Getting Acquainted with Sky Pearl Rules
To ensure your benefits, we set terms and conditions as below, please read through your Sky Pearl Club rules.
1.Definitions: With the rules and terms, unless otherwise specified, there will be:
China Southern Sky Pearl Club is defined as the frequent flyer program under control and management of China Southern Airlines.Award Mileages include Base Flight Mileage, Consumption Mileages, Promotional Mileages and Elite Bonus Mileage. Award Mileage can be used to redeem awards (award ticket or award upgrade or other specific awards).Statute Mileages refer to the distance of city pairs published in the IATA Ticketed Point Mileage Manual. All flight routes less than 500km will be credited 500km as Statute Mileage.Base Flight Mileages is defined as mileage earned on the eligible China Southern's flights or any other partner airlines' flights in the effective classes. Base Flight Mileage is calculated as Statute Mileage multiplied by the credit rate.Consumption Mileages refer to mileage earned from non-airline partners.Promotional Mileages refer to mileage earned by attending activities held by China Southern Sky Pearl Club. The acquirement and usage should refer to each activity's regulations.Elite Bonus Mileages refer to bonus especially for Sky Pearl Elite members. Elite Bonus Mileage is based on the Elite status and Statute Mileages. Elite Bonus Mileage is counted towards Award Mileage only, but not towards Elite Qualifying Mileages.Elite Qualifying Mileages(EQM) is defined as the base flight mileage earned on eligible China Southern or Partners Airlines' flights in effective classes, excluding Consumption Mileage of non-airline partners, Promotional Mileage and Elite Bonus Mileage. EQM is used to acquire the Elite Qualification.Elite Qualifying Segments(EQS) is defined as the base flight segments earned on eligible China Southern and SkyTeam Partner Airlines' flights in the effective classes, excluding the other partner airlines. EQS is used to acquire the Elite Qualification. For the calculation of EQS, please refer to I. Earning Sky Pearl Mileages-Airlines of this guide.
2.Membership Qualification and Mileage Account
Membership in China Southern Airlines' Sky Pearl Club is free to all passengers over 12-year-old who accept the Program Rules and Conditions described herein, except where and to the extent such membership is prohibited by law or regulation.
Corporations and/or entities could not be enrolled. Joint applications or multiple applications by the same individual will not be honored.
Applicants are required to submit completed and duly signed application forms to enroll and accept terms and conditions.
Membership card is for personal use only and are non-transferable.
China Southern Airline Sky Pearl Club reserves the right to disqualify any person from further participation in Sky Pearl Club if, in Sky Pearl Club's sole judgment, the person has violated the Program Rules and Conditions described herein, or misuses or abuses his/her membership right or performs any fraudulence. Disqualification may result in termination of membership, loss of accumulated mileage and/or cancellation of any unused awards.
Mileage account (membership number) management
After membership qualification get permitted, each member has one Sky Pearl Club account (membership number).China Southern doesn't accept multiple applications and reserve the right to clear or delete the repetition account.
In case two or more different accounts exist for one person, the member could ask for a merger. Member could designate a card number (membership account) and merge the information of the other account into his designated one.
After the merger request made by the member, the prior account could be deleted by Sky Pearl Club.
If you merge into a higher tier account, the merged into account of Elite tier may not hold the Elite Bonus mileage of the merged mileage. The qualification of new membership tier only examines the current EQM or EQS of the qualification year. If the member chooses to merger into the lower tier account, he no longer gets Elite Bonus Mileage of the prior higher tier.
3.Mileage Accrual
3.1 General rules
The unit of mileage accumulation is based on Kilometer.
Your mileage account begins on the first date of your enrollment in Sky Pearl Club. The date on the postmark or your successfully submit of the application online is considered as your enrollment day.
Sky Pearl Club mileage is valid for two calendar years. If your total mileage does not reach 20,000Km after two calendar years, the mileage accumulated in the first calendar year will be reduced by half.
Each member is assigned a personal (non-transferable) account number for mileage records.
No mileage will be credited for Award Travel. Mileage will be credited in the original booking class for the award upgrade obtained by mileage redemption and promotion or the situation of involuntary upgrade.
Mileage credit is not granted for airline company staff ticket (or other unpublished fares); travel agency reduced rates or other non-revenue tickets.
The charter flight is not eligible for mileage accrual, except the charter flights coded by CZ between China mainland and Taiwan district.
No mileage will be credited in case of voluntary or involuntary flight endorsement to other airlines' flights, which is not eligible for Sky Pearl Club members to accrual.
Mileages will be into your personal mileage account. Different accounts cannot be merged.
