Anairline alliance is an aviation industry arrangement between two or moreairlines agreeing to cooperate on a substantial level. Alliances may provide marketing branding to facilitate travelers making inter-airlinecodeshare connections within countries. This branding may involve unifiedaircraft liveries of member aircraft.[1]
In 2015,Star Alliance was the largest with 23% of total scheduled traffic inrevenue passenger kilometres (RPKs)/revenue passenger miles (RPMs), followed bySkyTeam with 20.4% andOneworld with 17.8%, leaving 38.8% for others.[2] In 2019, by number of passengers, Star Alliance was leading 762 million,[3] followed by SkyTeam (630 million)[4] and Oneworld (535 million).[5]
Benefits can consist of an extended network, often realised throughcodeshare agreements. Many alliances started as only codeshare networks. Cost reductions come from sharing operation facilities (e.g. catering or computer systems), operation staff (e.g. ground handling personnel, at check-in and boarding desks), investments and purchases (e.g. in order to negotiate extra volume discounts).[6] Traveler benefits can include lower prices due to lowered operational costs for a given route, different times to choose from, more destinations within easy reach, shorter travel times, more options ofairport lounges shared with alliance members, fast track access on all alliance members if having frequent flyer status, faster mileage rewards by earning miles for a single account on several different carriers,round-the-world tickets, enabling travellers to fly over the world for a relatively low price.[7]
Airline alliances may also create disadvantages for the traveller, such as higher prices when competition is erased on a certain route or less frequent flights; for instance, if two airlines separately fly three and two times a day respectively on a shared route, their alliance might fly less than 5 (3+2) times a day on the same route. This might be especially true between hub cities for each airline. e.g., flights betweenDetroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (a Delta Air Linesfortress hub) andAmsterdam Airport Schiphol (a KLM fortress hub).[8][9][10]
The first airline alliance was formed in the 1930s, whenPanair do Brasil and its parent companyPan American World Airways agreed to exchange routes toLatin America.[citation needed]
The first large alliance began in 1989, whenNorthwest Airlines andKLM agreed to large-scale codesharing. In 1992, the Netherlands signed the firstopen skies agreement with the United States, in spite of objections from theEuropean Union, which gave both countries unrestricted landing rights on the other's soil. Normally landing rights are granted for a fixed number of flights per week to a fixed destination. Each adjustment requires negotiations, often between governments rather than between the companies involved. In return, the United States granted antitrust immunity to the alliance between Northwest Airlines and KLM. This alliance continues to exist today (as of 2025) with KLM as aSkyTeam member and Northwest's successor airlineDelta also being a member. Other alliances would struggle for years to overcome the transnational barriers and lack of antitrust immunity, and still do so.[citation needed]
On May 14, 1997, an agreement was announced forming the Star Alliance with five airlines on three continents:United Airlines,Scandinavian Airlines,Thai Airways International,Air Canada, andLufthansa.[11][12] The alliance choseYoung & Rubicam for advertising, with a budget of $25 million (€18 million).[13][11] which brought competing airlines to formOneworld in 1999 andSkyTeam in 2000.[citation needed]
In 2010Richard Branson, chairman of theVirgin Group, announced his intention to form a fourth alliance among Virgin branded airlines (Virgin Atlantic;Virgin America; and theVirgin Australia Holdings group of airlines).[14] Then in September 2011, Branson said that Virgin Atlantic would join one of the existing alliances;[15] this idea was repeated in October 2012.[16] In December 2012, Delta Air Lines purchased Singapore Airlines' 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic for £224 million.[17]Virgin America was absorbed intoAlaska Airlines by 2018, which joined the Oneworld alliance in 2021.[18][19] Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic joined SkyTeam in 2023.[20]
On February 14, 2013, it was announced thatAmerican Airlines andUS Airways would merge, retaining the American Airlines name and would remain in the Oneworld alliance. US Airways' participation in Star Alliance lapsed. In 2012, in South America, LAN Airlines and TAM Airlines began their merger. In March 2014, with the merger complete, TAM left Star Alliance and became part of LAN in Oneworld.[citation needed]
On September 21, 2015, theVanilla Alliance was formed between several airlines based in theIndian Ocean region, in order to improve air connectivity within the region. The founding members wereAir Austral,Air Mauritius,Air Madagascar,Air Seychelles, andInt'Air Îles.[21]
U-FLY Alliance, the first alliance oflow-cost carriers (LCCs), was formed in January 2016, comprisingHK Express,Lucky Air,Urumqi Air, andWest Air (all affiliated withHNA Group).[22] In May 2016, the world's largest alliance of LCCs was formed,Value Alliance, including founding membersCebu Pacific,Cebgo,Jeju Air,Nok Air,NokScoot,Scoot,Tigerair,Tigerair Australia andVanilla Air.[23] Neither alliance remains active as of 2025.
