SkyTeam is one of the world's three majorairline alliances. Founded in June 2000, SkyTeam was the last of the three alliances to be formed, afterStar Alliance andOneworld. Its annual passenger count is 624 million customers (2024),[1] the second largest of the three major alliances.[5][6][7] As of May 2025[update], SkyTeam consists of 18 active carriers;[8] it also operates a cargo alliance namedSkyTeam Cargo, which partners with seven carriers,[9] all SkyTeam members. Its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, is based inAmstelveen, Netherlands.[2]
On 22 June 2000, representatives ofDelta Air Lines,Aeroméxico,Air France, andKorean Air held a meeting inNew York to form a thirdairline alliance.[10] These became the four founding carriers of SkyTeam. Upon its formation, SkyTeam would offer its customers 6,402 daily flights to 451 destinations in 98 countries. In September 2000 (2000-09), the alliance established a cargo alliance,SkyTeam Cargo. The group's inaugural members were Aeromexpress, Air France Cargo, Delta Air Logistics and Korean Air Cargo.[10] The following month, the newly established airline alliance announced its intentions to incorporateCSA Czech Airlines as the 5th member in April of the following year.[11]
The alliance saw the joining of CSA Czech Airlines on 25 March 2001;[12]Alitalia entered SkyTeam on 27 July the same year,[13] with its membership scheduled to become effective 1 November that year.[14] On 30 September 2001, the alliance received KLM's application for membership, following the airline's plans to create a leading airline group with Air France.[15] In 2003,Delta's subsidiary,Delta Express, was replaced bySong.[16][17] That same year, SkyTeam also launched an improved website focused on providing passengers with more information, increased interactivity and other resources.[18]
2000s: First major expansion, departure of airlines and new initiatives
On 24 May 2004,Aeroflot signed amemorandum of understanding with SkyTeam as it intended to become a full member. The event took place in theKremlin following the airline's application earlier in the year for membership.[19][20] SkyTeam expressed that Aeroflot has not met the consortium's standards, but that the airline's large hub networks made it ideal for the alliance, and made up for its deficiencies.[21]
On 28 August,China Southern Airlines, the largest carrier of the People's Republic of China, signed a preliminary agreement inGuangzhou in its bid to become a full member.[22] In the presence of some Chinese and airline officials, Yan Zhiqing, the chairman of China Southern Airlines, said, "This agreement-signing event is an important step forward into the future for China Southern Airlines to adapt itself to the need of further reforms and opening to the international community, as it will strengthen the airline's international cooperation and global competitiveness."
On 13 September,Continental Airlines,KLM, andNorthwest Airlines joined the alliance.[23][24] Their simultaneous entry was the largest expansion event in airline alliance history. As a result of the three new members, SkyTeam surpassedOneworld to become the second largest airline alliance, serving more than 341 million customers with 14,320 daily flights to 658 destinations in 130 countries.[23]
Even though memberCSA Czech Airlines pledged to helpMalév Hungarian Airlines become an associate member of the alliance (as opposed to a full member, an associate has no voting rights), Malév Hungarian Airlines opted to join theOneworld airline alliance, signing a memorandum of understanding late in May. A few days later, SkyTeam announced four new associate members due to join by 2006, each one being "sponsored" by an existing member:Madrid-basedAir Europa (sponsored by Air France), Panama-basedCopa Airlines (sponsored and partly owned byContinental Airlines),Kenya Airways (sponsored and partly owned byKLM), and Romania'sTAROM (sponsored byAlitalia).[25] Every associate adopted afrequent-flyer program of a full member: Copa Airlines already usedContinental'sOnePass;[26] Kenya Airways and Air Europa used Air France–KLM'sFlying Blue.[27]