To ensure your mileages can be earned accurately into your account, please accrue mileages in accordance with this guide.
Until the appropriate mileage appears on your Sky Pearl account, please keep all boarding passes, copies of your ticket (E-ticket Travel Verification) for possible mileage retro claims.
3.2. Mileage Discrepancy
The flight mileage retro claim is valid within six months after the completion of each given flight. The expired flights are not acceptable.
For the mileage reclaim on China Southern flights, you are advised to call China Southern hotline providing the flight details or offer the copies of Boarding Pass and paper ticket (E-ticket) as the verification of mileage reclaim.
For the mileage reclaim on partner airlines' flights, please mail both the original Boarding Pass and paper ticket (E-ticket)'s copies for the mileage reclaim. You're advised to mail in the express to ensure its arrival.
Mileage reclaim for the consumption with non-airline partners
Please keep the bill or receipt as the verification and make the mileage reclaim with non-airline partners.
You could contact China Southern for the reclaim of consumption with Accor Hotels and Shangri-la Hotels & Resorts.
The reclaim documents are required to attach the Sky Pearl membership number. The documents without enough information or unclear are not acceptable.
4.Mileages Redemption
4.1 General rules
Award ticket and award upgrade is required to book in the designated class. Award availability is subject to capacity control.
The mileages required for the infant and children's award redemption are the same as the adult.
Award ticket and award upgrade are not applicable to the special passengers who required the stretcher service.
If award ticket or award upgrade involves the special service (such as the Unaccompanied Children Service), Sky Pearl members should apply to China Southern according to the company requirement and be responsible for the additional fees involved.
There are two types of award ticket redeposit as voluntary and involuntary. Except the involuntary reason defined in General Condition on Domestic Passenger, Luggage Transportation of China Southern Airlines Company Ltd., the others are all voluntary redeposit.
To ensure your account safety, please provide the certificates listed below upon award ticketing and upgrade reissue:
For Sky Pearl Club cardholder to travel: please provide Sky Pearl membership card, ID card and its copy with the cardholder's signature.
For the others to travel: please provide Sky Pearl membership card and cardholder's ID card with the cardholder's signature, passenger's ID card and its copy.
If entrusting someone else to get the award ticket, please provide his ID card and its copy.
Award tickets are valid for one year from the date of travel. Unused award tickets are valid for one year from the date of issue.
Lost award tickets will not be replaced nor refunded.
For award tickets deducted mileage but not yet issued, members should call the hotline 020-95539 and apply for the refund prior to the departure. Once the application is approved, the mileages will return to the account within three working days. Failure to apply for refund by the time limit will result in the refusal of mileage refund.
For award tickets already issued, members should apply for the mileage refund within the ticket validity. The expired award tickets fail to any mileage refund.
The documents required to provide upon the ticket refund are unused E-ticket verification or flight coupon and passenger coupon of paper ticket and the passengers' ID card (If entrusting someone else to get the award ticket, his ID card is required as well), as well as the membership number or card required.
Other transportation conditions not being listed are the same as the normal revenue ticket,
4.2 China Southern Award Ticket
China Southern Award Tickets or Award Upgrades are only redeemable on the flights coded and operated by China Southern (excluding any CZ code-share flights) or designated flights on non-SkyTeam partner airlines.
Award tickets may be used for one-way, round-way and open jaw. The mileage is deducted based on a single segment.
For the one-way award ticket, the flight number and date should be decided upon ticketing. For the round-way ticket, the outbound journey should fix the flight and date, but the flight date of inbound journey could be flexible and should be fixed within the ticket validity.
Sky pearl award ticket is not allowed to make a stopover in the itinerary.
Before ticketing, sky pearl award ticket is not allowed to do any change. After ticketing, it is allowed to change the flight date once within the ticket validity, but not allowed to change the flight route and carrier (except in the case of involuntary).
Refund in the involuntary cases: to refund 100% mileage of unused segments; in the voluntary cases: to deduct 50% mileage of unused segments for the refund fee.
4.3 China Southern Award Upgrade
Award upgrade is only redeemable on the flights marketed and operated by China Southern.
Award upgrade is good for one-way journey only.
Award upgrade is allowed once on the same flight. For example, if you upgrade from Economy to Business used the mileage, then you are not allowed to use the mileage for the upgrade from Business to First Class again.
For domestic flights, only classes(C/D/W/Y) are eligible for award upgrade. For International flights, only classes(C/D/W/Y/T/K/H) are eligible for award upgrade.
