Turkish Airlines boosts Qantas status match with double miles

Your Qantas Platinum frequent flyer card can unlock free Turkish Airlines Elite and Star Alliance Gold status.

By Staff Writers, September 25 2024
Turkish Airlines boosts Qantas status match with double miles

With Turkish Airlines launching Sydney-Istanbul flights in December to complement its Melbourne-Istanbul service – ahead of non-stop flights between Australia and Türkiye in 2026 – the Star Alliance member is doubling down on its attempts to woo Qantas Frequent Flyers.

In addition to a generous Turkish Airlines status match which unlocks instant travel perks, there’s now the added lure of double miles on all flights they make for a full year.

Those are of course Miles&Smiles miles in Turkish Airlines’ own loyalty program, and if you’re planning to fly business class between Australia and Istanbul, and even beyond, those double miles will quickly add up for free flights or upgrades from economy on shorter legs.

This offer is available to Qantas Platinum and Platinum One members who have taken advantage of the Turkish Airlines status match (which unfortunately isn’t available for Qantas Golds).

Here is what Turkish Airlines tells us about the special promotion:

“Elite members coming from the Qantas Frequency Flyer program will earn 2x Miles on all flights they make for one year following their membership date.”

“There is no restriction on the ticketing date in the campaign and the last status matching process date has been determined as December 31, 2024. Members will be sent an email with details about the campaign after the matching process.

There’s arguably never been a better time to put the Turkish Airlines’ Miles&Smiles status match on your to-do list.

 

Turkish Airlines is renowned for its business class meals and service.
Turkish Airlines is renowned for its business class meals and service.

The Turkish Airlines Qantas status match

As we’ve previously detailed, this is an instant status match promotion: if your application is successful you’ll get four months of Elite tier membership in the Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles loyalty program, right off the bat.

That unlocks practical perks such as airport lounge access, free inflight WiFi and seat selection, a higher checked allowance and more.

Turkish Airlines' Istanbul hub boasts an impressive lounge just for Elite-grade frequent flyers.
Turkish Airlines' Istanbul hub boasts an impressive lounge just for Elite-grade frequent flyers.

And because Turkish Airlines is a fully-fledged member of the Star Alliance group of airlines, your Turkish Airlines Elite card also unlocks four months of similar benefits as a Star Alliance Gold frequent flyer across two dozen airlines including Air Canada, Air New Zealand, ANA, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Swiss, Thai Airways and United Airlines.

Want to extend your gilt-edged Turkish Airlines and Star Alliance status for a whole year? Just take one Turkish Airlines international flight, in either business or economy class, within that four-month period.

Who is eligible for the Turkish Airlines status match?

Turkish Airlines is chasing high flyers sitting on the top rung of the Qantas loyalty ladder: specifically, Platinum and Platinum One.

Under the status match, Qantas Platinum and Platinum One members will be directly matched to Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Elite status.

But this isn’t just about Qantas: the Turkish Airlines status match offer covers a broad sweep of competing airlines around the world.

This includes all members of the Oneworld and SkyTeam alliances, along with Emirates and Etihad Airways – but not Virgin Australia’s Velocity Frequent Flyers, nor of course any other Star Alliance airlines.

Turkish Airlines limits its status match to the upper echelon of frequent flyers:

  • Oneworld Emerald – this includes Qantas Platinum and Platinum One, British Airways Gold, Cathay Diamond, and other Platinum tiers at the likes of Finnair, Malaysia Airlines and Qatar Airways
  • SkyTeam Elite Plus – this includes Air France/KLM Flying Blue Gold or Platinum, Delta Air Lines Gold Medallion or above, Vietnam Airlines LotusMiles Gold or above, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Gold
  • Emirates Skywards Gold or Platinum
  • Etihad Airways Guest Gold or Platinum

Note that Turkish Airlines’ eligibility list specifically excludes Oneworld Sapphire members (such as Qantas Gold card-holders)

Any frequent flyers in the list above can request a status match to Turkish Airlines’ Miles&Smiles Elite tier.

While this sits below the top-rung Miles&Smiles Elite Plus tier – which delivers extra benefits such as free upgrades and Elite memberships to gift to family, friends or colleagues – most people will find Miles&Smiles Elite status remains a comfortable fit for their needs.

Sleep easy: most top-tier frequent flyers are eligible for a Turkish Airlines status match.
Sleep easy: most top-tier frequent flyers are eligible for a Turkish Airlines status match.

How to apply for the Turkish Airlines status match

First of all, sign up to the Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles loyalty program – you can do this online, and the process is both fast and free.

Then log into your Miles&Smiles account and visit the feedback page on Turkish Airlines’ website to get the ball rolling.

Under the general Feedback option, click the Write Feedback button, select the New Feedback option, then scroll down to the Miles&Smiles program category.

