BA gets Starlink on the 787, Lufthansa refreshes amenity kits, and a status match that might be useful for you

Hey {{first name | reader}},

Happy Friday! One foot in the weekend already. Today's post has one topic you already know I get excited about: more planes with Starlink Wi-Fi in the sky.

We also have Lufthansa's new amenity kits and a status match from SAS that could be quite attractive if you hold the right airline status.

In today’s post: 

British Airways has officially kicked off its Starlink rollout, and the first aircraft is already in service. This is the first UK airline to launch the service, and it is starting with the Boeing 787 fleet before expanding to the rest of its long-haul and short-haul aircraft over time. The airline expects the full fleet (over 300 aircraft) to have Starlink installed within about two years.

Starlink on BA will be free for all customers who are members of the British Airways Club, so if you're not already signed up, go do that now. And this is something I love about airlines adding Starlink: connectivity has become a real need, not a luxury. Even though I sometimes get on a plane and deliberately turn Wi-Fi off to disconnect, having fast and reliable internet available when you need it changes the experience completely. Free, gate-to-gate internet is a very different proposition from the expensive and inconsistent legacy systems that have frustrated passengers for years.

We talk a lot about seats, food, amenity kits, and lounges. But for a lot of passengers, especially on long-haul flights and for anyone traveling for work, internet quality is now a core part of the product. Starlink makes that part of the experience feel top-notch.

I do get excited about this news. Part of it is probably because here in South America, until about two or three years ago, there was no Wi-Fi on planes at all. Flying without Wi-Fi is just normal here. And even now, seeing it on a flight still feels like a pleasant surprise, which feels a bit wild when you compare it to other parts of the world. So every time I see another airline pushing better onboard internet, I love it.

Lufthansa is rolling out new amenity kits in first and business class, in partnership with BABOR, the German skincare brand. The rollout starts in late March 2026 in first class and from early May 2026 in business class on long-haul flights. The new kits are part of the airline’s broader anniversary-year “extreme makeover” attempt.

This is more interesting than it might sound at first. Lufthansa has been working to reposition itself more clearly in the premium travel space, and these kits are part of that broader effort, alongside updated tableware, bedding, and a general push to make the experience feel more refined across cabins. This all falls under what Lufthansa calls its FOX (Future Onboard Experience) plan.

The first class version sounds especially interesting, with a more personalized skincare concept using BABOR products, since you will be able to choose different options in your amenity kit. Now, let's hope they can actually execute it, because Lufthansa has shown some weaknesses when implementing ambitious new plans, so I'll believe it fully when I see it in the air.

Amenity kits are a small touchpoint that can make an onboard product feel polished or forgettable. And Lufthansa is an airline that has often felt a bit inconsistent in that regard, strong in some areas and a little behind the curve in others. I do think these details are important, especially in premium cabins. So I see this as part of a larger pattern: Lufthansa is refreshing the passenger experience piece by piece. And honestly, it needs to.

Every day, 4.5 million readers turn to 1440 for their factual news fix. We sift through 100+ sources to bring you a complete summary of politics, global events, business, and culture — all in a brief 5-minute email. No spin. No slant. Just clarity.

Join for free today!

SAS EuroBonus is running two separate status match campaigns right now, both through the end of March 2026, or until quota fills. There's no public information on how large that quota is, so don't wait too long if this is relevant to you.

The first is a free match for Finnair Plus and airBaltic Club elites, but it comes with a catch: you need to complete a flight challenge on SAS within 6 months to keep the status long term. The requirements are 3 flights for Silver, 6 for Gold, and 9 for Diamond. Complete the challenge and the matched status can be extended for up to 24 months. That's a great deal if you're based in Scandinavia and fly SAS regularly, but if you're not, maintaining it might be difficult.

The second is a paid match for British Airways Club members who are residents of eligible European countries. This one is much simpler: no flight challenge required, and the pricing is €39 for Silver, €79 for Gold, and €159 for Diamond. The matched status is valid for the remainder of the current EuroBonus qualification period plus 12 additional months, which can mean up to about 23 months of status depending on timing.

Why does this matter? Because SAS EuroBonus became significantly more relevant after SAS joined SkyTeam in September 2024. EuroBonus Gold and Diamond now map into SkyTeam Elite Plus, which opens up alliance-wide perks like lounge access, priority services, and extra baggage across airlines like Air France, KLM, Delta, Korean Air, and Virgin Atlantic.

So if you already hold status with Finnair, airBaltic, or British Airways, and SkyTeam benefits would actually be useful for how you travel, this is worth a serious look. I wouldn't call it an automatic yes for everyone, because status matches only make sense if you're going to use them. But if you were looking for a relatively easy path into EuroBonus and SkyTeam status without starting from scratch, this is an interesting opportunity.

That's it for today. Enjoy the weekend, and more deals and strategies coming your way on Monday.

Catch you in the clouds,

Tomi from Points Master