Following a 23-month joining process since May 2004 (2004-05),[28] Aeroflot joined on 14 April 2006.[29] It was the first Russian airline to be associated with any airline alliance.[30][31] Aeroflot had increased its operational standards, passingInternational Air Transport Association's (IATA)Operational Safety Audit (IOSA).Delta's subsidiarySong continued to operate as Delta Air Lines.[32] In June, it was announced thatPortugália would become the alliance's next associate member candidate.[33] However, in November, rival airline and Star Alliance memberTAP Air Portugal purchased 99.81% of the airline, bringing a sudden end to its candidacy.[34]
On 4 September 2007, Air Europa, Copa Airlines,[nb 1] and Kenya Airways became members of SkyTeam's Associate program,[35] which was launched to serve airlines in strategic regions which intended to become affiliated with the alliance.[36][37] China Southern Airlines joined SkyTeam on 15 November to become the 11th full member and the first carrier fromChina to join the alliance.[38][39]
In June 2008 (2008-06),[40] following an agreement between Continental Airlines andUnited Airlines,[41] the former, as well as Copa Airlines, announced their intentions to move toStar Alliance after Continental's final flight with SkyTeam on 24 October 2009.[42][43][44] That day, as announced, Continental Airlines and Copa Airlines simultaneously left SkyTeam.[45][46] Continental Airlines joinedStar Alliance three days later;[47] at the time, it was rumored that the switch was Continental's initial move in a United-Continental merger.[48]
In April 2009 (2009-04), the alliance signed a preliminary agreement withVietnam Airlines for the airline to become a full member in 2010.[49] Also in 2009,Alitalia-Linee Aeree Italiane re-launched operations as the newAlitalia,[50] and the alliance announced initiatives towards a centralized management based inAmsterdam.[51] The consortium also named a new managing director, Marie-Joseph Malé, outlined a timeline for the opening of its co-located facilities at LondonHeathrow Airport, and unveiled a new special livery.[51]
In September 2009 (2009-09),Olympic Air entered into a codeshare agreement with Delta, a deal that was part of Olympic's intention to join SkyTeam and engage in further discussions with Delta's joint venture partner Air France–KLM.[52][53][54][55] However, ties were cut in 2013 after Star Alliance memberAegean Airlines acquired Olympic Air.
2010s: Second major expansion and tenth anniversary
To start 2010,Northwest Airlines' andDelta Air Lines' operating certificates were officially combined on 1 January,[56] while on 9 March,China Southern Airlines announced its plans to joinSkyTeam Cargo.[57][58][59] With membership expected to be granted in November the same year, the airline was to be the first Chinese carrier to join a global air cargo alliance.[57] On 16 April,China Eastern Airlines announced its intention to join SkyTeam, with the official joining ceremony initially expected to occur by mid 2011.[60][61] The announcement came shortly after the airline's merger withShanghai Airlines, a member of SkyTeam's rivalStar Alliance.
On 10 June, Vietnam Airlines became a full member following a joining ceremony held inHanoi.[62][63] The airline became the first SkyTeam carrier from Southeast Asia, whereStar Alliance has a strong presence throughSingapore Airlines andThai Airways International. With an extra 20 unique destinations added to SkyTeam's route map, Vietnam Airlines helped to strengthen the alliance's foothold in the region.[62]
On 22 June, the CEOs andchairmen of the 13 member airlines gathered in New York to celebrate the alliance's 10th anniversary.[64] During its first decade of operation, the world's second-largest airline alliance more than tripled its membership, doubled its flights and nearly doubled its destinations.[65] On the same day, SkyTeam announced that it had renewed its membership program, thereby upgradingAir Europa,Kenya Airways, andTAROM statuses from associate to full members.[66] During the ceremony, the Board outlined its plans to recruit members fromLatin America,South America, and India.[65] Three days later, TAROM officially became the 13th SkyTeam member.[67] As a part of the celebration, SkyTeam offered reductions of round-the-world fares[68] and other promotions. Following the 10th anniversary, SkyTeam intended to enhance customers' travel experience and deepen cooperation among its members to supplement the expansion into regions that are yet to have SkyTeam members.[69]
In South America, India and Africa, it is clear there will be a significant battle for positioning to lure good carriers in your alliance.
