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Airline Alliances: History, Members & Benefits

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Airline Alliances: How These Partnerships Strengthen Connectivity Between Carriers

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History of Alliances in the Airline Industry

Benefits of alliances to airlines, benefits of alliances to passengers, top alliances and member airlines, faq: airline alliances.

Back in the 90's when I really started to travel a ton, United was my preferred airline since I lived in San Francisco. I remember what a huge deal it was when the Star Alliance was created - especially for the benefits of being able to accrue and use miles on the partner airlines. It all seemed to make sense since no one airline could truly cover the world. This article will provide an update on where these alliances stand today.

Airline alliances have played a crucial role in shaping the global aviation industry. The first significant alliance, Star Alliance , was established in 1997 and included five major global airlines . Since then, the concept of airline alliances has evolved and expanded, with multiple agreements and partnerships being formed.

Airline alliances are cooperative agreements between two or more airlines that aim to enhance connectivity, streamline operations, and provide a seamless travel experience to passengers. These alliances involve code-sharing, allowing airlines to sell seats on each other's flights and provide reciprocal benefits to their customers.

Airline alliances offer numerous benefits to participating carriers. Firstly, alliances enable airlines to expand their network reach by leveraging the routes and destinations offered by partner airlines. This allows them to offer more options to passengers without having to invest in additional aircraft or infrastructure.

Financially, alliances provide cost-sharing opportunities and economies of scale. By collaborating in areas such as purchasing, maintenance, and marketing, airlines can achieve cost efficiencies and reduce operational expenses. Additionally, alliances enhance the marketing reach of member airlines, as they can promote and market each other's flights, leading to increased brand visibility and customer acquisition.

However, there can be challenges for airlines when it comes to the management of earned miles. Depending on the specific alliance and its policies, unused miles earned on one airline within the alliance may not be transferable or usable on another airline. This can result in complexities and limitations for both the airlines and their customers.

Have you ever wondered how airline alliances like Star Alliance, OneWorld, and SkyTeam can enhance your travel experience? This insightful video breaks down the history, structure, and benefits of these major airline alliances, making it easier to understand how they work together to offer passengers a seamless travel experience. Personally, learning about these alliances transformed the way I book my flights, allowing me to maximize my reward points and enjoy elite status benefits across multiple airlines. Don't miss out on this valuable information—watch the video to see how it can improve your next journey!

Airline alliances bring several advantages to travelers. One of the key benefits is enhanced connectivity, as passengers can enjoy access to a broader network of flights and destinations through their alliance's member airlines. This allows for smoother transfers, increased flight frequency, and improved options when planning itineraries.

Moreover, passengers who are members of frequent flyer programs within an alliance can earn and redeem miles across multiple airlines, making it easier to accumulate rewards and enjoy various perks. Additionally, alliance members often provide reciprocal benefits such as priority check-in, lounge access, and expedited security procedures, enhancing the overall travel experience for passengers.

On the downside, passengers may sometimes experience limitations when redeeming their miles or accessing benefits, as availability can be subject to blackout dates, capacity controls, and restrictions imposed by individual airlines within the alliance. It's essential for travelers to understand these nuances and plan accordingly.

Currently, there are three major airline alliances dominating the industry:

SkyTeam alliance, founded in 2000, consists of 19 member airlines and focuses on providing a seamless travel experience across a vast network of over 1,150 destinations in more than 175 countries. SkyTeam offers passengers numerous benefits such as lounge access, priority services, and the ability to earn and redeem miles across its member airlines.

• Aerolíneas Argentinas
• China Airlines
• China Eastern Airlines
• Czech Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Garuda Indonesia
• Kenya Airways
• Middle East Airlines
• Vietnam Airlines
• Xiamen Airlines

Star Alliance

Star Alliance is the largest airline alliance, with 26 member airlines. Established with a vision to take passengers to every corner of the world and provide a seamless travel experience, Star Alliance now offers over 1,000 destinations in more than 190 countries.

• Adria Airways
• Aegean Airlines
• Air New Zealand
• Asiana Airlines
• Austrian Airlines
• Brussels Airlines
• Copa Airlines
• Croatia Airlines
• Ethiopian Airlines
• LOT Polish Airlines
• Scandinavian Airlines
• Shenzhen Airlines
• Singapore Airlines
• South African Airways
• Swiss International Air Lines
• TAP Air Portugal
• Thai Airways
• Turkish Airlines
• United Airlines

Oneworld alliance comprises 14 member airlines, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Qantas. It offers a strong global network and seamless connectivity.

• American Airlines
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific
• Japan Airlines
• Malaysia Airlines
• Qatar Airways
• Royal Air Maroc
• Royal Jordanian
• S7 Airlines
• SriLankan Airlines
• Fiji Airways (Oneworld Connect partner)

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Airline alliances: what are they & what are the benefits.

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Understanding the three main airline alliances – Star Alliance, one world, and SkyTeam – can make a big difference to your travels. Airlines have cooperated this way for over 20 years, and offer many benefits to passengers and airlines alike. This guide explains the history and membership of the alliances and how they work together to offer benefits to passengers. It also looks at some recent developments and the future of the alliances.

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What are airline alliances?

An airline alliance is an agreement between a group of airlines to cooperate . They work together in marketing and offering flights and connections across their networks. They also provide guaranteed benefits to connecting passengers and to each other's elite members.

You can see this cooperation when searching for connecting tickets. If you book a flight from the US to Europe, for example, you will often find tickets combing members of the same alliance (American Airlines connecting to British Airways or Iberia, for example, all within the same alliance).

These airlines will offer through ticketing, connection guarantees, and baggage handling. From an operational point of view, though, there is not necessarily any revenue sharing in place (this would be handled by codeshares or joint ventures agreements, not alliance membership).

What are the benefits to passengers and airlines?

Alliances offer a win-win solution for passengers and airlines . For passengers, they open up more destinations with their home airlines, ease booking and flight connections, and offer more ways to use air miles and elite benefits.

For airlines, they allow the marketing of more destinations, and to more customers, without the need to operate flights themselves. By combining networks, member airlines can offer flights to many more destinations than they could on their own. There are many cases of this working well at scale.

For example, consider American Airlines and Japan Airlines as members of the one world Alliance. American Airlines can operate several flights daily into Tokyo, offering connections on domestic (and international) Japan Airlines flight to many destinations.

When did alliances start?

The first airline alliance was formed in 1997 . Five airlines looking to expand their networks and market flights to more passengers came together to form the Star Alliance.

Since then, three alliances have been formed , each taking one of the three US airlines – American Airlines, United, and Delta Air Lines.

The one world Alliance came next in 1999 with founding members American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Qantas. And the SkyTeam was the last to be formed, in 2000, by Delta Air Lines, Aeroméxico, Air France, and Korean Air.

Which airlines are in alliances?

In summary, most of the larger, legacy airlines partake in alliances. Once the first airlines joined together in 1997, the benefits of an enhanced network and more passenger options appealed to most established carriers. The formation and history of alliances are very interesting, as the groups have grown trying to offer complete global coverage alongside a combined 'brand' or quality.

And which airlines are not in alliances?

None of the newer 'budget' or low-cost airlines are members of the three main alliances. Even when these are owned or part-owned, by legacy alliance member airlines, the low-cost airline does not join.

There is in fact one alliance of low-cost airlines in Asia , the Value Alliance. This offers basic connection guarantees between six airlines, but no frequent flyer benefits.

There are also some notable exceptions amongst the larger, long haul airlines. Two of the largest Middle Eastern airlines, Emirates and Etihad, are not alliance members . And in Europe, Virgin Atlantic stands out for going solo.

Some of these airlines have formed close partnerships with other airlines, but not as formalized as alliance memberships. Virgin Atlantic, for example, offers mileage collection and redemption in its Flying Club program with a global range of airlines (many of them members of other alliances) but does not provide reciprocal status benefits.

Emirates has a similar relationship with nine other airlines through its Skywards program. This includes one European low-cost airline, easyJet, which allows mileage redemption for its flights through Skywards.

What about codeshares and joint ventures?

Alliances allow airlines to market flights to more destinations and offer connections to passengers. They do not force airlines to collaborate on route and schedule planning, and certainly do not require any revenue sharing.

Many airlines within an alliance will choose to work even closer together through codeshare or joint ventures . This is, of course, equally possible by airlines not in the same alliance.

Both joint ventures and codeshares offer close cooperation but do not necessarily provide the same alliance benefits for mileage and frequent flyers . A joint venture is an agreement between airlines to share revenues on a route (according to an agreed contract) and to coordinate together on route planning and scheduling. Codeshares are much less committed and involve airlines placing their codes on each other's flights to increase flight options for passengers.

What benefits do alliances offer to passengers?

All passengers benefit in several ways from alliance cooperation. But for frequent flyers and members of airline loyalty schemes, there are even more advantages.

Benefits include:

• Easier ticket booking. Alliances mean more options for passengers, bookable as one connecting ticket.
• Simplified in-flight operations, such as check-in and baggage handling.
• The ability to earn and redeem miles on other alliance members . Each airline frequent flyer program will allow members to earn miles on all alliance airlines. Likewise, award tickets can be booked with all member airlines.
• Reciprocal frequent flyer benefits between member airlines. Depending on the elite level with the airline, members receive a corresponding level within the alliance, which will offer set benefits across all member airlines. This can include additional luggage allowance, waived ticketing and seat selection fees and priority airport check-in, security, and boarding. For details, see the information below on specific alliances.
• Access to airline lounges . One of the best defined and most valuable benefits is lounge access for elite members. Elite members can access the lounges of any airline member.

A guide to the three main alliances

Star alliance.

The Star Alliance is the largest alliance today by both the number of airlines and passenger volume . Its 26 airlines cover every continent, and it probably offers the fewest 'gaps' of any of the alliances. It covers China well, with two domestic Chinese airlines, has several African based members, and one major South American airline.

In analysis of the three alliances in 2019, Simple Flying reported Star Alliance significantly ahead of the other in terms of total passenger revenues ($179 billion out of a total of $450 billion). It is also the most connected, covering 195 countries.

Star Alliance was the first alliance to be formed, in May 1997. This was a global collaboration between United Airlines, Air Canada, Scandinavian Airlines, Lufthansa, and Thai Airways . It adopted the slogan "The Airline Network for Earth."

