Global airline alliances like Oneworld, Star Alliance, and SkyTeam bring together airlines from around the world to simplify your travel. These alliances allow for better connections, shared lounges, and points earning and redemption across partner carriers. See below for insights and tips on making the most of airline alliances.
Italy's flag carrier ITA Airways joined the SkyTeam alliance in 2021. Most other SkyTeam airlines still don't recognise its membership.
For a long time, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan has been a popular frequent flyer program due to its excellent value award flight redemptions. As Alaska Airlines also sells miles, often with bonus miles attached during promotions, some Australians have even been buying Mileage Plan miles on a regular basis. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan redemptions may be a … Continued
Rwanda’s national carrier RwandAir has announced its intention to join the Oneworld alliance with the backing of Qatar Airways. If the airline is accepted into Oneworld, it would be a great win for the alliance which currently lacks coverage through central and southern Africa. Oneworld’s African coverage was improved when Royal Air Maroc joined the … Continued
Virgin Atlantic (not to be confused with Virgin Australia!) has announced that it will join the SkyTeam alliance in early 2023. This is great news for Virgin Atlantic Flying Club members, who will soon be able to earn and redeem Virgin Atlantic points across the SkyTeam alliance. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club members will also be … Continued
Star Alliance member TAP Air Portugal’s status match offer is back in 2022! If you currently hold elite status with Qatar Airways, Emirates, Etihad, British Airways, American Airlines or selected other airlines, this could be your ticket to fast-tracked Star Alliance Gold status. Through the TAP Portugal status match promotion, you could instantly receive Star … Continued
Russia’s S7 Airlines has temporarily left the Oneworld alliance until further notice. S7 Airlines is describing this as a mutual decision, with a notice on its website saying: S7 Airlines and oneworld have agreed to a suspension of S7 Airlines’ membership in the alliance effective 19 April 2022, until further notice. Earning and spending miles is available as usual, with some exceptions described below. Previously … Continued
Business Class passengers departing from Australia on Oneworld airlines other than Qantas are being refused access to the Qantas First Lounges, despite the Qantas Business Lounges being closed indefinitely. In fact, passengers departing from most Australian airports in Business Class on airlines such as Qatar Airways, American Airlines or Cathay Pacific do not currently have … Continued
Italy’s new flag carrier ITA Airways has joined the SkyTeam alliance, replacing the void left by the exit of its predecessor Alitalia. ITA Airways took over operations from Alitalia on 15 October 2021. At the time, it wasn’t yet clear whether ITA Airways would take Alitalia’s place in the SkyTeam alliance. But it was widely … Continued
Alaska Airlines has become the newest member of the Oneworld alliance, after joining on 31 March 2021. Alaska Airlines is now the second Oneworld member in the USA, after American Airlines, and joins the other 13 member airlines including Qantas, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Qatar Airways and Royal Air Maroc, which joined a year ago. … Continued
Airport lounge access rules can be confusing at the best of times. But issues arise particularly often when frequent flyers try to use their status benefits from one airline while crediting the flight to a different airline’s frequent flyer program. If you have Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status with an airline other than Qantas, such … Continued
In late 2019, Australian Frequent Flyer revealed that the Oneworld alliance was considering allowing frequent flyers of any Oneworld airline to use their points to upgrade on any other airline in the alliance. The news of Oneworld alliance-wide upgrades was welcomed by frequent travellers, and recently, Oneworld CEO Rub Gurney confirmed to Cranky Flier that the new upgrade proposition … Continued
Japan Airlines (JAL) has a handy feature for finding Oneworld award availability on its website. The JAL website displays award availability for all 13 Oneworld member airlines, including Qantas and Cathay Pacific, and you can view availability across all Oneworld airlines in a single search. JAL’s Oneworld Award search tool is a handy addition to the … Continued