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Star Alliance, founded in 1997, currently has 25 members:[24]
Aegean Airlines, 2010
Air Canada, founder
Air China, 2007
Air India, 2014
Air New Zealand, 1999
All Nippon Airways, 1999
Asiana Airlines, 2003
Austrian Airlines, 2000
Avianca, 2012
Brussels Airlines, 2009
Copa Airlines, 2012
Croatia Airlines, 2004
EgyptAir, 2008
Ethiopian Airlines, 2011
EVA Air, 2013
LOT Polish Airlines, 2003
Lufthansa, founderShenzhen Airlines, 2012
Singapore Airlines, 2000
South African Airways, 2006
Swiss International Air Lines, 2006
TAP Air Portugal, 2005
Thai Airways International, founder
Turkish Airlines, 2008
United Airlines, founder
Future members:
ITA Airways, Lufthansa takeover, 2026
Former members:
Adria Airways, 2004–2019, defunct
Ansett Australia, 1999–2001, defunct
Blue1, 2004–2012, defunct
BMI, 2000–2012, absorbed intoBritish Airways[25]Continental Airlines, 2009–2010, merged withUnited Airlines in 2010
Mexicana de Aviación, 2000–2004, joinedOneworld in 2009
Scandinavian Airlines, founder, 1997–2024, joined SkyTeam in 2024Shanghai Airlines, 2007–2010, merged withChina Eastern Airlines and joinedSkyTeam as an affiliate of China Eastern in 2011
Spanair, 2003–2012, defunct
TACA, 2012–2013, merged withAvianca
TAM Airlines, 2010–2014, merged withLAN Airlines and joinedOneworld in 2014US Airways, 2004–2014, joinedOneworld as an affiliate member ofAmerican Airlines and later merged completely with American in 2015Varig, 1997–2007, defunctJuneyao Air, 2017
Oneworld, founded in 1999, currently has 15 members:[29]
Alaska Airlines, 2021American Airlines, founderBritish Airways, founder
Cathay Pacific, founder
Fiji Airways, 2025Finnair, 1999Iberia, 1999Japan Airlines, 2007
Malaysia Airlines, 2013
Oman Air, 2025Qantas, founder
Qatar Airways, 2013
Royal Air Maroc, 2020
Royal Jordanian, 2007
SriLankan Airlines, 2014
Future members:
Hawaiian Airlines, 2026Starlux Airlines, 2026 or 2027Former members:
Aer Lingus, 2000–2007, left the alliance[30]Air Berlin, 2012–2017, defunctCanadian Airlines, founder, 1999–2000, acquired byAir CanadaLATAM Brasil, 2014–2020
LATAM Chile, 2000–2020
Malév Hungarian Airlines, 2007–2012, defunctMexicana de Aviación, 2009 (ceased operations in 2010)
S7 Airlines, 2010–2022, suspended from alliance due to theRussian invasion of UkraineUS Airways, 2014–2015, merged withAmerican Airlines.jpg)
SkyTeam, founded in 2000, currently has 18 members:[31]
Aerolíneas Argentinas, 2012Aeroméxico, founderAir Europa, 2007
Air France, founderChina Airlines, 2011China Eastern Airlines, 2011Delta Air Lines, founder
Garuda Indonesia, 2014
Kenya Airways, 2007
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, 2004Korean Air, founder
Middle East Airlines, 2012
Saudia, 2012Scandinavian Airlines, 2024
TAROM, 2010
Vietnam Airlines, 2010Virgin Atlantic, 2023XiamenAir, 2012
Former members:
Aeroflot, 2006–2022, suspended from alliance due to theRussian invasion of UkraineAlitalia, 2001–2021, defunctChina Southern Airlines, 2007–2018Continental Airlines, 2004–2009, joinedStar Alliance in 2009 and later merged withUnited Airlines in 2010Copa Airlines, 2007–2009, joinedStar Alliance in 2012
Czech Airlines, 2001–2024, defunctITA Airways, 2021–2025, to joinStar Alliance in 2026Northwest Airlines, 2004–2008, merged withDelta Air Lines in 2008
Vanilla Alliance, founded in 2015, currently has 4 members:[32]
Air Austral, founder
Madagascar Airlines, founder
Air Mauritius, founder
Air Seychelles, founder
Former members:
Int'Air Îles, founder, 2015–2024, defunct
U-FLY Alliance, founded in 2016, had 4 members:[33]
Eastar Jet, 2016Lucky Air, founderUrumqi Air, founderWest Air, founder
Former members:
HK Express, 2016–2019, founder, acquired byCathay Pacific in 2019.Value Alliance, founded in 2016, had 5 members:[34]
Cebu Pacific, founderCebgo, founderJeju Air, founderNok Air, founderScoot, founder
Former members:
NokScoot, 2016–2020, defunctTigerair, 2016–2017, merged withScootTigerair Australia, 2016–2018, founderVanilla Air, 2016–2019, founder, merged withPeach Aviation| Alliance | Members | Passengers /year | Countries served | Destination | Fleet | Employees | Revenue /year (US$) | Flights /day | RPK[2] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star Alliance[35] | 26 | 642.1 Mn | 195 | 1,360 | 5,000 | 432,603 | 179.05 Bn | 19,000 | 1536 Bn | 23% |
| SkyTeam[36] | 19 | 665.4 Mn | 175 | 1,062 | 3,937 | 481,691[37] | 140.98 Bn[37] | 17,343 | 1362 Bn | 20.4% |
| Oneworld[38] | 13 | 557.4 Mn | 161 | 1,016 | 3,560 | 382,913 | 130.92 Bn | 13,814 | 1189 Bn | 17.8% |
| Value Alliance[39] (defunct) | 7 | 180 Mn | 30 | 183 | 554 | - | - | 400 | 107 Bn | 1.6% |
| U-FLY Alliance (defunct) | 8 | 200 Mn | 18 | 149 | 593 | - | - | 420 | 40 Bn | 0.6% |
| Vanilla Alliance | 5 | 2.3 Mn | 26 | 89 | 46 | - | - | - | - | |
