Some links to products and partners on this website will earn an affiliate commission.
You can snag free OneWorld elite status thanks to Air Berlin, which is currently offering 4 months of Silver status in its ‘TopBonus’ loyalty programme (equivalent to OneWorld Ruby) to anyone.
The signup page is here – it’s in German but is quite simple and nothing Google translate can’t sort out.
I signed up for this offer myself a while ago and wasn’t sure whether it had worked to begin with, but can confirm that after a few days your TopBonus status level does get upgraded to Silver. Theoretically, you are supposed to be a member of networking site ‘Xing’, but it doesn’t make any difference in practice.
To keep Silver status, you need to collect 8,500 status miles or fly 8 times with Air Berlin / NIKI during the 4 months (rather than the standard requirement of 25,000 status miles / 25 flights).
You can also use this promo to fast-track to Gold status (OneWorld Sapphire) for just 20,000 status miles or 20 flights (rather than the standard 50,000 miles / 60 flights), which might well be worth taking a close look at if you have some paid Business Class flying coming up anytime soon that you could credit to TopBonus.
What does TopBonus Silver status get you?
When flying with Air Berlin you get:
- Priority Check-in
- Security fast lane
- Free seat reservation
- 25% bonus Miles
- Waiting list priority
- Reduced XL seats
- Additional baggage allowance
- Exclusive parking area
- Exclusive waiting areas where you can get a free soft-drink /newspaper etc at some airports in Germany/Austria
TopBonus Silver also grants free access to Etihad’s ‘Al Reem’ Lounge at Abu Dhabi Airport, as Air Berlin is an Etihad Partner. You can read more about benefits when flying Etihad here.
What does OneWorld Ruby status get you?
Benefits on other OneWorld airlines (like BA) are a little more limited, but still definitely worth having!
Bottom line
Free OneWorld elite status is very nice to have, even if it is only Ruby for 4 months.
The fast track route to TopBonus Gold (OneWorld Sapphire) that is also included when you sign up, is definitely something you should consider if you have eligible Business Class flights coming up.
You need to sign up by 30th November, so don’t delay too long if you think you might want to take advantage.
Hat-tip: Travel-dealz.de
Can I use this to status match to other Oneworld airlines?
It didn’t work. On second attempt was told ‘you are already registered’.
OneWorld status match – probably not.
It will work – as I mentioned in the article, it takes a little while (few days in my case) for your account to be upgraded.
Ah, fair enough! Thanks. I’ll keep an eye out.
the website seems to have crashed! Darnit!
“Dear visitor,
due to maintenance work the topbonus website is currently unavailable. Please try again later.
Thank you for your understanding.
Your topbonus Team”
Seems to be back up again now, although the load time was really long.
I managed to create my profile, but then it sends you an email with a sign up (red box) confirmation to validate it. That fails – it gives an error. That said I can log in with the user and password and i have the number so perhaps it did work :S
They’ve sent me the “classic” basic tier.. I need to call i think to try and sort this out… ANy idea if they shut down the offer? and under what basis?
The article above says it closed on 30th November, though they have been known to close their promos early (for example, their ‘points for referrals’ offer a few months back).
I signed up on 22nd November but my account status stubbornly remains Classic.
I fear you would be wasting time trying to call, unless you are fluent in German!
Hi andrew, thanks for replying. I applied the day i was posting the messages – so the morning of the 24th, but they probably shut it down early if we were bombarding the website!
Shame!
As for my German.. let’s see how i get on 😉
(The answer is: Not very well!!)
Hi William,
I did mine ages ago and then thought it hadn’t worked so didn’t write about it. I logged into my account quite a while later (definitely weeks) for some other reason and it had been upgraded, so I wouldn’t give up hope yet! I’m pretty sure they sent me a classic card to begin with too, and I only got my Silver one in the post a week or so ago.
I have an update on this. I had completely forgotten about it, then noticed on another site that some people who applied have had an Air Berlin email stating:
“The silver jump start is a voluntarily offered service, which is only offered to customers who live in Germany, Austria, Swiss or USA. Your request for the silver upgrade can not be confirmed, as not all required conditions for this action have been fulfilled.”
My status remains Classic. Maybe Air Berlin decided there were so many applicants they decided to narrow the list. Oh well, it was only four months anyway!