Award upgrades are handled by China Southern Ticketing Office or CZ check-in counters within 72 hours before flight departure. The upgrade for return flight should be handled at local China Southern Ticketing Office. Cities without China Southern Ticketing Office do not provide award upgrade service.
After award upgrade is issued, any voluntary endorsement will result in forfeiture of said flight upgrade. Endorsements are based on the original class of service.
After award upgrade tickets are issued, any voluntary change of the date or flight will result in forfeiture of said flight upgrade. Endorsements are based on the original class of service.
Refund for award upgrade only happens in involuntary case; not for voluntary.
For the request of downgrade, the passenger coupon with the stamp of "INVOLUNTARY DOWNGRADE" (stamped at the check-in counter) is required to present. The refund is handled by the authorized booking offices, not at check-in counter.
Involuntary downgrade is allowed to make refund. The redeposit mileages will reflect in the column of "other mileages".
4.4 SkyTeam Award Ticket
China Southern Customer Service Call Center at 020-95539(domestic) and (8620)8668 2000(international) is the contact for the SkyTeam Award Ticket application.
Sky Pearl Club members must follow (SkyTeam award ticket rules and regulations) upon applying for one or more SkyTeam member airlines' tickets.
SkyTeam award ticket is only eligible on the flights marketed and operated by SkyTeam partner airlines. Co-share flights between SkyTeam members and non-SkyTeam air partners are not eligible.
Sky Pearl Club mileage could be used for a SkyTeam award ticket operated by one SkyTeam member. For the purpose of flight connecting, you can redeem SkyTeam Award Ticket on one or more SkyTeam member airlines. If your travel plans include China Southern flights, they should be international flights (including Hong Kong and Macau routes).
China Southern domestic flight involved in the routes should follow China Southern Award Ticket Chart and rules.
SkyTeam award ticket rules are only applicable to award tickets (not to award upgrade).
SkyTeam Award Ticket Chart is applicable for round-trip, both one-way and round-trip tickets share the same standard.
SkyTeam award ticket is not allowed to a round-to-world ticket (transpacific and transatlantic in the same itinerary).
Route, flight date and flight number must be decided upon booking SkyTeam Award Ticket. Open Jaw is not allowed to SkyTeam Award Ticket and blackout date is applicable on some partners' flight.
Classes in different levels of service could mix book in the route, but mileage will be deducted by the standard of the highest class of service.
For flight connecting purpose, stopover (except the destination/returning point) is allowed once for SkyTeam award tickets.
Before ticketing, the mileage-deducted SkyTeam Award tickets could not do any change. SkyTeam award tickets already issued cannot changed routes and the name of passenger. Flight number and date can be changed within the ticket validity and 200RMB or equal value in local currency is charged per change.
Mileage refunds should be made in ticket's validity.
Mileage refunds should be handled at any designated China Southern Ticketing Office.
Mileage refunds are categorized as voluntary and involuntary. It costs time for China Southern to contact partner airline and confirm the nature of the refund- voluntary or involuntary.
Mileage refund regulations:
Totally unused Award ticket-Voluntary: to refund 50% mileage; Involuntary: to refund 100% mileage. All tax paid refund,
Partially used Award ticket-Voluntary: no refund; Involuntary: to refund 50% mileage. Tax for unused section refund.
5. Membership level and benefits
5.1 Membership level
There are three membership levels in the Sky Pearl Club program: Gold card, Silver card and Base card.
One qualification year is 12-month duration from January 1 and December 31, which is used to determine Elite levels.
Sky Pearl Club will rate next year's elite qualification based on the level of EQM or EQS of this year.
Although you successfully re-claim your flight of last year, the re-credited mileage will only be counted to the EQM or EQM of the year when you made the reclaim.
Before your Elite Qualification is getting expiry, your new qualification will be calculated by the EQM or EQS you earned within last Qualification Year.
Upgrading and re-qualification require the same criteria.
If the year you earned the qualification is considered as the first year, the new Elite Level is valid from the day you earned the Elite Qualification until Feb. 28/29 of the third year.
5.2 Elite benefits
Sky Pearl Gold card and Silver card members could gain Elite Bonus Mileages on the eligible flights of China Southern or airline partners in the effective classes.
Elite Bonus Mileage is counted towards Award Mileages, but not towards Elite Qualifying Mileages.
Elite Bonus Mileage is not available to the ineligible classes of mileage accrual.
Sky Pearl Elite benefits are available on the flights marketed and operated by China Southern Airlines.
Sky Pearl Elite Benefits-Lounge Access
Gold Card Members can bring one companion (same day traveling on China Southern flights) into First Class lounge, while Silver Card Members themselves have the access to Business Class lounge.
