For elite members
of airberlin's topbonus rewards program, there is no immediate change.
The News Release also promises that members
of airberlin's topbonus rewards program will also be able to earn miles on JetBlue flights in the future.
Germany's bankrupt Airberlin keeps limping along as it negotiates the sale of its assets to competitors, but that hasn't stopped Lufthansa from targeting a couple
of Airberlin routes.
Signing up and earning miles with Etihad is a good alternative, if you are planning future trips to the Middle East, Africa or Asia — but still gives you very limited choices in Europe, with the bankruptcy
of airberlin and alitalia... An even better solution might be to sign up for ANA Mileage Club, as you will be able to redeem for flights on StarAlliance airlines, like Lufthansa, Swiss, SAS and LOT, giving you lots of options from Europe!
With the recent demise
of airberlin, that doesn't leave you with a lot of options.
Now, they have also stopped the accrual or redemption of topbonus miles, the rewards program
of airberlin that is owned by Etihad and run as a separate company!
It is proposed to contribute the touristic operations
of the airberlin group and the German TUIfly company, including the aircraft currently operated by TUIfly for airberlin under a wet - lease agreement, into a new airline group established by TUI AG and Etihad Aviation Group.
In yet another surprising twist in the sage that is the insolvency
of airberlin, the carrier's topbonus rewards program announced today, that award tickets issued on 745 - ticket stock are valid and have already been paid AND, topbonus shop is reopening to earn miles on Etihad flights and with ground partners and to redeem miles for vouchers and merchandise.
It would be a long journey, but it would also be a great way to take advantage
of airberlin's liberal stopover policy.
After the bankruptcy
of airberlin, Alitalia and Monarch in 2017, the new year 2018 is off to a better start with the (re --RRB- launch of Air Italy, bringing new planes, new livery and new destinations for travelers to, from and through Italy.
Not exact matches
Points can be redeemed for travel with any one
of the other OneWorld alliance partners - including American Airlines,
Airberlin, and Qantas.
British Airways,
airberlin, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Aer Lingus, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN, Malaysia Airlines, OpenSkies, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines, TAM Airlines and US Airways are trademarks
of their respective companies.
Earn AAdvantage miles when you book a flight on American Airlines or with one
of the Oneworld partners:
Airberlin, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LATAM, Qatar Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, SriLankan Airlines, Royal Jordanian, and S7 Airlines.
Along with American, Explorer awards are valid on all airlines in the oneworld alliance —
Airberlin, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN, Qantas, Royal Jordanian and S7 — as well as more than 20
of their affiliate airlines.
US Airways, part
of American Airlines Group, has announced the launch
of its codeshare agreement with fellow oneworld member
airberlin, further enhancing its relationship with the Berlin - based carrier and providing customers increased access to major destinations throughout Germany and beyond.
Having seen carriers such as Virgin Atlantic,
airberlin, Vueling and Iberia embrace wearable technology outside
of Asia, Spring Airlines was the first carrier to equip its flight attendants with Google Glass to help improve in - flight customer service.
American Airlines is part
of the oneworld alliance, which means you can purchase award tickets on any
of the 15 member airlines, including
airberlin, Cathay Pacific, JAL, Qantas, British Airways, Qatar and more.
There are 14 member airlines
of Oneworld alliance:
Airberlin, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LATAM, Qatar Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, SriLankan Airlines, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines.
During my recent
airberlin insolvency debacle, I booked an SQ Business Class award ticket as backup and was able to cancel it for a redeposit
of my miles for only $ 30 — now, it will be $ 75 or 240 %!
This tier match promotion does not extend to members
of the frequent flyer programmmes
of Etihad Airways Partners (Air Lingus,
airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Jet Airways) & Virgin Australia.
British Airways,
airberlin, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Aer Lingus, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN, Malaysia Airlines, OpenSkies, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines, TAM Airlines and US Airways are trademarks
of their respective companies.
The full list
of excluded programs are the programs
of Air Lingus,
airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Jet Airways & Virgin Australia.
You'll have to call
airberlin to book flights with many
of their partner airlines.