The alliance focussed on expanding its global coverage , adding Brazilian airline VARIG later in 1997 and Ansett Australia and Air New Zealand in 1999. The Japanese airline ANA expanded the alliance's Asian network when it joined in 1999.

The expansion has continued up to the 26 members it has today. Notable previous members include:

• UK airline British Midland. It offered UK and European connections from 2000 until 2012 when it merged with International Airlines Group, the owner of British Airways.
• Brazilian airline TAM. It was a member from 2010 until it merged with one world member LAN in 2014.
• Mexicana was a member from 2000 to 2004.
• Avianca Brasil and Adria Airways both l eft the alliance in 2019, with financial difficulties.

The current 26 members of Star Alliance are:

• Aegean Airlines
• All Nippon Airways
• Air New Zealand
• Asiana Airlines
• Austrian Airlines
• Brussels Airlines
• Copa Airlines
• Croatia Airlines
• Ethiopian Airlines
• LOT Polish Airlines
• Scandinavian Airlines
• Shenzhen Airlines
• Singapore Airlines
• South African Airways
• Swiss International Airlines
• TAP Portugal
• Thai Airways
• Turkish Airlines
• United Airlines

In addition to these main member airlines, there are around 40 affiliate members . These are linked, often subsidiary airlines, and offer similar benefits.

Status levels and benefits

Elite members of each airline receive a corresponding status with Star Alliance , allowing frequent flyer benefits to be enjoyed when traveling with any member airline. See the Star Alliance website for details of how these levels map across.

Star Alliance Silver offers:

• Priority airport standby and priority waitlists

Star Alliance Gold adds the following:

• Business class lounge access
• Additional baggage allowance
• Fast track security lanes
• Priority check-in and boarding

Future Plans

There are currently no planned new entrants to the Star Alliance. Some reporting by aeroTELEGRAPH recently indicated that Vietnamese Bamboo Airways might be considering membership, but this is not confirmed.

The one world Alliance

The one world Alliance is the smallest of the three in terms of traffic. But it has an excellent membership of top-rated airlines. It offers good global coverage, but with notable gaps in China (where it provides many Hong Kong connections with Cathay Pacific but lacks a Chinese airline member) and South America (where it recently lost LATAM as a member).

The one world Alliance was formed in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Qantas. Canadian Airlines left soon after joining when it merged with Air Canada.

Finnair was the first recruit, closely followed by Iberia and then LAN Chile. The early 2000s saw Japan Airlines, Royal Jordanian, and Hungarian carrier Malev join.

It has grown to 13 members today. Several airlines have joined and left along the way, including:

• Mexicana was a member for a short time from 2009 until it went bankrupt in 2010.
• Air Berlin was a member from 2012 until its bankruptcy in 2017.

The latest addition is Royal Air Maroc , which joined in April 2020, adding several new African destinations to the network.

In May 2020, it lost LATAM as a member. LATAM is the largest airline in South America and was an important part of one world. Its departure leaves the alliance with no member in South America.

The 13 members of the oneworld Alliance are:

• American Airlines
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific
• Japan Airlines
• Malaysian Airlines
• Qatar Airways
• Royal Air Maroc
• Royal Jordanian
• S7 Airlines
• SriLankan Airlines

In addition, there are around 30 affiliate members . These are usually regional airlines owned or with strong links to the members. For example, American Eagle is an affiliate member under American Airlines, and British Airways has affiliates BA CityFlyer, Sun-Air, and Comair.

One world also operates a membership known as one world connect. This offers select connection and elite status benefits, but not the full range (and guarantee) of alliance benefits. It allows smaller airlines to join without the cost of full membership. Currently, Fiji Airways is the only one world connect member.

Elite members of all one world airline loyalty programs have a corresponding status with one world. For full details of how membership levels map across, see the individual airline websites, or the one world website . The main benefits at each level include:

Oneworld Ruby:

• Access to priority check-in desks
• Priority on standby and waiting lists
• More seating choice (varies between airlines)

Oneworld Sapphire adds:

• Access to business class check-in
• Access to business class lounges
• Increased baggage allowance

Oneworld Emerald adds:

• Access to first class check-in
• Access to first class lounges
• Priority security at some airports

Future plans

Alaska Airlines is scheduled to join by the summer of 2021. This will make one world the first alliance to have two US-based members.

Following the loss of LATAM in 2020, it will also likely try to add another South American member soon, with options including Brazilian airline Gol (it already has a close relationship with American Airlines ).

SkyTeam Alliance

SkyTeam is the youngest alliance, founded in 2000 . It does, in fact, have the highest passenger volume (730 million passengers a year, compared to 728 million for Star Alliance and 528 million for one world).

Its 20 airlines offer good global coverage. But it has gaps in Australasia (it is the only alliance to not have any member in Australia, New Zeland or the Pacific) and South America (where its only member, Aerolineas Argentinas provides poor coverage for the more northern countries).

Like the other alliances, it has leading members in the US, Europe, and Asia. Many of its other members are smaller, less 'global' perhaps than the one world members, for example.

Like the other alliances, the SkyTeam Alliance was formed by a group of heavyweight airlines. In this case, in 2000, by founding members  Delta Air Lines, Aeroméxico, Air France, and Korean Air . It was also the only alliance to also establish a separate alliance for cargo operations, SkyTeam Cargo.

SkyTeam was slower to expand than other alliances. It added other European airlines Czech Airlines and Alitalia, but the next major expansion came in 2004 with Aeroflot, China Southern, Continental Airlines, KLM and Northwest Airlines.

It has now grown to 19 members , with probably less movement than other alliances. Continental and Northwest were lost to mergers, and China Southern left the alliance in 2018 after a long membership.

The current 19 members of SkyTeam are:

• Aerolineas Argentinas
• China Airlines
• China Eastern Airlines
• Czech Airlines
• Delta Airlines
• Garuda Indonesia
• Kenya Airways
• Middle East Airlines
• Vietnam Airlines
• Xiamen Airlines

Like the other alliances, SkyTeam offers s hared elite benefits for members of all airline frequent flyer programs. Benefits at different levels include the following:

SkyTeam Elite

• Priority reservation waitlists
• Preferred seating
• Additional baggage allowance.

SkyTeam Elite Plus

• Guaranteed full-fare economy tickets on sold-out flights

Spanish airline Air Europa will leave the alliance after its purchase by International Airlines Group in 2019. It is not clear yet when this will happen, or whether Air Europa will join the one world alliance.

One of the most significant weaknesses of SkyTeam is its gaps in coverage . Hopefully, this will improve from 2020 with Delta's stake in LATAM, the largest airline in South America, although there are no plans for LATAM to join SkyTeam. There are fewer options to offer coverage in the Pacific, with Virgin Australia the only unaligned airline. Unfortunately, with its current financial problems, there is likely to be little change in the near future.

The Value Alliance - a low-cost alliance

Worthy of a mention here is the Value Alliance. This is the first alliance to be created between low-cost airlines. It was formed in May 2016 and (as of June 2020) has the following six airline members:

• Cebu Pacific (Philipines)
• Cebgo (Philipines)
• Jeju Air (South Korea)
• Nok Air (Thailand)
• NokScoot (Thailand)
• Scoot (Singapore)

There are many low-cost airlines in Asia, and some sort of alliance bringing them together makes sense. This is a basic alliance though. It offers interlined flights, but little else. There are no tiers, frequent flyer benefits, or combined mileage programs.

Passengers booking through the Value Alliance website will benefit from a connection guarantee and free rebooking in case of delays. They will still receive separate tickets for each flight, and check-in with each airline.

This is very much a marketing and sales alliance, rather than one which provides the levels of airline cooperation and benefits seen with the big three alliances. But it does improve on the offering of each individual airline and may become something we see more of.

A few more thoughts on alliances

Cargo alliances.

These three alliances only cover passenger operations. There has been much less formalized alliance collaboration for cargo operations. There have only been two cargo alliances of significance .

• SkyTeam Cargo was formed around the same time as the SkyTeam alliance . Four SkyTeam members joined initially - Aeroméxico Cargo, Air France Cargo, Delta Air Logistics, and Korean Air Cargo. It has grown to 11 members today.
• The WOW Alliance was formed in 2000 between SAS Cargo Group, Lufthansa Cargo and Singapore Airlines Cargo. JAL Cargo later joined. But the alliance never really took off and stopped operating sometime around 2010, blamed partly on its cross alliance strategy.

It is surprising, in some ways, that the other alliances have not come together for cargo operations. There are similar benefits to be offered in increased route marketing and joint operational benefits such as shared warehousing and tracking technology (SkyTeam Cargo promotes such benefits).

What about other alliances?

While there is no other formalized alliance yet, a few of the unaffiliated airlines have made strong moves to form their own networks of airlines, offering various options for flight connections and shared mileage earning and redeeming.

Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, and Etihad are the most notable in this area . And one or more of these may go further to introduce a new alliance. There was also discussion in 2018 of Qatar Airways leaving one world to start its own alliance based on its equity investments.

The future of airlines alliances

There has been little major change to airline alliances since they grew in the early 2000s. Many more airlines have joined them, and some have left, but they still work much the same way. While they seem well established and embedded, with their frequent flyer offering well used, there a few recent trends that may affect them going forward.

The rise in low-cost and budget airlines . While most are not members of the alliances, they give passengers more choice over airlines. They offer point to point fares and few frequent flyer benefits. This gives passengers more options than just sticking to a preferred alliance, and this will likely increase.

There is of course now the one low-cost alliance in Asia. While there has been some talk about more low-cost airlines forming their own alliance , this could be unlikely as they are focussed more on their individual operations and profitable point to point routes.

The increase in joint venture and codeshare operations. More and more airlines are looking at opportunities to cooperate this way. If this offers the connections and marketing opportunities they need, there is less need to be in (and pay for) an alliance.

Airline consolidation . Recent years have seen more joining together of airlines. American Airlines and US Airways, and Air France and KLM to name just a couple of examples. The pandemic and slowdown of 2020 may well cause more of this, and with this trend, will some of them become too big for alliances?

What are your thoughts about airline alliances? Do you have a preferred alliance, and what do you think the future hold for them? Let us know in the comments. 

Airline Alliances Explained: Benefits, Major Players, and Other Types of Partnership

• 14 min read
• Business ,   Travel
• Published: 28 Mar, 2023
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There doesn’t exist an airline that would cover all the world's regions and destinations. So carriers should cooperate with each other to provide their customers with the expanded route network, offering more opportunities. No wonder that, for now, many of the world-famous airlines belong to global alliances. In this post, we explain what airline alliances are, discuss the largest players in the industry as of today, explore their services, benefits, limitations, and mention some other types of airline partnerships.

