Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
How to earn and retain Thai Royal Orchid Plus status
Royal Orchid Plus is the frequent flyer programme of Thai Airways International, which is a member of the Star Alliance. Status in Royal Orchid Plus is earned by crediting qualifying flight activity to a Royal Orchid Plus account inside a qualification period, and it is retained by repeating that activity before the next period closes. [3] [4]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Royal Orchid Plus runs a tier ladder above its entry level, with Silver, Gold and Platinum above Member, and each level is earned through qualifying activity credited to your account. [3]
- Progress is measured on what is credited inside a qualification period, and every tier has to be re-earned in the following period rather than held automatically. [3]
- Thai Airways International flights and eligible Star Alliance flights can both feed your progress, provided the fare you bought is recognised for accrual. [4]
- Silver corresponds to Star Alliance Silver, while Gold and Platinum correspond to Star Alliance Gold, which is what extends recognition to partner airlines. [3]
How is Thai Royal Orchid Plus status earned?
Royal Orchid Plus is a tiered programme. A new member starts at the entry level and moves up by collecting qualifying activity inside a qualification period. [3] The activity that counts is flight activity credited to the member's Royal Orchid Plus account on Thai Airways International and on partner airlines whose flights the programme recognises for accrual. [4]
Two things therefore decide whether you move up: what you fly, and how the booking is made. A flight adds to your total only where the fare you bought is one of the fares recognised for accrual, and where your Royal Orchid Plus number is in the reservation so the flight can be credited. [4] Accrual is set by booking class rather than by cabin alone, so two passengers sitting in the same cabin can make different progress from the same trip. [4]
The consequence is that status is not a reward for distance travelled. It is a record of eligible, credited flying within a fixed window, so a small number of well-chosen long-haul flights in eligible fare classes can move a member further than a large number of short trips bought on fares the programme does not recognise. [4]
Which Royal Orchid Plus tiers map to Star Alliance status?
Royal Orchid Plus levels carry a Star Alliance equivalent, which is what a member shows at the airport when flying with a partner carrier. [3]
| Royal Orchid Plus tier | Star Alliance equivalent |
|---|---|
| Member | No Star Alliance tier |
| Silver | Star Alliance Silver |
| Gold | Star Alliance Gold |
| Platinum | Star Alliance Gold |
The mapping matters because the alliance tier, not the Thai tier name, is what staff at a partner airline check when you ask for a benefit on a codeshare or interline trip. [3]
How do you renew or retain Royal Orchid Plus status?
Status is not permanent. Each level has to be earned again by repeating qualifying activity in the next qualification period, and the published programme conditions set out the metrics and the window that apply to that assessment. [3]
Because the assessment looks only at activity credited inside a fixed window, timing matters as much as volume. Flying early in a period leaves room for a missed segment, a retro-credit claim or a fare that turns out to be ineligible, whereas the same flights taken at the very end of the period leave no margin. [3] [4]
Crediting also depends on the reservation itself. A flight only counts towards renewal once the operating carrier's eligible activity reaches your Royal Orchid Plus account, so keeping your number in every booking is part of retaining status rather than an administrative afterthought. [4]
Limits and exceptions
- Fare and booking class conditions. Eligibility for accrual is attached to the fare and booking class, so a premium cabin does not automatically mean more progress than a seat further back. [4]
- Partner flying. Flights on other Star Alliance carriers are credited according to the rules the programme publishes for that carrier, which can differ from the rules for Thai Airways International's own flights. [4]
- Miles and status are separate. Redeemable miles and tier progress are different balances: a member can hold a large miles balance without holding a tier, and tier progress does not by itself buy awards. [3]
- Benefits end with the tier. Star Alliance and Thai Airways International privileges apply only while the Royal Orchid Plus tier is current, so a missed renewal withdraws both sets of benefits at the same time. [3]
- This page covers one programme only. Thresholds, metrics and qualification periods described here are Royal Orchid Plus rules and do not carry over to any other Star Alliance programme. [3]
Frequently asked questions
Does Star Alliance Gold from another airline give me Royal Orchid Plus status?
No. Royal Orchid Plus status is earned through activity credited to a Royal Orchid Plus account; holding a tier in another Star Alliance programme is a separate matter and does not itself create a Royal Orchid Plus tier. [3]
Can I credit Star Alliance flights to Royal Orchid Plus?
Yes, where the operating carrier's flight is recognised for Royal Orchid Plus accrual and your Royal Orchid Plus number is in the reservation, but the earning rate follows the published rules for that carrier rather than the rules for Thai Airways International. [3] [4]
Do cheap fares count towards status?
Eligibility depends on the fare and booking class, so check the fare you are booking against the published accrual rules before assuming a trip will count. [4]
Is Royal Orchid Plus status the same as Star Alliance status?
They are linked but not identical: Silver corresponds to Star Alliance Silver, and Gold and Platinum correspond to Star Alliance Gold. [3]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. Other Star Alliance programmes, including United MileagePlus, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Lufthansa Miles & More and Air Canada Aeroplan, are not covered here; each sets its own thresholds and qualification periods.
- Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus programme conditions, checked 18 October 2026
- Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus mileage accumulation rules, checked 18 October 2026