Frequent flyers are extremely important for any airline. Having loyal customers in large numbers ensures a steady stream of cash flowing even in off-peak seasons. This type of clientele is more akin to the business traveller profile and therefore less susceptible to seasonal fluctuations. However, finding or growing your frequent flyer customer base is not always a piece of cake. One of the easiest ways to grow them is to poach them from other airlines through status match programs. That is exactly what Norwegian is doing with its latest campaign. This though is one of the most laser focused efforts I have ever seen.
Norwegian Hunting for SAS EuroBonus Clients
With SAS switching from Star Alliance to SkyTeam Norwegian spotted an opportunity to intercept some unsatisfied clients. Scandinavian Airlines’ move to SkyTeam could leave part of its clients with less travel options. Particularly some based in central and south Europe that regularly to Scandinavia even more if relying on Star Alliance codeshares. Therefore, Norwegian is now offering an alternative to those clients as it connects many locations in Europe to Scandinavia despite not being part of an alliance.
This status match is therefore very well focused. The Norwegian airline clearly trying to attract passengers with its strong Scandinavian network. It therefore isn’t a generic campaign as the one launched by Vietnam Airlines in the past days.
How Does Norwegian’s Status Match Work?
This status match exclusively targets SAS EuroBonus highest tier frequent flyers. Those being:
- Gold
- Diamond
Signing up for the status match, provided the request is successful, you’ll be granted Reward Priority status. That is Norwegian Air Shuttle’s upper loyalty tier. However, to get the permanent status it won’t be enough just getting your request accepted. You’ll need to also travel twice on its flights within a 60 day trial period. Once done so you’ll have permanent status for the following 12 months.
What Does Norwegian Priority Reward Offer and Is it a Good Deal for SAS Frequent Flyers?
Let’s first talk about the deal itself. I wouldn’t be particularly keen in switching from SAS’s frequent flyer program to Norwegian’s simply because SAS is a full service airline offering a wider range of benefits and a better overall experience. Norwegian on the other hand is a semi low-cost carrier and therefore it is a bit of a downgrade. For instance you’d be giving up SAS’s lounge access. The only situation where it might make sense is if you really travel a lot in Scandinavia and relied heavily on Star Alliance codeshares that will no longer be available. However, you must also be located somewhere Norwegian flies. In these cases going to a slightly less complete loyalty program might be still woth while.
As for Reward Priority and what it offers. The main benefits of this loyalty program are:
- Free seat selection
- Fast track
- Priority Boarding
- Free Baggage