What is an airline alliance?

Sometimes you can see the alliance’s logo right on the plane. Source: ARGS

It’s impossible to belong to more than one alliance at the same time. By doing so, a carrier can definitely expand its market reach, but such a situation would decrease the ability of other member airlines to stay competitive. Yet, alliance members may go into other forms of partnership — like a codesharing agreement or joint venture — with other airlines, no matter whether they belong to the same alliance or not. For example, Air India is a member of Star Alliance and also has a joint venture agreement with a smaller Indian-based alliance the Tata-SIA Vistara. Another example is China Southern Airlines that is a member of SkyTeam and also has a strategic partnership with American Airlines. We’ll discuss these types of partnerships later on. There are three key benefits airlines get when joining a global alliance. Increased market coverage. Member carriers can expand their networks without investing in new aircraft. Instead, they offer new destinations and longer routes to their passengers by picking up and connecting existing partner flights. Lower operational costs. Within an alliance, airlines can share resources and important facilities such as lounges, terminal space, ground handling services, or maintenance bases. They also may run common marketing programs and use the same IT system. All these reduce overall costs while still guaranteeing a consistent level of service. Customer satisfaction. Members of an alliance work together to provide their passengers with the following benefits:

• a larger choice of destinations and flights. This is particularly important for business travelers, who often have tight schedules and complex itineraries with multiple connections;
• seamless travel experience. By coordinating schedules, alliances reduce waiting and transfer time between flights. They also take care of baggage and rebook passengers on other flights or provide alternative travel arrangements in case of delays or cancellations.
• ability to earn and redeem frequent flier points (also called miles) across all member airlines.

Here are some figures to know when comparing the large airline alliances

Star Alliance: the largest provider with over a thousand lounges worldwide and solutions for corporate travel businesses

There were five airlines participating in the foundation of Star Alliance. Source: Airways Mag

All 26 Star Alliance member airlines and their logos. Source: Star Alliance

In 2022, Star Alliance was named the World’s Leading Airline Alliance at the World Travel Awards. This was the third time the alliance received this title that, at that time, coincided with Star Alliance's 25th anniversary. Let’s see what they have to offer to all stakeholders -- airlines, corporate clients, passengers, and travel agents -- besides regular benefits.

API access to Star Alliance services and data for member carriers

Star Alliance Developer Portal is created to integrate airline websites, apps, or systems with Star Alliance APIs . This way, carriers can link to Star Alliance services and source data on baggage, frequent flier programs, or seat maps , enhancing the experience of app users or website visitors. The APIs are available exclusively for Star Alliance members and their IT providers while third parties are not allowed.

All-in-one solution for corporate travelers

Star Alliance Corporate Plus is the all-in-one corporate travel program for multinational corporations. It allows companies to have a single contract covering all the member airlines, which considerably simplified the process of booking and managing travel arrangements. This means the companies can avoid all the hassle of dealing with multiple contracts and different booking systems. The extensive list of benefits offered by the Star Alliance Corporate Plus includes

• one global network covering 98 percent of the globe;
• a single point of contact — the entire process from contract negotiation to lifecycle management;
• a single contract — there is no more need to deal with complicated administrative and legal procedures as Star Alliance Corporate Plus offers a single agreement that covers all the member airlines in a company’s account;
• a single report — the companies receive one consolidated report with simplified performance tracking;
• time-saving for processes — with the help of structured analysis and reporting capabilities, the Corporate Plus team helps businesses optimize the time needed for processes and operations; and
• the regional focus for such countries as China, Korea, and Brazil.

So, all in all, the program is designed to make business travel more efficient and cost-effective for corporate customers.

GDS access codes for travel agents

Authorized travel agents can book the alliance’s branded fare products using the GDS Access Codes . The proposition embraces

• Circle Pacific Fares covering over 85 destinations in 25 countries and designed specifically for visiting Asia, North America, and South West Pacific. The itinerary must start and end in the same country and have a minimum of three stopovers in each of the above-mentioned regions. The available duration of stay ranges from 7 days to 6 months; and
• Round the World Fares , or multi-destination tickets for journeys that start and end in the same country. The itinerary must have a minimum of two stops (with a maximum of 15). The fare allows for a flexible duration of stay, ranging from ten days to one year.

Agents can check availability and book fares via three main global distribution systems (Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport), the largest Chinese GDS TravelSky or SITA system.

Online booking tools for travelers

The alliance provides several digital products for travelers. It includes

• a flight booking tool to search and buy one-way and round-trip tickets across Star Alliance member carriers;
• Round the World booking tool to plan a multi-destination journey and buy a single ticket covering the complete itinerary (read about Round the World Fares in the previous section);
• Circle Pacific booking tool to plan and buy a single ticket for an itinerary that includes Asia, North America, and South West Pacific (read about Circle Pacific Fares in the previous section);
• a tool to look for and book lounges; and
• a flight search tool powered by Skyscanner.

All these instruments make it easier for passengers to plan trips and book flights across member carriers. Besides, they prompt passengers to travel with the same alliance and this way earn more frequent flier program miles.

Frequent flier program privileges

Star Alliance does not have a single frequent flier program. However, all its member airlines run individual programs and, by joining one of them, a passenger is empowered to earn and redeem miles or points across the entire network. Travelers can join several programs but since airlines manage them separately, there is no way to transfer miles between them or combine them into one. When passengers reach elite status levels with a chosen program, they automatically gain one of two status levels offered by Star Alliance and acquire a card with either a Gold or a Silver status logo on it. Silver status comes with two benefits — priority reservations waitlist and priority airport standby. Gold status also includes

• priority airport check-in;
• priority baggage handling;
• access to over 1000 lounges;
• priority boarding;
• extra baggage allowance;
• a free upgrade to business first class on the Heathrow express; and
• Gold Track — access to dedicated lanes at more than 150 locations globally that enables passengers to get through airport security faster.

Gold Track is also available for customers traveling in First or Business Class on flights operated by the alliance members.

SkyTeam: the youngest global airline alliance with innovative products for businesses

For now, there are 20 member airlines in SkyTeam. Source: SkyTeam

Here’s what SkyTeam offers to corporate clients and passengers.

Solutions for enterprises

The suite of business products includes the following five offerings. Global Meetings is designed to save companies time and money on international event travel. Attendees book flights with discounts of up to 15 percent or benefit from promotional fares. Organizers, in turn, get personalized services, including a dedicated account manager to help with travel arrangements. Besides, they earn one reward ticket for every 50 passengers traveling to an event with Global Meetings. The program is available for events that have a minimum of 50 participants traveling by air and originating from at least two different countries. SkyTeam Corporate Agreements simplify cooperation with airlines and centralize travel management for global enterprises. Instead of signing multiple bilateral agreements, they enter into one partnership — with the SkyTeam alliance. SkyTeam China Corporate Connection targets China-based companies. They can sign a corporate agreement with 3 to 12 member airlines and get access to nonpublished fares with discounts. SkyTeam Marine and Offshore offers pricing, ticketing , and support services to travel management companies servicing clients from shipping, offshore oil and gas, and alternative energy industries. The program focuses on movement of crew personnel from or to ships, offshore drilling sites, and energy farms.

Similar to Star Alliance, SkyTeam doesn’t have a separate frequent flier program. Instead, passengers can join a program with any of the SkyTeam’s member airlines that best suits their needs and earn miles across flights operated by the alliance. At the same time, the alliance grants Elite and Elite Plus Status Levels to loyal passengers who earned enough miles with their preferred frequent flier programs. Elite passengers take advantage of

• priority reservation waitlist;
• preferred seating;
• priority check-in;
• priority boarding, and
• extra baggage allowance.

Elite Plus status adds

• guaranteed full-fare economy class reservation on sold-out long-haul flights at least 24 hours prior to departure;
• access to lounges worldwide, no matter the class of travel;
• priority baggage handling; and
• priority immigration and security lanes.

SkyTeam Elite Plus members along with the First and Business Class customers of SkyTeam can benefit from SkyPriority , a special airport services program that aims at providing a more efficient and seamless travel experience. Also, the alliance has Lounge Finder on its website to look for available lounges.

Oneworld: the smallest airline alliance with an expanded corporate travel program

Oneworld alliance includes 13 member airlines. Source: The Miles Genie

Collectively, Oneworld offers flights to more than one hundred destinations in over 170 countries. According to the alliance’s official website, statistically, over 185 million people belong to Oneworld member airline loyalty programs.

Corporate travel program for large businesses

The Global Corporate Travel Program is designed to offer a range of services for corporate clients and make business traveling more efficient and cost-effective. The following are some key benefits and services of the program.

• Airline discount. It can vary depending on the airline and specific terms of the corporate agreement.
• Airport lounge access. Corporate travelers have access to Oneworld’s network of airport lounges worldwide, with the comfortable and convenient space to work and relax in before flights.
• Priority services. Business travelers are eligible for priority check-in, boarding, and baggage handling that is both time-saving and stress reducing.
• Customized travel solutions. The program offers such options as centralized billing, and travel policy compliance management.
• Oneworld events and conferences. This option includes discounted airfares for attendees of corporate meetings and events, as well as dedicated support.

Let’s say a large multinational corporation has employees who often travel to multiple locations around the world for business meetings and conferences. Enrolling in the Oneworld Global Corporate Travel Program can help the company take advantage of the discounted fares, flexible booking options, and priority services.

Round the world fares and booking tool for travelers

The Round the World Airline Tickets are branded fares that provide access to hundreds of destinations in 170 areas. There are three types of Oneworld Round the World trips. Explorer (a continent-based fare) helps passengers travel from city to city, as well as from continent to continent. Global Explorer (a distance-based fare) grants access to an extensive list of airlines (such as Bangkok Airways, Aer Lingus, Oneworld connect partner Fiji Airways, Jetstar, Jetstar Asia, Jetstar Pacific, WestJet, Qantas, and others). Circle Pacific (inter-continental journey for exploring continents that border the Pacific Ocean) would benefit travelers who want to visit multiple continents without actually flying all the way round the world. There are several continents passengers can choose as the starting point and the destination of their journey, such as

• Asia (China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam);
• Southwest Pacific (Australia and New Zealand);
• North America (namely USA and Canada); and
• South America.