— Leo van Wijk, chairman during a 10th anniversary event of SkyTeam[70]
During the year, Delta Air Lines offeredUS$1.02 billion toJapan Airlines after the Asian airline filed for bankruptcy due toUS$26 billion debt,[71] at the same time lobbyingOneworld's largest member in Asia to switch to SkyTeam.[72] Delta, along withAmerican Airlines, wanted Japan Airlines to be in their respective alliances to benefit from the U.S.–JapanOpen Skies agreement. Eventually, Japan Airlines opted to remain at Oneworld, citing that the transfer to SkyTeam would confuse its passengers and may not gain antitrust immunity from U.S. regulators.[73]
SkyTeam received its second application for full membership within five months.China Airlines,Taiwan's flag carrier and largest airline, announced in mid September that it had formally started the joining process.[74][75][76] Upon joining, the airline's route network supplemented those ofChina Southern Airlines andChina Eastern Airlines, allowing cooperation among the three airlines. The following month,Aerolíneas Argentinas signed an agreement to officially start the process of becoming the first South American SkyTeam member. The airline was set to join in 2012.[77][78][79]
On 1 November,Shanghai Airlines exited fromStar Alliance to join SkyTeam in the future under its parent company, future SkyTeam memberChina Eastern Airlines. This bolstered SkyTeam's presence in the People's Republic of China and surrounding areas, making SkyTeam the number one alliance in the region.[80]Garuda Indonesia formally started its joining process on 23 November and was scheduled to be integrated by 2012.[81] Upon joining, the airline became the second Southeast Asian airline to join SkyTeam, therefore once again challengingStar Alliance's dominance in the region throughThai Airways International andSingapore Airlines.
Membership ofXiamenAir was activated in November 2012 (2012-11).[82]
On 29 May 2012,Saudi Arabian Airlines became both the first carrier to join the alliance in 2012 and the first one based in theMiddle East, which brought the total members to 16.[92][93] The same day of its incorporation, Saudi Arabian Airlines was renamed to Saudia.[94]Middle East Airlines became the 17th member of the alliance a month later, following its incorporation on 28 June 2012.[95][96] On 29 August 2012, Aerolíneas Argentinas became the firstSouth American and the secondLatin American airline in joining the alliance,[97][98] bringing the number of members to 18.[99] Following its incorporation on 21 November 2012, Xiamen Airlines became the fourth member inMainland China,[82] with the overall number of members in the alliance rising to 19.[100][101][102] In late June 2013 (2013-06), the Russian newspaperKommersant published an article that mentions that Aeroflot was considering leaving the alliance over disagreements withDelta on the pricing on some routes toNorth America. The report also mentioned that the Russian carrier was considering joiningStar Alliance.[103] To assess the benefits of the SkyTeam membership, a study was carried out in July; following it, the Aeroflot board reaffirmed its position within the alliance in September 2013 (2013-09).[104]
Garuda Indonesia became the 20th member of the alliance on 5 March 2014.[105][106][107] Garuda initially expected to gain SkyTeam membership in 2012, but the joining process took 40 months to be completed.[108]
On 4 November 2019, theInternational Airlines Group (IAG) announced it had agreed terms to purchaseAir Europa and that the airline would leave SkyTeam if the deal succeeded.[citation needed] TheCOVID-19 pandemic and antitrust concerns delayed the sale. Negotiations resumed in March 2022 when IAG agreed to grant Air Europa a €100 million loan convertible into a 20% stake.[110] In February 2023, negotiations were completed and IAG agreed to buy the remaining 80% stake in Air Europa (which it plans to keep as a separate brand but have managed byIberia) for €400 million, subject to European regulatory approval.[111][112][113] In August 2024, IAG abandon the deal after deeming additional remedies to address EU antitrust conditions too onerous to make the deal viable.[114]
2020s: Third major expansion, COVID-19 pandemic and 25th anniversary
On 15 October 2021,Alitalia ceased operations, departing the alliance.[115] Its successor,ITA Airways, joined SkyTeam on 29 October 2021.[116][117] In 2023,Lufthansa, after confirming its initial acquisition of 41% of ITA Airways, said its plans included gaining total ownership of ITA's shares by 2028 and having the airline leave SkyTeam and join Star Alliance. TheEuropean Commission approved Lufthansa Group's purchase of a 41% stake inITA Airways in July 2024,[118][119][120][121][122][123][124] and on 3 February 2025,ITA Airways announced that it was leaving SkyTeam after being an alliance member for three years following the acquisition; the exiting transition period ended on 30 April 2025, and the airline will join Star Alliance in 2026.[125][126]