The companion bought by China Southern Gold cardholder should appear with the cardholder when requesting to lounge access.
China Southern only provides lounge access at the lounges operated by China Southern or having service contract with China Southern.
China Southern Elite Benefits-Extra baggage allowance: It is only available on the flights in weight concept, but not on the flights in piece concept.
SkyTeam Elite Benefits-Lounge Access
Departing from SkyTeam international flight or ST domestic flight connecting to/from ST international flight, SkyTeam Elite Plus (include Sky Pearl Gold card) member could invite one companion to the lounges.
The companion brought by SkyTeam Elite Plus (include China Southern Gold card) should appear with the SkyTeam Elite Plus when requesting to lounge access and same day travel on SkyTeam flights.
SkyTeam Elite Benefits-Guaranteed Reservation: In most cases, it's only available on the SkyTeam international flight of 6 or more flight hours. SkyTeam Elite Plus should make the request to the operated airlines at least 24 hours prior to departure.
6. Other
The Sky Pearl Club will not accept any responsibility of the loss of mileage result from your PIN disclosure.
Members shall be responsible for all applicable taxes (such as Fuel Surcharges and Airport Construction Fees) if imposed by governmental agencies by using award travel.
China Southern Sky Pearl Club will initially set a password for each member. Members are strongly urged to change the initial password upon registering. Your password is your membership account identity and ensures the safety of your FFP account, therefore please keep it confidential and change it frequently. Members should never release his/her password to any unauthorized individual. The Sky Pearl Club accepts each mileage transaction only via password and bears no responsibility for any loss of mileage if members release their password to unauthorized individuals or anyone uses their password without approval.
China Southern forbidden any behavior that individuals violate the interest of other Sky Pearl Club members. Any misuse of Frequent Flyer Program of the Sky Pearl Club, including submitting any error information or conducting other behaviors deemed inappropriate by China Southern Airlines Ltd. such as the violation of the regulations made by China Southern Airlines or other cooperative partners of this program, improper or harassing behaviors against China Southern Airlines Ltd. staff, or rejection of the staff¡¯s advice, will result in termination of China Southern Sky Pearl Club membership and participation qualification, and cancellation of all accumulated mileages and unused award tickets previously issued. Any violation conducts of this terms and conditions of the Sky Pearl Club will result in confiscation of the tickets (including during the travel) and payment for the misused Economy¡¢Business¡¢First class tickets in respect to the concerned travel sector. As for the implementation of terms and conditions of the Sky Pearl Club, China Southern Airlines Ltd. reserves the right to take proper and legal measures when necessary in order to seek compensation, retain fee and legal fare.
Each member shall be responsible for advising The Sky Pearl Club of any change in name or mailing address. The Sky Pearl Club accepts no responsibility for any loss or delay of mailed materials to the member due to an incorrect address provided by the member.
Sky Pearl Club forbids any form of mileage dealing with money, otherwise Sky Pearl Club doesn¡¯t answer for any of the loss.
If you are doubt about your Sky Pearl Club account, the mileage retro claim is valid within six months after the completion of each given flight.
China Southern Airlines¡¯ Sky Pearl Club retains the right to change its rules or terminate its system-wide frequent flyer programs at any time without notice. All membership cards are the property of China Southern Airlines.
Responsibility exemption and limitations
In case of force majeure, computer virus, system failure, communication failure, power turnoff, hostile system attack and other cases not attributed to China Southern, China Southern accepts no responsibility.
In case members make use of system failure or other information to damage China Southern or other members¡¯ benefits, China Southern Sky Pearl Club retains the right to immediately terminate said membership, cancel all accumulated mileage and retain legal action against the member.
Upon discovering behavior that affects account and information security, China Southern retains all right to protect membership accounts. Members may be required to validate their identity to use their account.
Individual privacy and others issues
China Southern Sky Pearl Club requires personal information solely for mileage accumulation, redemption, FFP program operation/management and providing the membership service and information to members. Incomplete member information may lead to failure of membership qualification and related promotion and services.
All personal information is managed according to China Southern Sky Pearl Club privacy policy.
Where the Program Rules and Conditions are in conflict with laws of a local government, they are subject to the restrictions of all applicable local laws.
If the Chinese version of this guide is conflict with other language version, the Chinese version shall prevail. In case of dispute, China Southern reserves the right to make final explanation.
This version is effective as of 1st June, 2009. Version 2009.6 would replace of the prior version and the rules are subject to this version.
In case of any dispute, all arbitration shall be held in Guangzhou Arbitration Committee, China.