Round the World Airline Tickets offers its own booking tool to plan multi-city or multi-continent trips and buy them online. Now let’s see what loyalty statuses and frequent flier perks are available for passengers flying with Oneworld members.

Oneworld frequent flier perks and loyalty statuses

The same as it is with the rest of alliances, Oneworld doesn’t run an individual frequent flier program, but offers three elite status levels — Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. A passenger can achieve them by aggregating miles with a loyalty program from a member airline. Ruby status has the shortest list of privileges including

• access to preferred or pre-reserved seating; and
• priority waitlisting and standby.

Next comes the Sapphire status which adds

• access to Business Class lounges;
• priority boarding and baggage handling; and

The highest status among the three is the Emerald and besides all above-mentioned perks it offers access to First Class lounges and the ability to use a fast track/priority lane security pass to skip the queue at security screening. Similar to other alliances, Oneworld offers an online tool to search for available lounges.

What are other types of airline partnerships?

Besides alliances, there exist other popular forms of partnerships available inside the aviation industry — such as interlining, codesharing, and joint ventures. These agreements can be entered by members of the same alliance, carriers from rival alliances, or airlines that don’t belong to any group.

Interlining

Interlining is the most basic commercial agreement between airlines that allows them to sell each other’s tickets and services to passengers on itineraries with more than one flight. Interlining was introduced by IATA , the trade association representing the global airline industry in 1947. Due to interlining, passengers can buy a single ticket for complex itineraries with several flight legs , check in only once, and have their baggage transferred through to the final destination. In case of disruptions, travelers are rebooked to other flights. One of the airlines signing an interlining agreement acts as a validating carrier that tickets an itinerary and must be a participant of Airline Reporting Corporation ( ARC ) or IATA Billing and Settlement Plan ( BSP .) Others are participating or operating carriers that actually serve legs of the trip.

Codesharing

On the surface, codesharing might look like a Wheel of Fortune. Source: The Wall Street Journal

As for additional benefits, codesharing enables airlines to expand routes without inflating fleet size, have more control over itineraries and pricing, and spread loyalty programs across partner flights.

Joint venture

A joint venture agreement is a partnership between two or more airlines to operate as a single entity on certain routes. This form of cooperation always requires government approvals. Airlines involved in a joint venture share their costs and revenues, and closely coordinate planning and conducting flights. Joint ventures are typically formed between airlines inside alliances. At present, there are three major transatlantic joint ventures created between the carriers:

• Air France-KLM & Delta & Virgin Atlantic -- all the airlines are members of SkyTeam ;
• American Airlines & British Airways & Iberia -- all the airlines are members of Oneworld ; and
• United Airlines & Air Canada & Lufthansa -- all the airlines are members of Star Alliance.

Generally speaking, the level of integration between airlines would be the highest for joint ventures, and the lowest for interlining, while codesharing agreements and alliances are right in the middle.

The life beyond the Big Three

Just a comic about the challenges of low-cost carriers to help you recharge a bit. Source: Wumo

Besides LCCs and small regional players that can’t join the big three alliances because of a high entry level, there are also large, full-service airlines with global reach who prefer to stay independent. This includes two UAE flag carriers — Emirates and Etihad. Both offer flights to most major cities worldwide via connections in their hubs -- Dubai and Abu Dhabi -- and don’t want to share this profitable traffic with others. At the same time, those Middle East airlines maintain multiple codeshare partnerships to offer their passengers an extensive network of destinations and the ability to earn miles on multi-leg flights.

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The Basics of Airline Partnerships and Alliances

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Airline partnerships offer flexibility and opportunity for savvy travelers. They also offer complexity and potential confusion for beginners.

At their core, airline partnerships expand the value of frequent flyer rewards . If you have a bunch of Delta SkyMiles , for example, you can use them to book flights with Delta’s partners . On the flip side, if you book a cash flight with a Delta partner, you can choose to earn Delta miles instead of whatever loyalty miles are offered by that airline.

There are some additional perks to these partnerships, such as elite status benefits. We’ll cover those at the end of this guide. First, let’s tackle the basics.

Airline alliances vs. airline partnerships

Some airlines are part of global alliances with names like SkyTeam , Oneworld and Star Alliance . Others are not part of an official alliance but have a grab-bag list of partner airlines. And, confusingly, many airlines that are part of an official alliance also have partner airlines that are not in that alliance.

Let’s keep it simple: An alliance is just a type of partnership. So, for the most part, you can ignore whether a given airline is a “alliance partner” or just “partner” with another airline. Partners are partners.

Alliances are somewhat helpful for remembering partnerships. For example, if you know that one airline is in the Star Alliance, then you know that any other airline in that alliance will share many of the same partners. But beyond that (and some reciprocal elite status benefits, explained below), you can safely ignore the difference between a partnership and an alliance.

» Learn more: 5 things Star Alliance is doing right

Redeeming miles with partners

Using miles with one airline to book flights with a partner is one of the major reasons to care about airline partnerships. It increases the flexibility and potential value of your miles considerably.

Let’s say you have a bunch of Alaska miles and want to fly somewhere that Alaska doesn’t fly, such as Europe. That’s where partners come in. You can use your Alaska miles to book a flight to Europe on one of their partner airlines. The flight will be flown and operated by the partner, but you won’t need any of that partner’s miles to book your award ticket.

How does it work? It varies from airline to airline, but most will automatically show partner flights when you make an award search. Here’s what it looks like on Alaska’s website:

Making an award search using miles will lead to a results page that looks like this:

You can see that some of Alaska’s partner airlines , such as Icelandair and American Airlines , are automatically included in the search results. Some itineraries even include a mixture of flights operated by Alaska and its partners.

Some airlines, such as United, will let you filter results to exclude or include partner airlines.

Usually, you’ll want to include partner flights, and only filter them out if you’re looking for a very specific route or aircraft.

Earning miles with partners

Here’s where many travelers get confused and make rookie mistakes. Generally, when you’re flying on an international airline, such as KLM or Singapore Airlines, you’ll want to attribute the miles you earn on that flight to a domestic airline partner. Let’s break that down with an example.

Let’s say you’re booking a flight to the Middle East on Qatar Airways. During checkout, you see a field like this, asking for your frequent flyer account:

You have three options:

You can enter your Qatar frequent flyer info or create an account.

You can enter the frequent flyer info for one of Qatar’s partners (such as Alaska or American).

You can skip this step. After all, you’ve never flown with Qatar and are unlikely to again.

Option 2 is almost always the best decision. Chances are you already have an account with either American or Alaska, Qatar’s two U.S. partners, and might already have some miles saved in that account. Earning more miles with a U.S. airline is usually preferable to earning a handful of miles with an airline you almost never fly (option 1).

Option 3 is almost never advisable, unless you can’t stand keeping track of travel rewards (in which case you probably shouldn’t be reading this guide at all).

One IMPORTANT caveat

The way you earn miles with an airline partner may differ significantly from the way that you earn miles when flying with the airline itself.

For example, miles on American Airlines are earned based on the cost of the ticket, while American miles earned when flying on partner airlines are based on a percentage of the miles actually flown. Tools like wheretocredit.com offer helpful ways to see the best way to attribute a given flight.

Elite status partner benefits

If you have elite status with a given airline, you might receive reciprocal benefits from some or all of its partners. This is more often true with airlines that are part of a global alliance.

For example, flyers with Delta Medallion status automatically get separate SkyTeam elite status, which affords perks when flying on any SkyTeam airlines . This makes the experience more consistent if you’re flying on a mixed itinerary of Delta and its partners.

Elite status perks from partners are generally more limited than those offered on the airline with which you have elite status.

Transferring miles between partners

There is a difference between general “partnerships” in the way we have been describing them and “transfer partnerships.” The latter generally refer to transferable travel currencies, like credit card points .

Generally speaking, you cannot transfer airline miles from one program to another. In the rare cases where you technically can do so, it is generally not advisable, as these transfers usually zap the value of your miles .

This highlights why it’s so important to earn miles with one member of a partnership, rather than earning several small pools of miles across multiple airlines. Since you can’t pool these miles into one account and redeem them, they are likely to languish for years or expire.

The bottom line

Understanding how airline partnerships work will hopefully clear up some confusion and put you on a path toward taking advantage of their benefits.

You can mostly ignore the difference between a partnership and an alliance.

You can use miles to book flights with partners. This is not the same as transferring your airline miles from one program to another (which is typically not advised).

You can earn miles by flying with partners.

You (generally) can’t transfer miles between partners.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

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1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.

Airline Alliances: Meaning and Exclusive Perks Every Traveller Must Know In 2023

Air travel remains the primary mode of transportation for wanderlusters to various international destinations. Based on the Global Traveller Survey by the Airports Council International (ACI) involving 4,125 respondents across 30 countries, 86% of respondents plan to travel by air in 2023, the highest intention to travel score since the beginning of the pandemic. Whether you are a leisure or corporate traveller, global airline alliances impact how you travel in terms of travel costs, route network, and more for a seamless travel experience.

The three major airline alliances in the world today are Star Alliance , Oneworld , and Skyteam . So, what makes these major players great, and how do they benefit the average traveller like us? Read on to find out!

Airline Alliances: Meaning

Airline alliances involve partnership agreements between airline carriers to cooperate and share resources to stay competitive in the aviation industry. By mutually agreeing to comply with commercial policies on scheduled flights, each airline carrier provides travellers with high security and services and extensive and more convenient air routes to various international destinations. Despite pooled resources, each airline within an airline alliance is financially independent and still retains its separate brand identity.

It is also common for members of airline alliances to enter into other types of partnerships, like a codesharing agreement or joint venture agreement with independent airline carriers or members of different airline alliances. For example, Malaysia Airlines , a member of the Oneworld alliance , also has a strategic partnership with Emirates for Skyward Miles that enables members of the programme to earn and redeem Skyward Miles on flights with Malaysia Airlines.

Airline Alliances Benefits

1. wider choice of flights and destinations.

Members of airline alliances get to expand their network worldwide without incurring the additional cost of purchasing new aircraft. For travellers, this means seamless air travel to popular international destinations. For example, the codesharing agreement between Malaysia Airlines and British Airways , both members of the Uniworld alliance, simplifies ticketing for flights between Kuala Lumpur and several major cities in the United Kingdom, like London to Aberdeen, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, and Newcastle on board British Airways.

Similarly, British Airways passengers can book Malaysia Airlines flights to 14 destinations, including Langkawi, Penang, and Bintulu, and nine cities in Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Vietnam.

