NEWS & OFFERS: Return of BA Status Match to SkyTeam, Hyatt Makes Points Transfers Easier & 60% Bonus Qatar Avios

SAS Brings Back Status Match for British Airways Club Members

SAS has brought back its EuroBonus status match, giving British Airways Club members the chance to get status with SkyTeam, which includes Virgin Atlantic, Air France, KLM and Delta.

This could be particularly interesting for BA members who are finding it harder to keep their status following the changes to the British Airways Club.

The offer is available to BA Bronze, Silver and Gold members, although this time there is a fairly hefty application fee.

BA Gold Guest List and Premier members can also match to SAS Diamond.

The big selling point is that your new status could last for up to 23 months, potentially taking you all the way through to September 2028. The exact length depends on your SAS EuroBonus membership year, with new members generally getting the longest period.

For BA Silver members, the €199 Gold match is probably the most tempting. It gives you SkyTeam Elite Plus status, with benefits such as lounge access, priority check-in, extra baggage and priority boarding when flying with participating SkyTeam airlines.

That includes Virgin Atlantic, although there’s a catch at Heathrow Terminal 3. If you’re flying Virgin in Economy or Premium, SAS Gold and Diamond status won’t get you into the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse. You’ll be directed to the No1 Lounge instead.

BA Gold members might want to think twice before paying €349 for Diamond. Both SAS Gold and Diamond give you the same SkyTeam Elite Plus benefits, although Diamond comes with a few extras when flying SAS itself, including discounted reward flights.

Unlike some status matches, there’s no need to complete additional flights to keep your matched status during its validity period.

You can apply through the official SAS status match website. There’s currently no published closing date.

If you’re thinking about moving some of your flying away from BA, this could be a useful way to keep some of those perks without having to earn status all over again.

World of Hyatt Finally Introduces Online Points Transfers

World of Hyatt has finally made it easier for members to share points, introducing online transfers between accounts for the first time.

Previously, transferring points to another member involved filling out a form and sending it to Hyatt for processing. Now, members can do everything online, with transfers generally completed within 24 hours.

The good news is that transferring points remains completely free, although there are a few rules to be aware of:

• Minimum transfer: 1,000 points, followed by increments of 500.
• Annual limit: 525,000 points sent and 525,000 received.
• Transfer frequency: Up to six outgoing transfers per calendar year, with no more than one per month.
• Account requirements: Both accounts must have been open for at least 60 days.

This is particularly useful for couples and families who collect Hyatt points separately but want to combine them towards a reward stay.

For example, if you have 20,000 points in one account and 20,000 in another, you can now bring them together to book a 40,000-point night at a luxury Hyatt property.

You don’t need to be related to the person you’re transferring points to, so it’s also useful for friends travelling together.

It’s a welcome improvement, particularly when you’re trying to put together enough points for a stay at one of Hyatt’s more expensive properties.

You can find out more and transfer points through the World of Hyatt website.

Qatar Airways Offers Up to 60% Bonus Avios – Including for BA Redemptions

Qatar Airways has launched another Avios sale, this time offering up to 60% bonus Avios when purchasing points through its Privilege Club programme.

The promotion runs until 19 October 2026, so there’s only a short window to take advantage.

The bonus depends on how many Avios you purchase:

 At the highest bonus level, the price works out at approximately 1.44 US cents per Avios (around 1.1p). The exact bonus thresholds may vary between accounts.

You don’t have to use the Avios with Qatar Airways either. Since Qatar Airways and British Airways both use Avios, you can transfer them between linked Privilege Club and British Airways Club accounts at no charge.

This means you could buy Avios through Qatar and then use them towards British Airways reward flights or upgrades, making the offer relevant even if you have no plans to fly with Qatar.

However, buying Avios isn’t always the best value. It’s worth comparing the cost with BA’s Avios Boost, which can sometimes work out cheaper, particularly if you have recently earned Avios that are eligible to be boosted.

We generally wouldn’t recommend buying Avios without a particular redemption in mind, but if you’re a little short for a Business Class reward flight, this could be worth considering.

You can check your personalised offer and purchase points through the Qatar Airways Privilege Club website.