Vietnam Airlines offers instant Qantas, Virgin, SQ status match

Vietnam Airlines is offering an instant status match to Qantas Gold and Platinum frequent flyers, along with Virgin Australia’s Velocity Gold and Platinum equivalents.

And with that also comes status in the international SkyTeam alliance, unlocking practical perks such as lounge access on 19 member airlines across five continents.

In fact, the ability to scoop up Titanium, Gold or Platinum status in Vietnam Airlines’ Lotusmiles rewards program isn’t restricted to only Qantas and Virgin Australia.

Also in the crosshairs of Vietnam Airlines’ instant status match promotion are frequent flyers with Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, Etihad Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Lufthansa and dozens of other airlines.

The Vietnam Airlines status match generally embraces three ‘elite’ tiers in the loyalty program of each competing airline – such as Silver, Gold and Platinum.

Here’s how those tiers line up:

• Qantas Silver & Velocity Silver = Vietnam Airlines Titanium = SkyTeam Elite 
• Qantas Gold & Velocity Gold = Vietnam Airlines Gold = SkyTeam Elite
• Qantas Platinum & Velocity Platinum = Vietnam Airlines Platinum = SkyTeam Elite Plus

(Yes, Titanium is actually the lowest rung on Vietnam Airlines’ elite loyalty ladder, apart from the zero-perks entry level of Lotusmiles Silver.)

Here’s what you get at each Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles status tier.

The foremost Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles Titanium benefits include

• priority check-in
• one extra checked bag to 23kg
• priority baggage handling
• priority seat selection at the airport
• 30% bonus miles on Vietnam Airlines flights
• basic SkyTeam Elite benefits across all SkyTeam airlines

In addition to the above, Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles Gold members also get

• priority boarding
• Access to Vietnam Airlines lounges when flying with Vietnam Airlines
• 50% bonus miles on Vietnam Airlines flights

The top status in this trio comes with Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles Platinum, where you also get

• two extra checked bags (23kg), instead of one
• bringing one guest into Vietnam Airlines lounges
• access to priority security/immigration lanes, where available
• 100% bonus miles on Vietnam Airlines flights
• SkyTeam Elite Plus benefits such as international lounge access and priority airport treatment across all SkyTeam member airlines 

Vietnam Airlines’ instant status match explained

This is an instant status match: there are no special ‘status challenge’ requirements, with your application approved within days and your status valid for a full 12 months.

However, unlike most status match promotions, this is not a free status match – it’s being offered through statusmatch.com at the following pricing:

• Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles Titanium US$99 (A$145)
• Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles Gold US$159 ($235)
• Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles Platinum US$299 (A$440)

As we’ll explain later in this article, our take is that the mid-tier and mid-priced Vietnam Airlines Gold status match will be the sweet spot for most travellers.

In Australia, Vietnam Airlines flies from Sydney, Melbourne and Perth to its hub of Ho Chi Minh City (previously known as Saigon) – the country’s largest city, and its commercial and financial centre – in addition to flight from Sydney to the capital of Hanoi.

Vietnam Airlines' modern international business class.

Vietnam Airlines’ Sydney and Melbourne flights run on an Airbus A350, while Perth sees a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

Both jets feature a modern business class with comfortable flatbeds arranged in a 1-2-1 layout, followed by a dedicated cabin of premium economy recliners.

In addition, SkyTeam’s worldwide roster of members includes Air France and KML, Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic, SAS (which only recently decamped from Star Alliance), Italy’s ITA Airways, Korean Air, Garuda Indonesia, China Eastern Airlines and Taiwan’s China Airlines,

Is the Vietnam Airlines status match worth it?

Of the three tiers on offer, we’d rate only Lotusmiles Gold and Lotusmiles Platinum as worth considering due to the better set of benefits they deliver.

For US$159 (A$235), Lotusmiles Gold will be best suited to those who often need to fly to Vietnam, or can see several trips coming up due to a business project there, for example.

That’s because the core perks of Lotusmiles Gold –  such as lounge access, priority check-in and boarding, and that extra piece of checked luggage –  apply only on Vietnam Airlines flights.

For US$299 (A$440), Lotusmiles Platinum is the better pick if you want to unlock status perks across the broader SkyTeam group.

Even if you’re only doing a lot of travel around Asia, SkyTeam boasts a solid regional footprint with the likes of Korean Air, Garuda Indonesia, China Eastern Airlines, China Airlines and Xiamen Air.

In both cases, if you’re flying to and from Vietnam for business, your accountant could make the case that this paid status match is a legitimate tax write-off.

It’s also worth noting that you can use your top status with a competition eligible airline to apply for a lower tier in the Vietnam Airlines status match – for example, a Qantas or Velocity Platinum member can apply for Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles Gold, if this status has all they need.

Click here to apply for the Vietnam Airlines Gold or Platinum status match.