2. Lower air travel costs

The fundamental purpose of airline alliances is to share resources and services like lounges, terminal space, ground handling services, and marketing initiatives that reduce the overall operational costs of airline carriers within an alliance. Ultimately, travellers enjoy lower flight expenses and consistent air travel services.

3. Multiple air travel privileges and benefits

Through scheduled transfer flights, members of airline alliances reduce the delay of transfer flights crucial to passengers like corporate travellers and even make arrangements for baggage transfer, booking other connecting flights for passengers, or provide assistance to make alternative arrangements like booking accommodation in case of flight delays or other travel arrangements in case of cancellations or emergencies.

One of the significant privileges for regular air travellers on board airline alliances is the opportunity to earn and redeem miles points and lower flight ticket costs to multiple travel destinations across member airlines. For example, regular flyers like Malaysia Airlines Enrich loyalty programme members or British Airways Executive Club members gain enhanced frequent flyer benefits like miles points and greater access to international destinations across its Oneworld alliance networks.

The Big Three in Global Airline Alliances

According to global travel data providers, OAG , Star Alliance , Oneworld , and Skyteam account for 43% of the total seating capacity in the air travel industry. Let’s take a closer look at the characteristics of each alliance and its distinctive advantages.

#1 Star Alliance: “The Way The Earth Connects”

Founded in 1997 by five founding airline carriers –  Lufthansa , Air Canada , Thai Airways , SAS , and United Airlines , Star Alliance has grown from strength to strength to become the world’s first and largest airline alliance. Star Alliance comprises 26 member airlines , with the world’s leading airline carriers expanding its global network across 195 countries in over 1,200 airports .

With management companies based in Frankfurt, Germany, and Singapore, Star Alliance coordinates air travel services through its digital platform, the Star Alliance Developer Portal , including airport co-location, digital infrastructure, frequent flyer integration, and joint business lounge projects, for a seamless travel experience.

For its continuous efforts and commitment to set the benchmark as the most digitally advanced airline alliance, Star Alliance was named the World’s Leading Airline Alliance at the World Travel Awards for three consecutive years , with its latest win in 2022 .

Star Alliance: Perks for Corporate and Leisure Travellers

1. comprehensive travel solutions for business travellers.

Through its all-in-one business travel programme, Star Alliance Corporate Plus , companies, and business travellers can avoid the hassle of making different flight bookings and travel arrangements for multiple destinations through a  centralised booking system .

With more than  19,000 daily departures  covering  190   countries , business travellers enjoy smooth air travel worldwide. Its streamlined services, from a  single contract  to  one contact point for customer support, provide  consistent and convenient services around the clock.

Based on extensive research and reporting, The Star Alliance Corporate Plus also provides business travellers with  tailor-made travel options to optimise costs and travel time  based on their budget to frequent international business travel routes and  regional-based business travel   within Brazil, China, and Korea .

2. Enhanced digital travel solutions for leisure travellers

The Star Alliance flight booking tool allows travellers to purchase one-way and round-trip tickets to 1,200 international destinations across its global network. Meanwhile, the Round The World Booking tool helps passengers plan suitable multiple holiday travel itineraries. Get inspired for a theme holiday from existing travel itineraries, or create your own travel plan with the help of the Star Alliance team! Book a single ticket for the whole journey with a minimum of 2 stops and a maximum of 15 stopovers . The icing on the cake is the opportunity to earn or redeem Miles points for the travel routes covered through the Frequent Flyer Programme .

For travellers keen on exploring Asia, North America, and South West Pacific , the Circle Pacific booking tool makes planning and booking flights to countries with diverse cultures and histories a hassle-free experience. Passengers get to travel across 3 areas in the Pacific Ocean in a single ticket with a reasonable fare and gain 16 flight coupons .

Other tools like the tool to explore and book airport lounges across the Star Alliance network enable leisure travellers to gain the best deals and freedom to curate a memorable air travel journey.

3. Frequent flyer privileges

Since each member airline within the Star Alliance network runs its own loyalty programme, a passenger who joins any individual programme enjoys privileges across the network, such as earning and redeeming miles points.

Although passengers may not be able to transfer miles points under one loyalty programme to another programme under a different member airline, passengers who reach an elite status under any loyalty programme by a member airline will be rewarded by Star Alliance with a Silver or Gold Card . The Silver status offers priority reservations waitlist and priority airport standby . Meanwhile, the Gold status offers frequent flyers premier air travel benefits , including:

• priority airport check-in and baggage handling;
• priority boarding;
• extra baggage allowance;
• access to over 1000 lounges;
• a free upgrade to business first class on the Heathrow Express; and
• access to express airport lanes (Gold Track) at more than 150 locations globally that enable passengers to get through airport security faster.

#2 Oneworld: ”the world’s leading airlines working as one”

Established in 1999 and recently relocated to the southern state of Texas in the United States of America. The smallest of the Big Three airline alliances, the Oneworld alliance members comprise 13 airlines , including our national carrier, Malaysia Airlines and four of its founding airline carriers , American Airlines , British Airways , Cathay Pacific , and Qantas .

The Oneworld networ k spans more than 900 destinations and 170 territories . Operating over 11,000 flights daily across member airlines and committed to sustainable travel, Oneworld has gained a strong reputation among corporate travellers and was named the Best Airline Alliance by Business Traveller UK for the tenth consecutive year in 2022 . In 2021 , the Oneworld Alliance was also named the Best Airline Alliance for the twelfth year by Global Traveler (an American-based travel magazine that caters to regular business and luxury travellers). According to its official website, over 185 million travellers belong to Oneworld alliance loyalty programmes.

Oneworld: Perks for corporate and leisure travellers

1. focus on corporate travel for large companies and frequent business travellers.

Oneworld Alliance’s Global Corporate Travel Programme offers a broad range of efficient and cost-effective corporate travel services for large corporate clients. Key benefits of the programme include airline discounts and airport lounge access to work and relax before flights or in between long-haul flights to several destinations. Business travellers also enjoy priority check-in , priority boarding , baggage handling , and centralised billings that are time-saving and convenient. Oneworld also offers subsidised airfares for large corporate events or meetings and support services .

2. Leisure travellers gain leverage through branded airfares for popular travel routes

The  Round the World Airline Tickets  offer subsidised fares and wide access to hundreds of destinations in 170 areas worldwide. The three types of Oneworld Round the World trips are as follows:

• Explorer (a continent-based fare) that helps passengers travel from city to city and continent to continent.
• Global (a distance-based fare) offers leisure travellers greater freedom to travel to multiple international destinations on board member airlines Bangkok Airways , oneworld connect partner, Fiji Airways , Jetstar Asia , and Qantas code-share flights .
• Circle Pacific (inter-continental based fare for travel destinations across the Pacific). Travellers have the opportunity to choose from popular tourist destination routes like Asia (China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam), Southwest Pacific (Australia and New Zealand), North America (USA and Canada); and South America . This way travellers can reduce air travel costs and reach their preferred destinations faster .

3. Online booking tool for easy and convenient purchase of flight tickets

Travellers can make customised travel plans across multiple cities or continents through the Oneworld Alliance online booking tool , which includes entry restrictions , Covid-19 alerts and requirements for countries around the globe.

4. Regular flyer and loyalty programme benefits

Like Star Alliance, the Oneworld alliance does not operate one centralised loyalty programme for all member airlines. Passengers under any member alliance loyalty programme can achieve three types of status – Ruby , Sapphire , and Emerald . The Ruby status is the first level with standard loyalty perks like priority boarding, priority on waitlists and preferred or pre-reserved seating.

Passengers with a Sapphire status can access business class lounges worldwid e, priority check-in, ‘Fast Track’ or ‘Priority Lane’ access at select airports, priority baggage handling , and extra baggage allowance .

Meanwhile, the third and highest loyalty customers gain the Emerald status that offers exclusive privileges , including all the perks enjoyed by Ruby and Sapphire members on top of the choice of access to First Class, Business Class or frequent flyer lounges worldwide . Oneworld’s Lounge access services also cover infants and children subject to terms and conditions .

#3 Skyteam: ”Caring more about you”

As the youngest and relatively new airline alliance founded in 2000, Skyteam comprises 20 members , including four founder carriers , Aeromexico , Delta , Air France , and Korean Air . Virgin Atlantic is the latest member to join the Skyteam alliance in March 2023 . According to its official website, the Skyteam network covers over 1,088 international destinations in more than 184 countries with over 342.1 million passengers annually .

Skyteam: Perks for corporate and leisure travellers

1. leading business travel programmes.

SkyTeam is known for four business travel solutions – SkyTeam Global Meeting , SkyTeam Corporate Agreements , SkyTeam China Corporate Connection and SkyTeam Marine & Offshore .

Designed for time and cost-efficient corporate travel for international events and meetings, the  SkyTeam Global Meeting  programme offers business travellers discounts of up to 15% on regular fares with SkyTeam member airlines or low promotional fares . Business travellers can make easy and quick bookings online or through a travel agent appointed by the company. Passengers can fly to over 1088 destinations worldwide and enjoy frequent flyer miles, lounge access, and many more premium services through loyalty programmes of member airlines.

The SkyTeam Corporate Agreements reduce administrative red tape through a single agreement between the airline alliance and a company to centralise business travel management and planning with long-term partnerships through adjustments to suit the evolving travel needs of companies over time.

Meanwhile, the SkyTeam China Corporate Connection offers tailor-made business travel solutions for China-based companies with the flexibility to choose from 3 to 12 member airline s and cost-effective business travel fares .

Catered to serve employees in marine and offshore energy industrie s, the SkyTeam Marine & Offshore programme enables the movement of staff from or to ships, offshore drilling sites, and energy farms with significant savings compared to regular airfares . SkyTeam member airlines are also represented by International Airline Services , the industry leader in marine and offshore travel, as the single point of contact for efficient customer support.

2. Frequent flyer programme benefits

Similar to Star Alliance and Oneworld, SkyTeam offers grants elite status to regular travellers under any loyalty programme of member airlines. SkyTeam has two types of loyalty statuses for frequent flyers – Elite and Elite Plus . With the Elite status passengers benefit from priority reservation waitlist and seating , priority check-in , priority boarding , and extra baggage allowance .

