EuroBonus

EuroBonus is the frequent-flyer program of Scandinavian Airlines. It was launched by SAS in 1992.

Airline partners

Hotel partners

• Artótel
• Best Western Hotels
• Elite Hotels
• First Hotels
• Hilton Worldwide
• Park Plaza and Park Inn
• Radisson Edwardian London Hotels
• Radisson Hotels
• Radisson Blu
• Rica Hotels
• Scandic Hotels
• Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts

Other partners

• Avis
• American Express (transfer Amex points plus combined card in Norway, Sweden)
• Bjurfors (available in Sweden)
• Budget car rental (only accrual)
• Call Me (Denmark only)
• Copenhagen Airport (in Denmark)
• COOP (in Sweden)
• Codan (in Denmark & Norway)
• Dagens Industri (in Sweden)
• Dagens Naeringsliv (in Norway)
• Dantaxi 4x48 (in Denmark)
• Diners Club

Membership levels

EuroBonus has five membership levels.

All statuses are obtained for one year, plus for the remainder of the qualifying year in which the member qualifies for the specific level. Unlike many other programs, the EuroBonus qualification year is individual and not aligned with calendar years. A qualifying year is determined by the data a member joined Eurobonus, instead. So if someone joins in April, the qualifying year for that member will be from April to March the next year.

Before 2010, qualification for a next level was only possible with meeting point thresholds. Since 2010 it is also possible to achieve Silver and Gold status by taking a certain number of SAS and Widerøe flights: 10/45/90 individual flights for Silver/Gold/Diamond. Gold/Diamond benefits include all Silver benefits, plus priority security at certain airports, access to SAS and Star Alliance lounges and a 25% bonus on points on SAS Group flights.[7]

• The entry level is "Member". There are no requirements for this level, it is obtained at registration.
• The Next level is "Silver", which is attained by earning 20,000 Basic points or by flying 10 qualifying flights in a year. Benefits include business class check-in and extra baggage allowance on some flights and during some periods.
• Following that is "Gold", which requires 45,000 Basic points or 45 qualifying flights. Benefits include, but are not limited to, access to SAS and StarAlliance lounges when traveling on a StarAlliance ticket, priority check in, additional check in luggage allowance on some tickets, 25% bonus point earnings on flights. This card is a Star Alliance Gold card.

Norwegian ban on frequent flyer miles

Frequent flyer mile accrual was banned on Norwegian domestic flights between August 2002 and May 2013. In 2002, SAS bought up the rival airline Braathens, giving the company a near monopoly on major domestic routes within Norway. After a few months, the airline Norwegian Air Shuttle started flying major routes in competition. To remove the edge SAS had over the new airline, the Norwegian Competition Authority then banned the award of EuroBonus points in Norway from August 1 that year.

In 2005, Morten A. Meyer, the Modernization Minister asked the competition authority to consider extending the ban on frequent flyer miles to include all of Scandinavia. Norwegian Air Shuttle and Sterling Airlines had also complained about SAS's bonus program in Scandinavia. It was pointed out that the situation on these routes was different from the monopoly which had been present on the Norwegian domestic market.[10][11]

The authorities indicated in 2007 that the ban on frequent flyer points would continue, arguing that the ban on EuroBonus had reduced ticket prices by 30% and boosted competition.

External links

Scandinavian Airlines

• Official website