In February 2022, both Delta and KLM announced plans to suspend their codesharing agreements with Aeroflot in connection with the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[127][128] Subsequently, on 27 April, SkyTeam announced that through an agreement with Aeroflot, the carrier's membership was suspended.[129]
On 2 March 2023,Virgin Atlantic joined the alliance, making it the 19th member and the first UK airline of the alliance.[130][131]
On October 2023, as a part of the restructuring of Scandinavian Airlines' parent companySAS Group, Air France-KLM, along with theGovernment of Denmark and two financial firms, announced plans to invest in Scandinavian Airlines. In March 2024, the US Bankruptcy Court approved the investment, the Stockholm District Court on 12 June 2024, and the European Commission on 28 June 2024. As a result of the approval for the investment,Scandinavian Airlines left Star Alliance on 31 August 2024 and joined SkyTeam on 1 September 2024.[132][133][134]
In September 2024,Eurostar signed a memorandum of understanding to join SkyTeam as its first non-airline partner. This cooperation will enable integrated intermodal transport (air-rail) in the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.[135] Eurostar will join SkyTeam in 2026.[136]
On 26 October 2024,Czech Airlines left SkyTeam and ceased operations following changes in the operating model. The last flight arrived from Paris the following evening.[137][138][139]
SkyTeam launched a speciallivery in 2009, coinciding with the alliance's 10th anniversary, withDelta Air Lines being the first airline to paint one of its aircraft with these colours. The livery consisted of an all-metallic silverfuselage and a dark blueempennage with SkyTeam's logo on it. The alliance emblem is painted on both sides of the fuselage. As of August 2016[update], the SkyTeam livery was worn by 52 aircraft.[166]
^abSobie, Brendan (11 February 2010)."Copa expects mid 2010 alliance decision".FlightGlobal.Washington, D.C.Archived from the original on 29 March 2014.Copa Airlines was independent until 2005 when it became a SkyTeam associate member. Colombian sister carrier Aero Republica, which is also owned by Copa Holdings, has always been independent although like Copa it is part of Continental's OnePass frequent flier programme.
^Field, David (23 July 2008)."Continental's alliance switch alters balance of power in US".FlightGlobal. Airline Business. Archived fromthe original on 11 June 2013. Retrieved3 September 2012.After rejecting an outright merger with Star member United, Continental unveiled plans in June to leave SkyTeam next year and join Star.
^"Saudi Arabian Airlines, now known as Saudia, joins SkyTeam and adds 35 destinations". Centre for Aviation. 29 May 2012. Archived fromthe original on 31 May 2012. Retrieved5 June 2012.Flag carrier Saudi Arabian Airlines formally joined the SkyTeam alliance on 29-May-2012, becoming the alliance's 16th global member and first member from the Middle East. The carrier also used the occasion to re-brand, adopting its old name of "Saudia".
^Walker, Karen (22 November 2012)."Xiamen joins SkyTeam". Air Transport World. Archived fromthe original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved23 November 2012.
^ab"FAQs SkyPriority | SkyTeam".www.skyteam.com. Retrieved12 September 2025.SkyPriority is applicable for all flights operated by SkyTeam carriers. This includes the SkyTeam carriers own regional carriers and affiliates, which fly under the same code of the SkyTeam carrier e.g. KLM Cityhopper or Delta Connection.
^Sobie, Brendan (10 November 2010)."Both Avianca-TACA and Copa to join Star Alliance".FlightGlobal. Miami.Archived from the original on 29 March 2014.Copa has been considering joining Star since 2008, when it decided to exit SkyTeam. It formally left in October 2009 with close partner and former part-owner Continental Airlines.
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Aeroflot[D]
Aerolíneas Argentinas
Aeroméxico[A]
Air Europa
Air France[A][B]
China Airlines
China Eastern Airlines
Delta Air Lines[A]
Garuda Indonesia
Kenya Airways
KLM[B]
Korean Air[A]
Middle East Airlines
Saudia
Scandinavian Airlines
SAS Connect[144]
TAROM
Vietnam Airlines
Virgin Atlantic
Alitalia
Czech Airlines
Copa Airlines
Media from Commons
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