As an Elite Plus member, passengers gain additional privileges like guaranteed full access to lounges worldwide , no matter the class of travel , priority baggage handling , priority immigration and security lanes , and SkyPriority , a special airport services programme for a more efficient and smooth travel experience. The alliance also has digital tools like the SkyPriority Finder to look up airport services and Lounge Finder to explore and book premier lounges with expansive spaces, unique décor, panoramic views of the runway and exclusive amenities like premium food and snacks and well-stocked bars.

Recent developments

Not all carriers, even leading ones, can easily become a member of an airline alliance due to high aviation safety and security standards . Further, membership in an airline alliance is temporary and greatly influenced by the political and economic climate worldwide. For example, on 19 April 2022 , Oneworld announced the temporary suspension of Russia’s S7 airline due to international sanctions on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. Similarly, on 28 April 2022 , Skyteam implemented similar measures on Aeroflot, Russia’s national carrier .

Overall, airline alliances are crucial in times of global crisis. Due to flight suspensions and travel restrictions during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, many airlines found it challenging to fly to specific destinations or routes. They connected with other airline alliance members to help passengers reach their destinations safely.

Under the Oneworld alliance , Qatar Airways operated flights to the United States when some gateways were down. However, the airline counted on its partnership with American Airlines to connect passengers to many other destinations nationwide.

The bottom line is even if you are not a loyalty member, airline alliances help travellers with low fares while earning miles points and gaining air travel perks . Through partnerships between travel credit card companies and members of an airline alliance, passengers can convert their expenses for accommodation, dining, and shopping at partner establishments into air miles for future travel.

Fly high for business or leisure with global airline alliances! Let us help

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Everything You Need to Know About Star Alliance, One of the World's Largest Airline Alliances

Here's everything frequent fliers should know about member airlines, benefits, and more.

United Airlines

Star Alliance is one of the largest airline alliances in the world, comprising 26 members and a far-reaching network spanning 195 countries and more than 1,200 destinations worldwide. It's also the oldest, founded in 1997, when it included only United Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), Thai Airways International, Air Canada, and Lufthansa.

Now, members include even more major carriers as well as smaller regional airlines. Travelers that have elite status with any airline in the partnership get special benefits like lounge access with dozens of brands and shared frequent flier rewards. When airlines join forces in an alliance, you also get more flight options because the schedules can include routes offered by partners.

Interested to learn more? Here’s what every avid traveler should know about the first-ever global aviation alliance, including members, benefits, and destinations covered.

Star Alliance Member Airlines

All five airlines that were part of the original Star Alliance in 1997 are still members today. Major carrier United Airlines is the Star Alliance member U.S.-based travelers are probably most familiar with, but others include:

• Aegean Airlines
• Air New Zealand
• All Nippon Airways (ANA)
• Asiana Airlines
• Austrian Airlines
• Brussels Airlines
• Copa Airlines
• Croatia Airlines
• Ethiopian Airlines
• Lot Polish Airlines
• Shenzhen Airlines
• Singapore Airlines
• South African Airways
• Swiss International Air Lines
• Tap Air Portugal
• Turkish Airlines

Star Alliance Destinations and Hubs

Star Alliance has seven Connection Centers (aka hubs) where staff is available to help travelers through delays and cancellations when they're transferring planes. These centers are at Frankfurt, London Heathrow, Chicago O'Hare, Newark Liberty, Toronto Pearson, Washington Dulles, and San Francisco. But outside of these destinations, airlines in the alliance serve more than 1,000 cities in almost 200 countries. United alone flies to more than 200 destinations in the U.S. and 100 abroad.

Combined, the Star Alliance fleet has more than 50 hub airports around the world, including United's hubs in Houston to São Paulo, Lufthansa's hubs in Berlin to Zurich, and Air Canada's hubs in Toronto to Vancouver. These hubs and major airports provide peace of mind and convenient service for both domestic and international travelers, and the travel options really become endless when you consider all the places you can reach on partner airlines.

Benefits for Star Alliance Members

Before airline alliances existed, travelers would have to research the best prices and travel times from each individual airline, piecing together an itinerary all on their own. Now, booking travel on multiple partner carriers is much easier. Airlines can offer more options by providing details on trips flown by other alliance members. For example, you might see flights flown by Lufthansa, Tap Air Portugal, and Brussels Airlines on the United website, with a broad selection of fares, departure times, layovers, and arrival times. You can also search and buy flights right on the Star Alliance Book and Fly platform.

Werner Krüger/Lufthansa

Another benefit? The alliance makes it easier to earn and redeem frequent flier miles on more flights. There isn't one overarching Star Alliance reward program, so as long as you’re enrolled in just one of the partners’ frequent flier programs, you can earn miles to use throughout the whole network. In addition to booking free flights, you can also achieve elite status with these miles. Your status with one airline transfers to others in the alliance.

Star Alliance Gold entitles members to privileges that include rewards, discounts, priority check-in and boarding, extra baggage allowance, priority baggage handling, and entry at more than 1,000 airport lounges. United’s network of lounges alone includes more than 45 United Club locations and five United Polaris lounges (exclusively for international travelers in business or first class). Star Alliance lounges are also available in six cities — Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, and Los Angeles. Both Gold and Silver come with access to the Priority Reservations Waitlist (the waitlist for a seat in a higher class) and put you at a higher priority when flying standby. It's a long list of perks, to be sure.

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• 7 Rail-air alliances
• 8 Frequent flyer programs

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Airline alliances are formed when different airlines agree to substantially cooperate with each other. Advantages for customers include more destinations and more convenient connections, while the airlines benefit by feeding passengers to each other instead of to competitors.

For travelers, the most obvious effect of airline alliances is codesharing whereby one airline will sell a seat on a flight with its own flight number, but the flight is performed by a different airline. (Note that not all airlines are part of an airline alliance, and not even all airlines within the same alliance do codeshares with each other.)

Although many airlines in an alliance have subsidiaries, the subsidiaries are often not members of the alliance which the parents are part of.

How does this apply to me?

• Airline alliances tend to coordinate their flights to ease connections, flying intercontinental flights to each other's hubs, adjusting schedules and grouping one alliance's flights at a single terminal at large airports. They code-share and interline (transfer bags) with each other, so that you can travel to many more destinations on a single ticket sold by your local airline.
• You can collect frequent flyer miles when flying on an alliance partner airline. This means for example that a passenger with Qantas can claim mileage when flying with another OneWorld airline such as British Airways.
• Additionally, status levels that you have on one airline are generally recognized by other airlines in the same alliance. For example, a 'Morning Calm' status with Korean Air will automatically give you 'Elite' status when flying with another airline in the SkyTeam alliance. Thus, you can check in at the Business Class counter, get priority luggage tags, getting emergency exit row seats assigned to you and priority boarding of the aircraft.
• Travelers can take advantage of a round-the-world ticket, a ticket with the ability to stop at a few countries around the world for a relatively lower price.
• If your trip is interrupted by a flight delay or cancellation and has a connecting flight that you will now miss due to the interruption, airline staff may rebook you on another airline's flight from the same alliance to minimize the delay in reaching your final destination.

Oneworld is the smallest alliance counting by the number of airlines. The member airlines are spread evenly around the world, so it is a workable option when planning a long multi-point trip such as for a round the world flight. It was the first alliance to introduce interlining e-tickets.

Oneworld Connect Partners:

SkyTeam is the latest large-scale alliance to be formed. It has a particularly strong network in Europe.

Star Alliance

Star Alliance is the world's largest airline alliance.

Cooperation includes seamless code share flights and baggage interlining and, as a new trend, an increased degree of co-location in airport terminals.

Members of any Star Alliance frequent traveler program (FT) can credit miles or points flown in many booking classes on any Star Alliance operated aircraft.

"Gold" Star Alliance FT members get an extra 20   kg or "piece" of baggage; reciprocal access to most Star Alliance members' lounges; priority boarding and priority wait listing.

A few airlines are "connecting partners", offering limited perks on flights connecting to ones on other Star Alliance airlines, but without being full members of Star Alliance:

Value Alliance

Value Alliance is an alliance of low-cost Asia-Pacific carriers.

Vanilla Alliance

Vanilla Alliance (French: Alliance Vanille ) was created to improve air connectivity within the Indian Ocean region.

Rail-air alliances

In some countries (especially those with extensive high speed rail networks) there are also cooperation agreements between airlines and railway operators, offering trains as a code-shared "flight" or other benefits to travelers. For more on the topic see rail air alliances .

Frequent flyer programs

You should choose your Frequent Flyer airline in an alliance carefully. Although you may think it is intuitive to join the airline you fly most, you should be aware that privileges offered are often different and frequent flyer points may be more generous under a different airline in the same alliance.

By way of example, to reach Star Alliance Gold status (affording you priority wait listing and boarding, extra checked baggage allowance and use of lounges even when flying on any Star Alliance economy flight) requires only 20,000 miles in one year with Aegean Airlines' Miles&Bonus program, but some other member programs require 50,000 or even 100,000 miles in a year to be flown before awarding Gold status.

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From interlining to alliances: decoding the complex world of airline collaborations.

With the American-JetBlue Northeast Alliance on the chopping block, it's time to take a look at codeshares, JVs, alliances and more

by Dan Booth

May 29, 2023

Photo: Courtesy of Waldemar / Unsplash

Getting one airplane loaded with passengers and baggage off the ground and back down again without incident is tricky enough. Repeating that feat thousands of times daily is called running an airline—a curious mix of big money, politics, technology, safety, security, and people.

Compounding all this is the notion that airlines must somehow turn a profit. In that never-ending quest, airline bosses—predisposed to be fiercely competitive—will sometimes enter into cooperative deals with one another to make the most of the costly assets of people and machines each possesses.

As we saw last week, such deals can pose thorny legal issues when U.S. District Court Judge Leo Sorokin struck down the so-called Northeast Alliance between American Airlines and JetBlue . In his decision, Sorokin found the alliance violated the Sherman Antitrust Act because it “substantially diminishes competition in the domestic market for air travel.”

Photo: Atlanta-Hartsfield International Airport. Courtesy of Skyler Smith / Unsplash

The judge has given the two airlines 30 days to unwind the arrangement, but the decision will likely be appealed. That would probably result in a stay being granted on the court order, buying American and JetBlue some time to figure out what to do next.

The case has once again spotlighted how complicated these agreements between airlines can be – both for the carriers and the consumers. But despite potential legal and operational issues, these cooperative arrangements have been a mainstay of the airline industry for decades.

Generally, airline cooperation falls into four categories: interline agreements, codesharing, joint ventures, and alliances.