Applying for the Turkish Airlines 2023 status match.
Applying for the Turkish Airlines 2023 status match.

Clicking the Membership processes button will call up a page asking for your personal details plus a text box where you can detail the nature of your feedback.

In this case, your ‘feedback’ should be a short but respectful request for a status match to the Miles&Smiles Elite tier based on your current high-level status with a competing airline.

Applying for the Turkish Airlines 2023 status match.
Applying for the Turkish Airlines 2023 status match.

It’s useful to give some context as to why you’re seeking this status match – for example, you could have many flights to and within Europe planned for the coming year.

Finally, you’ll need to provide supporting documentation such as

  • a scan or photo of the front and back your frequent flyer membership card clearly showing your name and your current status’ expiry date
  • a PDF of your most recent activity statement with the competing airline showing you taking status-earning flights
  • a scan of your passport.

Note that Turkish Airlines may reply asking for more information, so don’t expect to be given this status match straight away; in the past, Executive Traveller readers have reported turnaround times under two weeks from application to approval.

One flight with Turkish Airlines is all it takes to retain your Elite status for a full year.
One flight with Turkish Airlines is all it takes to retain your Elite status for a full year.

If successful, your Miles&Smiles account will be upgraded to the Elite tier for four months; again, this also includes Star Alliance Gold-grade perks across all the Star Alliance member airlines.

As with all status match promotions, this offer of free Miles&Smiles Elite status is made entirely at the discretion of Turkish Airlines and it success can vary from one applicant to the next (for example, a request from one Qantas Platinum frequent flyer might be granted, while another declined).

Your Turkish Airlines Elite status includes access to the lounges of Star Alliance siblings such as Singapore Airlines.
Your Turkish Airlines Elite status includes access to the lounges of Star Alliance siblings such as Singapore Airlines.

Extending your Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles status match

To keep Turkish Airlines Elite and Star Alliance Gold status for a full year, all it takes is one paid Turkish Airlines international flight in either business or economy class within that initial four-month period.

That’s an easy box to tick if you’re almost anywhere within Europe.

You can add a second full year of Turkish Airlines Elite and Star Alliance Gold status by earning at least 15,000 miles on Turkish Airlines flights within that first 12 months – and with Turkish Airlines now flying to Melbourne and soon Sydney, that’ll be easily accomplished with a single business class return trip to Istanbul.

XWu
XWu

09 May 2020

Total posts 578

They don’t seem to call it status match in the membership process, that is appropriate since it wasn’t.

It’s more of a trial upgrade to premium tier

The article is the one that calls it a status match 

emd
emd

Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer

17 Oct 2014

Total posts 13

Turkish represents a deadly threat to Qantas- more than Emirates,because it has more European destinations than its competitors.

The only way Qantas can respond is with non stop flights,which basically means from Sydney or Melbourne,and frequency will be limited to those pax who are not connecting,so the only destinations likely are London,Paris,Frankfurt/Munich & Rome.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

31 Mar 2016

Total posts 33

Assume they don’t want Virgin elites - or  they realise VA Platinum is too easy achieve? 

Aegean Airlines - Miles & Bonus

16 Jul 2019

Total posts 31

This is to get Qantas and oneworld elites to move to Turkish and Star Alliance.  Skyteam too. Not Star Alliance. 

It's less focused on Virgin probably for a few reasons. They know Virgin is already aligned with SQ and NZ who are in Star. They don't see Virgin as a full service airline and therefore don't take Virgin Plats as being as lucrative.  

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

04 Nov 2017

Total posts 351

In addition TK doesn't interline at VA as of the moment and only have an interline with the QF/JQ group on the Australian Point of Sale.  TK were in discussions with ZL prior to them entering Voluntary Administration which probably suggests VA isn't on their mind and probably saw that they are already partnered with fellow *A member SQ and Oneworld rival QR.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

13 Feb 2015

Total posts 28

Where can I find the full list of airlines? Are all Skyteam airlines included or merely the ones mentioned above? Couldn't find any t&c, also as regards as excluding QF Gold...

Thanks

It covers ALL SkyTeam airlines, the ones listed in this article are just examples, same as for Star Alliance and OneWorld. The TK Status Match used to be a formal offer, you'd go to a page on the TK website and it had all the airlines listed plus the status exclusion for OneWorld Sapphires. That page has since been taken down but the 'promotion' is still running, you just need to use the 'Feedback' form as outlined in the article.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

13 Feb 2015

Total posts 28

Thank you so much!

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

21 Jun 2017

Total posts 39

Just signed up for this as a P1. I’m tired of the hit and miss of qantas. Thanks for the intel. Booked Turkish international and really looking forward to business on their 350-900’s and playing on the golf simulator in Istanbul. 


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