If you already have earned elite level status on another airline, you may qualify to have that status matched to either Silver or Gold elite level status in the top bonus frequent flier loyalty program for elite level status match offered by airberlin, which apparently has been in effect and ongoing all year long, according to this discussion launched back on Sunday, January 3, 2016 by InsideFlyer member satman40 — but there are restrictions about which you should know.

Qualification For This Promotion

To qualify for this promotion and receive an upgrade to Gold elite level status, you must:

1. Register as a member of the topbonus frequent flier loyalty program before requesting a match to your current elite status level with another airline
2. Send an e-mail message to [email protected] to request your elite level status match
3. Attach a legible scan, photograph or copy of the membership card of the current valid frequent flier loyalty program for which you are requesting an elite level status match — as well as your topbonus membership number

If you meet all of the required qualifications, you will be awarded the corresponding elite level status with topbonus for a probationary period of twelve months — with the exception of Platinum elite level status, which is equivalent to Emerald elite level status in the oneworld alliance. Once you achieve the required number of elite qualification miles or flights in proportion within this probationary period, you will be awarded elite level status for another year if you collect within twelve months:

• 25,000 elite qualification miles or 24 flights and you will be awarded Silver elite level status, which is equivalent to Ruby elite level status in the oneworld alliance
• 50,000 elite qualification miles or 24 flights and you will be awarded Gold elite level status, which is equivalent to Sapphire elite level status in the oneworld alliance

A match to elite level status in the topbonus frequent flier loyalty program:

• Is not possible from another airline which is a member of the oneworld alliance
• May only be applied once and once only for the same elite level status
• Is valid only for select frequent flier loyalty programs of other airlines
• Is only available in the following seven countries:
  • Germany
  • Austria
  • Switzerland
  • Sweden
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • Norway
  • United States — and if you reside in the United States, you must provide a booking confirmation of a roundtrip ticket which includes the booking number of a long haul flight operated only by airberlin between the United States and Europe in 2016

Other terms and conditions apply.

Summary

If you are a member of a frequent flier loyalty program who has already earned elite level status on an airline which is not a member of the oneworld alliance and you want to instantly earn oneworld Sapphire elite level status, this is a good way of doing so…

…but keep in mind that — despite multiple financial bailouts from Etihad Airways, which holds a stake of 29 percent of the airline — airberlin has had its troubles lately: “Air Berlin is to slash its operating fleet and devote 40 aircraft to operating services for the rival Lufthansa Group, in a significant restructuring that will cost more than 10 per cent of the jobs at Germany’s second-biggest airline”, according to this article written by Robert Wright of Financial Times. “The announcement comes after a long period of mounting losses for Air Berlin, which has struggled to bring down its costs to compete against Ryanair, easyJet and Lufthansa’s Eurowings low-cost operation.”

That is not to say that airberlin will cease operations in the near future; but the airline lost 271 million euros on a turnover of 1.71 billion euros during the first half of 2016 — so perhaps thinking short term will keep expectations in perspective instead of viewing this as an opportunity for the long term.

This elite level status match offer has no expiration date; but that does not mean that it cannot be revoked at any time…

…and — as already has been inferred — nothing lasts forever.

Source: airberlin.