In light of Judge Sorokin’s ruling, here’s a quick primer on the different kinds of cooperative agreements travelers can expect to find among airlines and what benefits fliers may see from each.

Interlining

The most basic level of cooperation between airlines is called an interline agreement. When an itinerary requires two or more different carriers, these commercial agreements allow each partner airline to handle passengers and their baggage from origin to destination, issuing tickets under a single itinerary and dealing with rebooking in the case of flight delays or cancellations.

Photo: Courtesy of Denver International Airport.

Travelers should not assume every airline is connected with every other carrier through an interline agreement. Some have no interline agreements at all.

Where there is no interline agreement, the passenger would need a separate ticket from each airline for each leg and is responsible for retrieving baggage from Flight A and checking in again with Flight B. Booking outside an interline agreement can make recovering from irregular operations, missed connections or lost luggage more problematic for the traveler.

Codesharing

A codeshare agreement goes deeper into the inner workings of airline schedules. For example, you may have noticed as you scan the flight board at the airport that while the gate number, departure time, and destination remain the same, the airline names and flight numbers to a particular destination may scroll through.

That’s because that particular flight is part of a codeshare arrangement. Under a codeshare, one airline puts its code (a two-character alphanumeric code assigned by IATA unique to each carrier) and flight number on a flight operated by another airline.

Photo: Courtesy of Miguel Angel Sanz / Unsplash

A codeshare agreement allows two or more carriers to market the same flight under each airline’s code and flight number and publish and market that flight as part of its own schedule. So, for example, a traveler wishing to fly nonstop from New York JFK to Seoul Incheon may book Delta flight DL9013 but fly aboard Korean Air flight KE086.

The main advantage for Delta Air Lines , in this case, is the ability to offer their customers direct flights to Seoul, while Korean Air reaps the benefits of Delta’s considerable marketing muscle in the US and its feeder network into New York.

Thus, airlines can market an expanded network without the expense of standing up their operations in every destination. Conversely, they can cut underperforming routes more readily, allowing them to respond to market changes.

Travelers also benefit from more convenient shopping and booking—particularly on multi-city, multi-carrier itineraries—and the flexibility to choose a booking that maximizes their loyalty points.

Joint Ventures

The American-JetBlue tie-up in the Northeast branded itself as an alliance while Department of Justice lawyers argued the business arrangement was “a de facto merger.” However, it was neither. What the agreement more closely resembled was a joint venture (JV).

Under a JV agreement, airlines can coordinate schedules and share revenues—two things that American and JetBlue did in their Northeast Alliance—and set prices, the one thing the two airlines agreed not to do.

Establishing a joint venture is a huge business decision that combines partner airline operations, revenue, and marketing efforts. Airlines in a joint venture essentially operate as one carrier; the paint on the outside of the airplane may change, but the timetables, fares, and, to a limited extent, the inflight experience and loyalty benefits are all fixed by the partner airlines.

To allow this kind of collaboration opens several cans of regulatory worms. First, it requires government agencies to review the deals and grant something called antitrust immunity, which Judge Sorokin noted the JetBlue-American deal lacked.

Photo: Courtesy of Delta Air Lines

Some of the most relevant airline-specific joint ventures in the U.S./foreign market are Delta Air Lines and Air France-KLM, Delta Air Lines and LATAM, American Airlines and British Airways/Iberia, and United Airlines and Lufthansa Group.

A JV can be good for consumers, as it can expand route options and schedules. But on the other hand, it essentially reduces the number of players in the market and diminishes competition which can drive up prices. This is why proposed JVs and mergers are scrutinized so keenly by government competition watchdogs like the DOJ before they receive the OK.

While American and JetBlue styled their Northeast operation as an “alliance,” the arrangement didn’t fall in that category. Essentially, an alliance is a club that member airlines pay dues to join and agree to reimburse one another for the cost of certain benefits delivered to passengers of fellow member airlines.

Airline alliances were formed in the late 1990s to create global networks to expand access to more destinations, filling in geographic gaps in even the largest legacy carrier’s route map. Alliances also make it easier for travelers to earn points and have status recognized across partner airlines.

Photo: United Airlines Boeing 777-300. Courtesy of Chris Leipelt / Unsplash.

In addition, alliances offer at least the possibility of more streamlined passenger connections, although that promise is not always realized in terms of consistent travel experiences from carrier to carrier.

While codesharing between alliance airlines is not a quid pro quo for membership, many carriers within the alliance will also enter reciprocal codeshare agreements with alliance partners. Those airlines often have extensive codeshare arrangements with other carriers outside the alliance.

For example, Turkish Airlines is a member of Star Alliance and codeshares with 16 of its alliance partners. However, Turkey’s flag carrier also has codeshare arrangements with an additional 41 airlines, many of whom are members of one of the other two alliances.

The Big Three alliances are Star Alliance—the oldest and largest with 26 member airlines—SkyTeam, which has 19 members, and Oneworld, with 15 member airlines. Today, according to data from OAG, 45 percent of the world’s scheduled airline seats are operated on carriers belonging to one of these three alliances.

Photo: Courtesy of Fasyah Halim / Unsplash

However, as with all things, the prolonged downturn has hit COVID, alliances in travel, and even slower to recover than the broader market. According to 2022 figures from OAG, global airline capacity was still 17.8 percent below 2019 levels, Oneworld was 18.5 percent below 2019 levels, SkyTeam was 23 percent below, and Star Alliance was 24 percent below.

What’s been making up the difference is the rise of low-cost carriers. The pandemic has accelerated this trend that began even before 2020. While nearly half of the world’s air travel is on alliance members, fully 31 percent flies aboard LCCs.

Cirium recently reported that Dublin-based Ryanair had become the fifth-largest carrier in the world, behind American, United, Delta, and Southwest.

Is That All There Is?

Of course, this is just a brief overview of the competitive-cooperative landscape in the airline industry. Mergers and acquisitions (Think: the pending JetBlue-Spirit deal, and airline operating groups (British Airways-Iberia parent IAG or the Lufthansa Group come to mind) leave plenty of room for exploring new partnerships, such as the American-Alaska Airlines West Coast International Alliance.

So while airlines continue to tout traditional alliance memberships, joint ventures, and codesharing as valuable marketing messages, individual carriers will always take a pragmatic – and very competitive – approach to establishing those cooperative arrangements which best leverage their unique brands and loyal travelers.

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Privacy Overview

Your guide to Star Alliance airlines, lounges and elite status

Editor's Note

Star Alliance has 26 member airlines that serve over 1,200 destinations in 186 countries. With more than 16,000 daily departures, there's a good chance you've flown on one or more of the Star Alliance airlines.

You might even have Star Alliance Silver or Gold status if you're a frequent flyer. There are also over 1,000 Star Alliance lounges you can access when traveling on eligible premium cabin fares or as a benefit of your airline elite status . So, let's take a closer look at what you should know about Star Alliance.

Star Alliance airlines

Star Alliance was formed on May 14, 1997, with Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways and United Airlines serving as its founding members. Now, the alliance consists of 26 Star Alliance airlines, including:

• Aegean Airlines
• Air New Zealand
• All Nippon Airways
• Asiana Airlines
• Austrian Airlines
• Brussels Airlines
• Copa Airlines
• Croatia Airlines
• Ethiopian Airlines
• EVA Airways
• LOT Polish Airlines
• Scandinavian Airlines
• Shenzhen Airlines
• Singapore Airlines
• South African Airways
• TAP Air Portugal
• Thai Airways
• Turkish Airlines
• United Airlines

Knowing the Star Alliance members is important because you can usually book award travel with other Star Alliance members through the loyalty programs associated with each of these airlines. For example, you can book flights operated by United Airlines through the Singapore KrisFlyer loyalty program .

Star Alliance partners

In addition to the 26 Star Alliance member airlines listed above, the alliance has two partners: Juneyao Airlines and Deutsche Bahn.

Juneyao Airlines is a Star Alliance connecting partner, which means you can through-check baggage, book connecting flights on one ticket and enjoy select other conveniences. However, you can only enjoy these connecting partner perks if your ticket includes an eligible connection between Juneyao Airlines and Air Canada, Air China, ANA, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Airways, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines or United.

Deutsche Bahn is a Star Alliance intermodal partner. This partnership means you could start or end your Star Alliance ticket on a Deutsche Bahn train.

Is Miles & More part of Star Alliance?

Many travelers wonder whether Miles & More is part of Star Alliance. Miles & More is the loyalty program for Lufthansa and, hence, is a way to book Star Alliance award tickets.

Related: The best websites to search for Star Alliance award availability

Star Alliance status tiers

If you have elite status with a Star Alliance airline, you likely also have Star Alliance status . Star Alliance offers two elite status tiers — Silver and Gold — that provide perks across its member airlines. You can check what Star Alliance status your airline status converts to on the Star Alliance benefits page .

Star Alliance Silver

The benefits offered by Star Alliance Silver status are minimal. Star Alliance Silver members only get two perks:

• Priority reservations waitlist : Get higher priority on the waitlist to reserve a higher class of service if space becomes available (not available on award tickets and subject to the carrier's policy).
• Priority airport standby : Get higher priority on the standby list if your travel plans change and flights are full (not available on award tickets and some fares).

Some of the airline statuses that offer Star Alliance Silver status include:

• Air Canada Aeroplan 25K and 35K
• Asiana Club Gold
• Egyptair Plus Silver
• United MileagePlus Premier Silver

Related: United Premier status: What it is and how to earn it

Star Alliance Gold

In addition to the two perks available to Star Alliance Silver members, Star Alliance Gold members get the following benefits:

• Priority airport check-in : Use Priority counters, where available, as indicated by Star Alliance Gold signage.
• Priority baggage handling : Your checked luggage will be marked "Priority" and should be among the first to arrive on the baggage belt at your destination.
• Airport lounge access : Enjoy lounge access (with up to one guest on the same flight) before your flight at more than 1,000 lounges worldwide when flying on Star Alliance airlines. (Star Alliance Gold members with United MileagePlus status can only access United Clubs within the U.S. before international flights on Star Alliance airlines.)
• Priority boarding : Board the aircraft along with first- and business-class passengers (this perk isn't always offered).
• Extra baggage allowance : Check an extra 20 kilograms (44 pounds) when luggage is allowed on a per-weight basis or an extra piece when a per-piece metric applies. (Some fares and non-connecting itineraries may not be eligible.)
• Gold Track : At airports with Gold Track priority lanes, you can use these lanes to get through airport security and immigration.
• Heathrow Express upgrades : Enjoy a free upgrade to Business First Class when you purchase a standard class single or return ticket for the Heathrow Express and show your Star Alliance Gold card to the onboard attendant.

