If you fly regularly then the chances are you will have heard about airline alliances, but do you know how they work and what they can mean for you? Talk of alliances and frequent flyer schemes can sound a bit confusing, but by taking some time to understand which airlines work together, you can use this information to your advantage and enjoy some extra benefits. Here’s a beginners guide with everything you need to know about the three major alliances and how they can work for you next time you fly First or Business Class.
What are airline alliances exactly?
An airline alliance is formed when two or more airlines agree to cooperate to offer seamless travel and additional benefits for passengers. The three major airline alliances in existence today are oneworld, Star Alliance and SkyTeam. Most major airlines are a member of one of these alliances although smaller carriers and budget airlines tend to have no alliance.
One of the main benefits of airlines working together is an extended network of flights through codesharing agreements. Essentially this means an airline can offer a global reach wherever you need to go, but only with its partners.
Why do I need to know about them?
Airline alliances are of huge benefit to the frequent traveller and are important for accruing frequent flyer miles. Codeshares offer several major benefits including a choice of more destinations and departure times for a given route; shorter stopover times due to optimised flight times; and round-the-world tickets enabling travellers to fly all over the world at a reduced price. Passengers can also enjoy the use of luxury airline lounges operated by alliance members.
It is wise to sign up for one frequent flyer scheme in each of the three major alliances so that you may earn miles with any of the carriers within that particular alliance. As an example, if you sign up for a British Airways frequent flyer account, you would be able to collect miles whenever you fly on any of the other partner airlines in the oneworld alliance. So you could fly with American Airlines or Cathay Pacific and still accrue miles on one single account. Collecting miles in this manner allows you to advance to tier status more quickly and enjoy benefits such as priority check-in, seating and boarding and use of premium lounges. You can also redeem your frequent flyer miles for flights, hotels and upgrades to First or Business Class.
Oneworld
Oneworld was founded in 1999 and is the smallest alliance by number of airlines, but size isn’t everything. The oneworld alliance members are spread out throughout the world, so it is a great option when planning a long international trip with multiple stops. With oneworld Explorer round-the-world fares you can choose from over 900 destinations in 150 countries, travelling in First, Business or Economy class. If your oneworld tier status is Emerald or Sapphire, or if you’re flying on a First or Business Class ticket with any member airline, you can access more than 600 lounges throughout the globe. A First Class ticket will also enable you to invite one guest into the lounge. The 15 participating airlines of the oneworld alliance include:
- airberlin
- American Airlines
- British Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Finnair
- Iberia
- Japan Airlines
- LAN
- TAM Airlines
- Malaysia Airlines
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Royal Jordanian
- S7 Airlines
- Mexicana
SkyTeam
Established in 2000, SkyTeam is the youngest alliance and has a strong network in Europe. SkyTeam has 20 partner airlines, offering over 15,723 daily flights to 1,064 destinations in 178 countries.
International First and Business Class passengers as well as SkyTeam Elite Plus members can enjoy complimentary use of more than 564 SkyTeam partner lounges worldwide. If you have SkyTeam Elite Plus status you can also invite a guest to join you in the lounge. The SkyTeam London Exclusive Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 4 is a two-level space offering luxurious amenities such as an oxygen bar, a wine bar and a wellness centre with showers and full-body massage chairs.
Top customers can also get to enjoy the SkyPriority service, which provides alliance-wide red carpet treatment such as priority check-in and baggage drop-off, priority service at ticket/transfer desks, accelerated security and passport clearance, priority boarding and priority baggage handling.
SkyTeam Alliance airlines include:
- Aeroflot
- Aerolineas Argentinas
- Aeromexico
- Air Europa
- Air France
- Alitalia
- China Airlines
- China Eastern
- China Southern
- Czech Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- Garuda Indonesia
- Kenya Airways
- KLM
- Korean Air
- Middle East Airlines
- Saudia
- TAROM
- Vietnam Airlines
- Xiamen Airlines
Star Alliance
Star Alliance is the largest airline alliance in the world, with the highest number of member airlines, daily flights and destinations. Due to its size, the alliance offers a number of services to offer a more seamless experience, including co-location of partner members at airport terminals. With ‘Move Under One Roof’, members share common ticketing and check-in counters, as well as lounges and baggage facilities. If you have Star Alliance Gold Status or you’re travelling in First or Business Class, you are welcome in over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide. Silver Status will get you on the priority reservations wait list and priority airport standby, while Gold Status comes with a number of special perks including an additional 20kg baggage allowance.
There are a total of 28 member airlines, which are:
- Adria Airways
- Aegean Airlines
- Air Canada
- Air China
- Air New Zealand
- ANA
- Asiana Airlines
- Austrian
- Avianca
- Brussels Airlines
- Copa Airlines
- Croatia Airlines
- EGYPTAIR
- Ethiopian Airlines
- EVA Air
- LOT Polish Airlines
- Lufthansa
- Scandinavian Airlines
- Shenzhen Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- South African Airways
- SWISS
- TAP Portugal
- THAI
- Turkish Airlines
- United
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