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Lufthansa Miles&More Status Match: Oneworld-Star Alliance Status
There is a fantastic new status match offer to Miles & More, the frequent flyer programme of the Lufthansa Group, for BA, Iberia, and ITA status holders. If you’re considering switching to Star Alliance, or you would like status with more than one alliance, it’s well worth a look.
Frequent Traveller (Star Alliance Silver)
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BA Bronze / Silver
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Iberia Plata / Oro
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ITA Club Plus
Senator (Star Alliance Gold)
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BA Gold
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Iberia Platino Prime
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ITA Club Premium
To apply, visit statusmatch.com. As with most status matches, there is now a €99 fee (free if matching from ITA). Matched status is valid until 28th February 2027, which is excellent for a status match.
Depending on the tier you currently hold, you will be matched to either Frequent Traveller or Senator, which come with a range of benefits:
The Miles & More loyalty programme covers a range of airlines such as Lufthansa, SWISS, and Austrian, which makes status especially valuable, not to mention it also gives you Star Alliance status.
You will need an active Miles & More account, proof of your existing status, and, in some cases, identity verification. Applications are typically processed within a few days, and status updates appear shortly after approval.
If you would like Star Alliance status without requalifying from scratch, this is as straightforward as it gets. However, to requalify, at least 50% of your points must be earned with Miles&More airlines.
It’s worth applying sooner rather than later. You never know when matches like these will become unavailable.
If you’re looking to match from Oneworld-SkyTeam, the Flying Blue status match is still ongoing, too.
Match to Miles & More here >>>
HSBC Premier 25% BA Avios Transfer Bonus
If you hold an HSBC Premier credit card, here’s a great offer. You can earn a 25% bonus when transferring HSBC Reward Points to BA Avios, with the bonus added automatically when you transfer as usual.
The minimum transfer is 100 points, and the offer runs until 28th February 2026, applying to all eligible transfers made by then.
You must be the primary cardholder of an HSBC Premier Credit Card or HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard, have a BA account in the same name, and be registered for mobile or online banking. Your base Avios will usually arrive instantly, although HSBC states it may take up to 2 days; the 25% bonus Avios will be added separately within 14 days.
Keep in mind, this only applies to transfers sent to BA and not the Qatar Privilege Club, though you could opt to transfer onwards to Qatar once the Avios are in your BA account.
The HSBC credit cards are a great Avios-earning option if you qualify. The free HSBC Premier Mastercard earns 1 point per £1 in the UK (2 per £1 on non-sterling spend), while the £290 HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard earns 3 points per £1 in the UK and 4 points on non-sterling spend.
HSBC Points usually convert into Avios at a 2:1 rate, so the bonus means you’ll be getting 1.25 Avios for every 2 HSBC points transferred
If you’re wondering how to spend your HSBC Points, this is a great option!
Virgin Atlantic Announces More Manchester-Orlando Flights
Virgin has just announced it will operate more direct flights from Manchester to Orlando in summer 2026, increasing capacity by 12%. From winter 2026, the route will be operated by Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, which offer a noticeably better onboard experience and will add a further 17% capacity.
This follows last week’s announcement that Aer Lingus will cease transatlantic flights from Manchester from 31st March. While there may still be options to travel via Dublin, there will no longer be a direct service. Virgin will also welcome a number of former Aer Lingus pilots and rebooking passengers affected by the Aer Lingus base closure, where possible.
Flights go on sale from 3rd February, and I imagine they will be very popular. If you are planning school holiday travel, I recommend booking sooner rather than later.
After 30 years of flying from Manchester, Virgin is already targeting further growth from Manchester in Summer 2027. The airline currently flies from Manchester to New York, Atlanta, and Las Vegas, and operates a seasonal service to Barbados.
As Virgin Atlantic is a SkyTeam member, you can enjoy onward connections with partners such as Delta, where needed. More direct transatlantic flights from outside London airports are exactly what the UK needs.