Some of the airline statuses that offer Star Alliance Gold status include:

• Air Canada Aeroplan 50K and above
• Asiana Club Diamond and above
• Egyptair Plus Gold and above
• United MileagePlus Premier Gold and above

Related: This is how Star Alliance can learn from Oneworld Emerald status

Caveats to Star Alliance elite benefits

As you may have noticed, there are exclusions to some of the above benefits. For example, some airlines only honor the extra baggage allowance on connecting Star Alliance flights. Some airlines don't offer the extra baggage allowance if you book a basic economy fare.

Meanwhile, the priority reservations waitlist and priority airport standby perks aren't offered on award tickets and may depend on the fare you booked. In short, it's worth looking at the Star Alliance benefits before booking to ensure that you understand what benefits will apply.

Related: Which mileage program is best for getting Star Alliance status quickly?

Star Alliance lounges

Star Alliance travelers can access over 1,000 alliance-branded lounges and lounges owned by Star Alliance member airlines when traveling on eligible itineraries.

As noted above, Star Alliance Gold members (and up to one guest on the same flight) have access to airline lounges that display the Star Alliance Gold indicator before departure of a same-day flight or a flight that departs the next day before 5 a.m. (Keep in mind, though, that United Premier Gold members and above won't get United Club access unless they're traveling internationally.)

You may also have Star Alliance lounge access based on your cabin of service. For example, international first-class passengers (and a guest on the same flight) can visit international first-class or Star Alliance member lounges that display the Star Alliance logo at the entrance. Meanwhile, international business-class passengers can use any Star Alliance member's business-class lounge with the Star Alliance logo at the entrance.

However, the details and exceptions for Star Alliance lounge access are extensive. So, we recommend checking the Star Alliance lounge finder for the most accurate and nuanced information.

Related: Star Alliance debuts second lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport

Bottom line

Star Alliance is a collection of 26 airlines and two partners collaborating to connect passengers on travel worldwide to 186 countries. Each member airline has its own elite status, with elite tiers that usually bestow either Star Alliance Silver or Gold status.

These Star Alliance statuses provide some standard benefits across the alliance, but you shouldn't expect too much from Star Alliance Silver status. Meanwhile, outside of checked baggage benefits and priority boarding, the best benefit of Star Alliance Gold status is access to member lounges worldwide when traveling on eligible itineraries.

• Aviation Explained

Star Alliance members: airlines, benefits, and ways to join

What is Star Alliance? 

Star Alliance is the world’s largest airline alliance, comprising a vast network of member airlines that work together to provide enhanced connectivity, seamless travel experiences, and a range of benefits to passengers . It was first established in 1997 and has since grown to become a prominent force in the global aviation industry. 

The primary goal of Star Alliance is to offer customers a comprehensive and convenient travel network by connecting member airlines’ routes and services. By collaborating, member airlines can expand their reach and provide passengers with a wider range of destinations, flight options and amenities. 

As previously mentioned, one of the key advantages of Star Alliance is the ability to provide seamless travel experiences. Passengers can book itineraries that involve multiple flights on different member airlines, and enjoy benefits such as through check-in, baggage handling, and smooth connections. This makes travel more convenient and efficient, particularly for passengers with connecting flights. 

Star Alliance also offers a range of benefits to its passengers. These include access to airport lounges, priority services, extra baggage allowances, and the ability to earn and redeem miles across member airlines’ frequent flyer programs. Elite members of member airlines’ loyalty programs can also attain Star Alliance Gold Status, granting them additional privileges when traveling with any alliance member. 

Benefits of Star Alliance membership 

Benefits offered by the various airlines include: 

• Easy to book a flight : passengers can book flights directly with any Star Alliance member airline or through travel agencies and online booking platforms. When booking, travelers can choose flights that best suit their itineraries, taking advantage of the extensive route network offered by the alliance. 
• Global network : being part of Star Alliance gives airlines and their passengers access to a vast global network, connecting more than 1,300 destinations in over 190 countries . This extensive network offers travelers unparalleled connectivity and the ability to seamlessly travel across multiple airlines and destinations. 
• Frequent flyer benefits : Star Alliance offers a comprehensive frequent flyer program known as ‘Miles & More’. Passengers can earn and redeem miles on any Star Alliance member airline, allowing them to accumulate rewards faster and enjoy a wide range of benefits, including free flights, upgrades, and access to exclusive airport lounges. 
• Smooth transfers : Star Alliance provides passengers with smooth and convenient transfers between member airlines. Passengers can easily connect between flights, through check-in and baggage handling, ensuring a hassle-free travel experience. 
• Lounge access : Star Alliance Gold Status holders and premium cabin passengers enjoy access to over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide , providing a comfortable and relaxing environment before or between flights. These lounges offer amenities such as complimentary food and beverages, Wi-Fi, workspaces, and shower facilities. 
• Priority services : Star Alliance Gold Status holders receive priority services, including priority check-in, boarding, and baggage handling. This allows passengers to enjoy faster and more efficient travel, reducing wait times and enhancing the overall experience. 

Star Alliance members 

Star Alliance consists of 26 member airlines from around the world. These airlines represent a diverse range of carriers, including full-service airlines, regional airlines, and low-cost carriers.  

Some of the prominent members of Star Alliance include: 

• Air Canada : Canada’s largest airline and a major global carrier. It joined the Star Alliance in 1997, shortly after the alliance was formed. 
• Lufthansa : Germany’s flag carrier and one of the largest airlines in Europe. It became a member of the Star Alliance at its inception in 1997. 
• United Airlines : one of the largest airlines in the United States , it joined the Star Alliance in 1997.  
• Singapore Airlines : a major airline renowned for its excellent service, it became a member of the Star Alliance in 2000. 
• ANA ( All Nippon Airways ) : is one of Japan’s largest airlines and has been a member of the Star Alliance since 1999. 
• Scandinavian Airlines ( SAS ) : is the largest airline in Scandinavia. It joined the Star Alliance in 1997 and its membership has allowed SAS to expand its global reach and offer passengers a comprehensive network of destinations. 
• Air New Zealand : New Zealand’s national carrier became a member of the Star Alliance in 1999. The airline is recognized for its innovative approach and commitment to customer service. 
• Turkish Airlines : Turkey’s national carrier joined the Star Alliance in 2008. Since then, it has emerged as one of the fastest-growing airlines globally. 

Other alliance members include: 

• Aegean Airlines since 2010  
• Air China since 2007 
• Air India since 2014 
• Asiana Airlines since 2002 
• Austrian Airlines since 2000 
• Avianca since 2012 
• Brussels Airlines since 2009 
• Copa Airlines since 2012 
• Croatia Airlines since 2004 
• Egyptair since 2008 
• Ethiopian Airlines since 2011 
• Eva Air since 2013 
• LOT Polish Airlines since 2003 
• Shenzhen Airlines since 2012 
• South African Airways since 2006 
• SWISS since 2006 
• TAP Air Portugal since 2005 
• Thai Airways since 1997 

Partnerships 

In addition to its member airlines, Star Alliance has formed partnerships with various other airlines, expanding its reach and offering even more travel options to passengers. These partnerships include: 

• Connecting Partners : Star Alliance has established agreements with select airlines known as ‘Connecting Partners’. These airlines, although not full members, provide access to additional destinations and connectivity within specific regions. 
• Codeshare Agreements : Star Alliance members often have codeshare agreements, allowing them to sell tickets on behalf of their partner airlines. This enables passengers to book and travel on flights operated by multiple airlines while enjoying the benefits and services provided by the Star Alliance network. 

How to join Star Alliance?

To join Star Alliance, an airline must go through a rigorous evaluation process to ensure that it meets the alliance’s quality and service standards. The criteria for joining include operational excellence, a strong network, and a commitment to customer service. 

Airlines interested in joining Star Alliance must apply for and complete a comprehensive assessment. The assessment involves an evaluation of the airline’s financial stability, operational capabilities, product and service quality, and compatibility with the existing alliance members. Once the evaluation is complete and the airline has met the requirements, it can be invited to join Star Alliance as a full member or a connecting partner. 

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How old is Tim Walz? What to know about Kamala Harris' running mate

Democratic presidential candidate  Kamala Harris  selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, or Timothy James Walz, as her running mate on Tuesday, choosing a  progressive yet plain-spoken VP candidate  from America’s heartland to help her win over rural, white voters.

Here's what to know about the Minnesotan.

How old is Tim Walz?

Walz is 60 years old, born on April 6, 1964.

Yes, he's younger than the award-winning actor and Oklahoman Brad Pitt, who turn 61 on Dec. 18.

Where is Tim Walz from?

Walz was born in West Point, Nebraska, and grew up in Valentine, Nebraska.

How long was Tim Walz in the military?

Walz joined the National Guard  at 17 and served for 24 years. He earned a social science degree at Chadron State College in 1989 and a Master of Science in educational leadership from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 2001.

Tim Walz taught social studies, coached a championship team, led gay-straight alliance

After college, Walz began his teaching career in South Dakota at a Native American reservation, then spent a year teaching in China, before returning home to the Cornhusker State. 

He and his wife, fellow teacher Gwen Whipple, moved again to her home state of Minnesota in 1996. 

Walz taught social studies and geography at Mankato West High School in southern Minnesota, where he was also a football coach and helped lead the team to their first state championship. 

When a student at Mankato West wanted to start the school’s first gay-straight alliance club in 1999, Walz agreed to be the group’s faculty adviser.

Tim Walz's political career

Walz made the shift from educator to politician in 2006. He ran for a seat in the U.S. House, flipping what had been a reliably Republican district in southern Minnesota.  

Six terms later, Walz set his sights on governor where he was elected Minnesota's 41st governor.

He served as a U.S. Representative for Minnesota's first district, serving six terms in the House from 2007 to 2019. He was elected Minnesota's 41st governor and his tenure began in 2019.

Why are critics calling Tim Walz 'Tampon Tim'?

Supporters of former president Donald Trump have given Harris' running mate a new nickname, "Tampon Tim."

The name references a bill Walz signed last year requiring Minnesota schools to provide free menstrual products in all public school bathrooms used by students in grades 4 to 12.