Have you become a Lufthansa Senator? know in detail the benefits of Gold Star Alliance status

ITA Airways will, sooner or later, fully join Star Alliance. The logo Has already popped up on the fuselages, coming soon will be the Two aircraft with the obligatory dedicated livery and (finally) all point and mileage accumulators in an SA program other than M&M and Mileageplus will be able to credit AZ flights on Singapore's Krisflyer or Turkish's Miles&Smiles, to name a few.

The change, however by Skyteam not only plans to change hubs and companies, but also to have Different privileges than those granted in the previous alliance, the one that accompanied first Alitalia and then ITA (though not in full service) so here we are in our run-up to Spring 26, when the transition should be completed, trying to explain in detail the many changes in the making.

Better sooner or better tomorrow?

On some aspects it is complicated to make a clear judgment. Star Alliance is now the world's largest and most extensive airline alliance, with a network covering virtually every continent and a strong, Skyteam has no presence in Japan and Oceania, where in contrast both Star Alliance and oneworld are very strong.

Lounge issue

Certainly the policy that many Star Alliance carriers have with different lounges between Business and Status passengers is a great innovation and a feature that does not exist in Skyteam. The result, however, changes among different companies: for example, the LH group rewards those with status with better lounges, Singapore those traveling in business.

In addition to this it must be said that at present, in Star Alliance there are no sons and stepchildren, no companies that have inaccessible lounges and/or special rules as happens in Skyteam.

In the alliance left by ITA last spring, for example, there is Virgin Atlantic not letting Skyteam Elite Plus in. in its lounges, there are companies that do not allow access in owned lounges to those who fly domestic or those who fly with a different carrier up to the new Delta One lounges that are exclusively accessible to those flying in the American company's namesake cabin.

At Star Alliance, no one "prohibits" access to a business lounge for those who fly, in business, with a partner, and that alone is a point in its favor.

Both alliances have proprietary lounges and in this case I have to say that Star Alliance wins in quantity and quality, including following the closure of the Skyteam lounge in Istanbul and the quality of some of the lounge as Los Angeles or Paris at T1 of CDG.

Gold Star Alliance, privileges for holders

The benefits are very similar to SkyPriority. Fast track at the airport, access to business class check-in counters, indeed in Lufthansa's house also to First counters, Priority Baggage Reclaim and Priority Boarding on board.

The only thing "complex" to understand is the Issue of free checked baggage with some carriers when flying in the cheapest fare and that does not include baggage. Generally speaking, you have 20kg of additional baggage or one piece of luggage with the same size as the one included in the ticket held.

The biggest difference is that If you travel on board Lufthansa, on short haul, in a Basic fare you are not entitled to free checked baggage, the same thing that happens with the same fares on board British Airways for Gold level holders in the British Club. Same thing happens for all Golds when they fly in Air New Zealand's ultra basic fare.

In conclusion

Better before or better now? impossible to say. Of course the lack of free checked baggage on short haul, even for HON Circle seems to me a really absurd restriction, but that's the way it is and it's better to learn about it before you lose Euros on your next booking.

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