Points Panda has partnered with a variety of financial companies including CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. Points Panda and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. For more information please read our full Advertiser Disclosure.
ITA Airways has launched its own frequent flyer program called Volare after acquiring the now-bankrupt Alitalia. New members of the program can boost their status with the Volare status match promo, and also a chance to get SkyTeam alliance status.
Alitalia bore the flag as Italy’s state carrier for 74 years but financial problems have forced top executives to stop operations on October 14, 2021, and eventually sell the company to Italia Trasporto Aereo S.p.A. or ITA Airways.
ITA Airways will now replace Alitalia’s spot in the SkyTeam Alliance so Volare members who got their status through the status match will be eligible for a SkyTeam Elite or SkyTeam Elite Plus membership.
Volare Status Match Basics:
- The Volare status match applies to 25 airline loyalty programs. People who have existing memberships to any of these programs can sign-up and apply for a status match until November 30, 2021.
- You need to have elite status to be considered for the status match program (ex. Lufthansa Frequent Traveller, Senator, HON Circle).
- Members will get an email confirmation of their new Volare elite status by December 31, 2021.
- Volare elite members will now be eligible for a SkyTeam elite status.
ITA Airways launched its promo just in time for the holiday travel rush and especially the US government opening its borders to fully-vaccinated people. Expect a surge in new travelers and members in the following months to come.
How Does The Volare Status Match Work?
Anyone can sign-up for the Volare loyalty program but only people who have existing memberships to any of the 25 airline programs listed below will be eligible for a Volare status match.
Eligible persons will have until November 30, 2021, to sign-up and request a status match. The result of the status match will be emailed by December 31, 2021, and you’ll be able to use your new status on January 1, 2022.
How To Request A Status Match
- Sign up to the Volare loyalty program
- Email the following to [email protected]:
- Email subject: “program of origin” – “status of origin”
- Text of email: First name, surname; “program of origin” – “status of origin”
- Please attach a legible copy of your current valid Frequent Flyer program card (digital or physical) and a copy of your identity card1 (pdf, jpg format)
Additionally, people who can sign up by November 15, 2021 can get a 10,000-point welcome bonus if they buy a return flight or two one-way flights and complete the trip by December 31, 2021. The bonus points will also reflect on your account on December 31, 2021 and you can start redeeming them on March 1, 2022.
You can start requesting your status match if you have an existing membership to any of the loyalty programs below:
- Aeroflot – Aeroflot Bonus
- Aerolíneas Argentinas – Aerolíneas Plus
- Air Europa – Suma
- Alitalia – Millemiglia
- Air France/KLM – Flying Blue
- American Airlines – Aadvantage
- ANA – Mileage club
- British Airways – Executive Club
- Czech Airlines – OK Plus
- Delta Airlines – SkyMiles
- EL Al – Matmid
- Emirates – Skywards
- Iberia – Iberia Plus
- Korean Air – SKYPASS
- Lufthansa – Miles and More
- Middle East Airlines – Cedar Miles
- Qatar Airlines – Privilege Club
- Royal Jordanian – Royal Club
- Saudia – Alfursan
- Singapore Airlines – KrisFlyer
- Swiss Air – Miles & More
- TAP – Miles & Go
- Tarom – Sky Team
- Turkish Airways – Miles & Smile
- United Airlines – Mileage plus
Only people who have elite status memberships from the 25 loyalty programs listed above are eligible for the Volare status match. This means signing up for a loyalty program and getting a default membership does not count.
Read More: AeroMexico Flights – The Best Way To Book Them
ITA Volare Status Tiers
The program has three status tiers and each tier provides solid travel benefits such as food, hotel accommodation, lounge access, and more.
- Smart level (Default membership upon signing up, does not count as elite status):
- access by registering for the Program and accumulating Points for each expense relating to goods / services offered by ITA
- access to a wide network of commercial partnerships for the accreditation and use of Points, as communicated from time to time pursuant to the previous article 5;
- purchase of ancillary services through Points.
- Plus Level :
- Has all the benefits of the Smart level
- Priority waiting list
- Free ancillary services
- dedicated customer service
- check-in business.
- Premium Level :
- benefits of the Plus level
- lounge access
- 24/7 dedicated customer service;
- priority boarding
- dedicated on-board welcome
- Livello Executive:
- benefits of the Premium level
- golf equipment included
- lounge access + guests
- dedicated assistance 24/7
- free food and drink
- invitations to exclusive events;
- dedicated reception.
How To Get SkyTeam Status With Volare Status Match
The SkyTeam Alliance, which is composed of 19 member carriers, has created its own status tiers to give more benefits to loyal customers.
Here are the two SkyTeam statuses and their benefits:
- SkyTeam Elite
- Priority reservation wait list (when fares permit).
- Priority check-in
- Priority boarding
- Priority seat selection
- Extra baggage allowance
- SkyTeam Elite Plus
- Elite Plus members will also get all the Elite benefits
- Guaranteed full-fare Y-class reservations on sold-out long-haul flights (at least 24 hours before the flight)
- Worldwide access to airport lounges for all travel classes
- Priority baggage handling for all travel classes
- Extra baggage allowance
Each member carrier has its own loyalty program and tiers which equates to a SkyTeam Elite status. For example, a Delta SkyMiles Silver status equates to SkyTeam Elite, meanwhile SkyMiles Gold, Platinum, and Diamond status equates to SkyTeam Elite Plus.
As for Volare, the tier match to SkyTeam elite status has not been revealed yet but it’s possible that this will be the tier requirements:
- Volare Plus = SkyTeam Elite
- Volare Premium and Volare Executive = SkyTeam Elite Plus
Read More: Latest AAdvantage Program Updates Make Earning Status Easier For Members
Thoughts From Points Panda
No one knows what will happen with the old Alitalia airline but ITA has already bought all the rights from the former. Frequent flyers should start signing up with Volare even if the program is scheduled to go live next year. Getting Volare status can get you a SkyTeam status which comes with additional travel perks and benefits.
Advertiser Disclosure
PointsPanda Deal of the Week!
Looking for the best flight deals? Each week we'll send you updates with the best deals on flights and hotels both using points and cash.
Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.