Turn Qantas Or Velocity Status Into SkyTeam Elite Plus With This SAS Status Match

SAS EuroBonus has opened yet another paid status match through StatusMatch.com, and this time Australian frequent flyers are invited. If you hold Gold or above with Qantas Frequent Flyer or Velocity, you can buy EuroBonus Gold for €199 and walk away with SkyTeam Elite Plus. That means lounge access, SkyPriority and extra baggage on Delta, Korean Air, China Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Air France, KLM and the rest of the alliance, even when you're sitting in economy.

There's no flight challenge attached. Pay the fee, get approved, and the status is yours for the rest of your EuroBonus membership year plus another 12 months. For new members joining this month, that works out to almost two years.

Most Australians will never set foot on an SAS plane (although you should as it’s my favourite airline for intra Europe and Scandinavia flights). That doesn't really matter here. Not only can you get SkyTeam Elite Plus without flying, it could also be a pathway to potential future matches to other airlines as we don’t often see Velocity and Qantas included.

TL;DR

• Qantas Gold and Velocity Gold members match to EuroBonus Gold (SkyTeam Elite Plus) for €199, around A$325
• Qantas Platinum, Platinum One and Chairman's Lounge, plus Velocity Platinum and Beyond, qualify for Diamond (€349, around A$560). Gold gives you the same SkyTeam perks, but Diamond could stretch your Elite Plus to almost three years if SAS soft lands matched members
• Gold and Diamond also unlock SilverKris lounge access when flying Singapore Airlines
• Qantas Silver and Velocity Silver only match to EuroBonus Silver (€89, around A$145), which has no lounge access - not worth it in my opinion.
• No flights required, and you're only charged if approved
• New members joining in October 2026 keep the status until 30 September 2028. If you already have a EuroBonus account it might make sense to create a new one.
• No set end date, but SAS will close the offer once its quota fills

What It Costs

Fees are charged in euros and include taxes. StatusMatch.com places a hold on your card when you apply and only takes the money once you're approved.

Australian dollar figures are approximate and will move with the exchange rate. Use a card with no foreign transaction fees, or you'll hand your bank an extra A$10 or so for the privilege.

Australian residents are eligible. The exclusions cover a handful of countries, including China, Brazil and Argentina.

How Qantas And Velocity Members Match

SAS accepts airline status only, so hotel and credit card elites miss out. Elites of SkyTeam airlines, Singapore Airlines, TAP Air Portugal and Etihad are also excluded, which rules out KrisFlyer and Etihad Guest members.

For the two programs most Australians hold, the mapping looks like this:

Velocity Platinum Plus isn't named on the eligibility list but it should map to Diamond.

Top 20 Eligible Programs For Australians

SAS accepts status from 84 airline programs. These are the 20 most Australian frequent flyers are likely to hold, with the tier you need for each EuroBonus level.

Hold status somewhere else? Check the full list of 84 eligible programs on StatusMatch.com.

Gold Or Diamond?

If you qualify for Diamond, you can choose Gold and save €150. Both tiers carry SkyTeam Elite Plus, and the SAS-specific extras Diamond adds (75% bonus points, no points expiry, free same-day changes, 30% off SAS award flights) only pay off if you fly SAS regularly.

The case for Diamond comes down to what happens when your matched status expires. EuroBonus members who don't requalify have typically dropped one tier rather than straight back to the base level. Members who matched in previous SAS campaigns report the same treatment, although SAS doesn't promise it in the match terms. That said, in my opinion it’s a risk worth taking for potentially another year of lounge access.

You'll also get a SAS luggage tag

If it works out, a Diamond member who doesn't requalify lands on Gold and keeps Elite Plus for another year. A Gold member drops to Silver and loses lounge access. For someone opening a EuroBonus account in October 2026, that's the difference between Elite Plus until September 2028 and Elite Plus until September 2029.

The other benefit of SAS EuroBonus Diamond is that when flying SAS in Europe, they shadow block a neighbouring seat for you (this is not a disclosed perk and it only holds if the flight isn’t rammed full). In addition you also get free soft drinks for you and your party when flying SAS.

Usually Diamond members can also gift Gold status to a friend but from experience, this benefit is not included if you don’t earn Diamond the hard way (by actually flying).

