Three global airline alliances carry most of the world's long haul passenger traffic. Star Alliance, SkyTeam, and Oneworld. Each is a partnership that lets member airlines share passengers, route networks, and loyalty benefits. Here is what each alliance offers and how to make it work for you.

Star Alliance

The largest alliance by passenger volume. Formed in 1997. Around 26 member airlines today.

  • Key members, Lufthansa, United, Singapore Airlines, Air Canada, ANA, Turkish Airlines, Thai, South African Airways.
  • Strongest coverage across Europe, North America, and North Asia.
  • Top tier loyalty status, Star Alliance Gold, gives lounge access, priority check in, and extra baggage on any member airline.

SkyTeam

Founded 2000. Around 19 airlines, strong in continental Europe and East Asia.

  • Key members, Delta, Air France, KLM, Korean Air, China Eastern, Saudia, Aeromexico.
  • Strongest coverage in Europe and East Asia.
  • Top tier status, SkyTeam Elite Plus, offers similar cross airline benefits.

Oneworld

Founded 1999. Around 14 airlines, many with premium positioning.

  • Key members, British Airways, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways, Qantas, Iberia, Malaysia Airlines.
  • Strongest coverage in the Pacific, Middle East, and UK to US routes.
  • Oneworld Emerald is the top tier, comparable to Gold and Elite Plus.

What the alliance gives you

  • Earn miles on any member. Fly United, earn on Lufthansa or Air Canada.
  • Redeem miles on any member. Subject to availability.
  • Status recognition. Gold status on one carrier translates to priority boarding on most alliance members.
  • Lounge access. For top tier members, at alliance member lounges worldwide.
  • Easier connections. Member airlines coordinate baggage check through and minimum connection times.

What the alliance does not always give you

  • Best in class rates for point redemption. Individual airlines often run better direct promotions.
  • Free upgrades. Alliances rarely include complimentary upgrades, those are usually within a single airline's loyalty programme.
  • Identical service levels. A business class seat varies widely between members.

Unaligned big airlines

Some of the biggest carriers are not members of any alliance.

  • Emirates. Uses its own partnerships, most notably a strong tie up with Qantas.
  • Etihad Airways. Prefers bilateral partnerships.
  • JetBlue. Offers a wide partnership network but no alliance membership.
  • Southwest Airlines. Operates entirely independently.

Which alliance suits your travel

  • Flying mostly within North America and Europe, Star Alliance or SkyTeam.
  • Flying Asia Pacific often, Oneworld has strong coverage.
  • Flying the Middle East and South Asia, Oneworld via Qatar Airways, or unaligned via Emirates and Etihad.
  • Frequent domestic travel in one country, pick the dominant local airline's loyalty programme, alliance secondary.

Browse airlines by alliance in the builder

Over 150 airlines across all three alliances and unaligned carriers.

Open the builder

How alliances affect your ticket

Alliance membership is why code share flight numbers exist. It is why your boarding pass can be printed by one member and scanned by another. It is why you can earn miles on one airline for travel on a different airline. The whole system is invisible until you book, at which point it quietly does the work for you.

For how the flight numbers themselves are assigned across partners, see how airlines assign flight numbers. For how cabin classes translate across alliance members, read airline cabin classes, a clear guide.