There have already been some questions raised about
airberlin's participation in the oneworld alliance thanks to its involvement in another pseudo-alliance — the Etihad Airways Partners network (a.k.a a group
of largely failing airlines in which Etihad has an ownership stake)-- and this latest issue with American in unlikely to make things any better.
On long flights, you'll be better off using most
of the other
airberlin partners except British Airways.
In August,
Airberlin filed for insolvency in Germany following a decision by Etihad Airways, one
of its major owners, to stop putting money into the company.
The section I've highlighted at the front are the six rows
of seats that
airBerlin designated as XL seats and, as I assume Virgin Atlantic hasn't had time to do much with them, this is the only section
of Economy Class that you should look to sit.
Virgin Atlantic has taken delivery
of four Airbus A330 - 200 aircraft which used to belong to
airBerlin.
Plus
airberlin topbonus members have the added benefit
of several valuable airline partners outside the oneworld alliance, including Alitalia, Virgin Australia, Etihad and Niki.
If you're looking for a transatlantic flight, remember that
airberlin and some
of its partners impose hefty fuel surcharges on long flights.
Last month
Airberlin announced a radical restructuring that will ultimately lead to more of a focus on business travelers - you can read all about that here: «The new airberlin; analyst presentati
Airberlin announced a radical restructuring that will ultimately lead to more
of a focus on business travelers - you can read all about that here: «The new
airberlin; analyst presentati
airberlin; analyst presentation»
The news follows Laudamotion's acquisition
of assets from the former
airberlin subsidiary Niki Luftfahrt.
Airberlin is a member
of the oneworld alliance so awards on the airline can be booked using American Airlines AAdvantage Miles as well as Avios and all the other oneworld currencies.
Next spring,
airberlin will be heading from Dallas — Fort Worth to Dusseldorf, an art and fashion mecca in the heart
of Germany.
While those Avios are great for short - haul flights, particularly within Europe, you won't want to use them to fly between the U.S. and Europe unless you book on one
of British Airways» oneworld alliance partners, like
airberlin.
After the insolvencies
of alitalia,
airberlin and Monarch Airlines this years, I expected other smaller regional airlines to follow.
Airberlin also has partnerships with carriers that are not a part
of the oneworld family, such as Virgin Australia, Niki, Alitalia and Etihad.
Table 2 sets out the points requirements for redeeming on the services
of the remaining airline partners, being Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines, Silk Air, Air New Zealand (New Zealand domestic and long haul services only),
airberlin, Hawaiian Airlines, South African Airways.
Since
airberlin is a oneworld member, you can purchase an award ticket with miles from any number
of carriers, including American Airlines.
For award flights, Virgin Australia prices tickets based on the number
of miles traveled on the itinerary, beginning with a 0 - to -600-mile bucket for 6,900 points in economy on Virgin, Etihad, Delta and Air New Zealand's Trans Tasman service, and 10,000 points on
airberlin, Hawaiian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, and Air New Zealand's remaining routes.
Cathay Pacific, a oneworld Alliance member, adds fuel surcharges to most
of its partners, except: Air Lingus,
airberlin, Alaska, American (except for flights to / from Europe), LATAM and Qantas (except for flights originating in Australia).
I lost most
of my topbonus points on a cancelled
airberlin flight last year and my remaining points are enough for a short - haul Condor discount.
Starpoints can be used to book travel through the SPG portal where 20,000 points is worth $ 215 - $ 280 in free travel, or you can transfer to one
of over two dozen transfer partners including Air Canada,
airberlin, AirFrance / KLM, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Catha Pacific, Delta Airlines, Emirates, Eithad, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, United, Virgin America, and Virgin Atlantic.
Since British Airways is part
of the OneWorld alliance, Avios can be used to book flights on American Airlines,
airberlin, Finn Air, as well as British Airways.
(Meanwhile, the Oneworld alliance has suspended mileage earning and spending privileges on
Airberlin flights for members
of other Oneworld airline frequent flyer programs.)
Out
of 20 transatlantic airlines measured for operational efficiency, Canada's biggest airline tied for fourth place behind only KLM, Aer Lingus,
Airberlin and Norwegian Air, according to a November report from the International Council on Clean Transportation.