What SkyTeam Elite Plus Gets You

SkyTeam Elite Plus gives you:

• Lounge access for you and one guest when flying internationally on any SkyTeam airline, in any cabin
• SkyPriority check-in, boarding, security and immigration lanes where available
• Priority baggage handling and extra checked baggage
• A guaranteed economy seat on sold-out long-haul flights of six hours or more, as long as you book at least 24 hours out
• Free seat selection and preferred seating

From Australia, seven SkyTeam airlines fly direct: Delta, Korean Air, China Airlines, China Eastern, Vietnam Airlines, Garuda Indonesia and Xiamen Air. That covers the US via Los Angeles, North Asia via Seoul and Taipei, and Europe via Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi or Shanghai.

In Sydney, Elite Plus opens the SkyTeam Lounge at Pier B of the international terminal. Once you're in Europe, you're looking at Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic and SAS lounges across the continent.

Velocity Gold and Platinum members already pick up some recognition on Delta and Virgin Atlantic through Virgin Australia's partnerships. It doesn't carry across to most of the SkyTeam carriers flying out of Australia.

Qantas Gold members get the bigger upgrade here. You keep oneworld Sapphire for Qantas, Cathay and Qatar, and add SkyTeam Elite Plus on top, it’s a pretty nice combo to have!

The Singapore Airlines Bonus

SAS has its own partnership with Singapore Airlines, separate from any alliance. When flying Singapore Airlines, EuroBonus Gold and Diamond members get:

• SilverKris lounge access, plus one guest on the same flight
• Priority check-in and priority baggage handling
• One extra 20kg checked bag

Typically SilverKris lounges are reserved for Singapore Airlines Business Class passengers and Star Alliance Gold members are directed to the Gold Lounge. However, SAS members have access to the following SilverKris lounges: Bangkok, Brisbane, Hong Kong, London, Manila, Melbourne, Perth, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney and Taiwan. Priority boarding is also listed, but SAS currently shows it as paused. From what I know, it’s supposed to come back soon so keep an eye out for that extra perk.

For Qantas Gold members, this is a nice extra. Your Qantas status gets you nothing on Singapore Airlines, and this adds lounge access on one of the most popular ways out of Australia to Asia and Europe. Velocity Gold members already get most of this through Virgin Australia's partnership.

Who Should Skip It

Silver is hard to justify. €89 buys priority check-in and an extra bag on SkyTeam flights but no lounge access, so unless you're checking bags on Korean Air or Vietnam Airlines several times a year, keep your money.

Skip Gold as well if you won't fly a SkyTeam airline internationally in the next two years. The value comes from lounge visits, and there's no lounge access on domestic Australian flights because no SkyTeam airline flies them.

The Fine Print

A few rules can trip you up:

• Temporary status may be rejected. StatusMatch.com says applications based on a status trial, challenge or temporary tier may not be approved. If your Qantas or Velocity status came from a fast-track offer, expect closer scrutiny.
• You can't extend an existing EuroBonus tier. This applies whether you earned it by flying or through an earlier match.
• Virgin Atlantic's Heathrow T3 Clubhouse is off limits. EuroBonus Gold and Diamond members flying Virgin Atlantic in economy or premium economy out of Heathrow Terminal 3 are sent to a contract lounge instead, and the Revivals arrivals lounge is excluded too. Other Clubhouses and the Upper Class Wing check-in are unaffected.
• Your name must match your EuroBonus profile.
• No lifetime credit. The matched year doesn't count toward EuroBonus lifetime Gold or Diamond.
• Disputing the charge suspends your status immediately.

Timing Your Application

Matched status runs for the rest of your current EuroBonus qualification period plus the next 12 months. Your period starts in the month you joined, so new members get the best deal.

Join EuroBonus in October 2026 and your matched status lasts until 30 September 2028, close to two years. Existing members should check their period end date in the SAS app first. If yours finishes in a month or two, the match could be worth far less than it is for someone joining today.

How To Apply

1. Open a free EuroBonus account if you don't have one.
2. Head to the SAS page on StatusMatch.com, select Australia as your country, and enter your EuroBonus number and your Qantas or Velocity membership number.
3. Upload proof of status if asked, such as a screenshot from the app or a photo of your card. You may also need to verify your identity with a passport or driver's licence.
4. Choose your tier and enter card details.

SAS says you'll get a decision within three days, and the new tier can take up to 10 business days to appear in your EuroBonus account.

Bottom Line

If you hold Qantas Gold or Velocity Gold or higher and fly Korean Air, China Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Garuda or Delta internationally even a couple of times before September 2028, EuroBonus Gold at €199 is an easy call. If your status qualifies for Diamond, the extra €150 buys a likely third year of Elite Plus.