Scandinavian airline SAS has introduced lifetime Gold status in its Eurobonus loyalty program. It is awarded to passengers who have achieved the highest Gold or Diamond status levels for 10 consecutive years, reports Travel.ru.
Currently, earning one of these two elite statuses requires earning 45,000 points annually or taking 45 flights on SAS or Wideroe. Earning points has just become significantly more difficult: on baggage-free fares, even long-haul flights earn no more than 240 points. On other fares, you can earn between 100 and 2,000 points per flight within Europe, and between 1,600 and 12,000 points on long-haul routes, depending on the fare level. Segment accumulation is also more difficult than with other airlines, as flights on other Star Alliance carriers are not counted.
When calculating the 10 years required for lifetime Gold status, years in which a member received elite status as a gift from a company or another member are not counted. Only years in which elite status was earned through flights are counted. No exceptions are made for missed years due to life circumstances (illness, birth of children, etc.). It's worth noting that some carriers have recently begun making such exceptions: for example, British Airways and Qantas extend elite status for a year or a year and a half for new parents.
Source: travel.ru