forward to checking out KLM’s Crown Lounge in Amsterdam later this month on a flight to London, using my SkyTeam Elite Plus status.

Which 24 airlines are being matched?

It isn’t just British Airways status that is being matched. ITA is accepting applications from 24 airlines:

• 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

The absence of Virgin Atlantic is annoying, but of course it does not fly to Italy.

Some of the above airlines, such as KLM and Delta, are already members of SkyTeam. This is a little odd as airlines usually avoid poaching from their alliance partners.

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 (if it returns)
• 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 I do apply for the ITA status match?

You can apply for your match here.

Enter five random numbers where it asks for your postcode.

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.

ITA has an app which shows a ‘virtual’ membership card, which can also be exported to your mobile wallet. You don’t need to wait for anything to arrive in the post (if it ever will – I have never received anything).

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

Yes.

British Airways Silver is being matched to ‘Premium’ in Volare. British Airways Gold is being matched to ‘Executive’ which is the top tier.

Both ‘Premium’ and ‘Executive’ are ‘Elite Plus’ when it comes to SkyTeam alliance-wide status, which gets you lounge access with a guest at SkyTeam operated lounges.

Looking at the rules, which are complex, it seems that you do not get a guest at third party lounges. This would include the Plaza Premium lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2 which is currently being used by ITA.

There are reports of some lounges not accepting ITA status yet, so be warned. I will report back after my Amsterdam trip.

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 jump in.

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

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