How To Match To Get Oneworld Sapphire And Lounge Access Quickly

Last March, I wrote how airberlin was offering status matches from various airlines to their own entry and mid-level status. As reported by Head for Points, they are doing that again this year and have a webpage you can actually go to this time to see the details and offer.

How To Match To Get Oneworld Sapphire And Lounge Access Quickly

I did this last year and it took all of 7 hours to go from oneworld nothing to oneworld Sapphire – which offered me priority access on oneworld airlines (like American Airlines) as well as lounge access when traveling on those same airlines. That equates to having lounge access in American Airline lounges when traveling domestically with AA. That is something that AA’s own elite members do not receive!

This Gold status could be yours when you match from a similar level in another program!

Getting Matched

Here is how you go about doing it and it is very simple:

• Register for the topbonus program (if you are not already enrolled)
• Email them at statusmatch@topbonus.de and provide the following information:
  • Your topbonus number
  • A legible scan/photo/copy of your other valid frequent flyer card
• Your application will be reviewed and processed them (again, it took me only 7 hours to get a positive response last year)

I had used my Alaska Airlines MVP Gold 75K to match and received their mid-level Gold status. Like before, their top tier of Platinum is not on the table for this status match. If you hold mid-level status (like Gold or above with United or Delta or MVP Gold or above with Alaska), you can match to airberlin and should get their Gold which will grant you oneworld Sapphire and all the privileges that go with it. Getting matched from an entry level to their entry level will not get you the lounge access.

They do say this on their status match page – “This offer is only available in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and USA. A Status Match with anotheroneworld^® airline is not possible.” That means that using your AA status to match to them will not work.

Not only will you have oneworld elite status through this match but since airberlin is a part of the Etihad partnership program, it will also give you special elite access when traveling on Etihad. You can read more about that here. Also, check out the terms page for details like the once per account for status matches.

Status matches are great and can really give you a chance to sample what various programs have to offer. In the case of foreign programs, it is even nicer since you can typically have alliance lounge access even when traveling in the US. If lounge access is important to you, this status match to airberlin Gold could just be what you are looking for!