Airline Alliances Explained: Star Alliance, oneworld, and SkyTeam
Alliances are the reason you can use United miles to fly Lufthansa, or Flying Blue miles to fly Delta. Once this clicks, award travel makes a lot more sense. Here's the quick version, plus a lookup so you can check any airline in a few seconds.
Quick answers
Is Cathay Pacific in Star Alliance?
No, Cathay Pacific is a oneworld member.
Is British Airways in Star Alliance?
No, British Airways is in oneworld.
Is Iberia in Star Alliance?
No, Iberia is in oneworld.
Is Finnair in Star Alliance?
No, Finnair is in oneworld.
Is Emirates in Star Alliance?
No, Emirates isn't in any of the three alliances.
Is Air Europa in oneworld?
No, Air Europa is still a SkyTeam member.
How many airline alliances are there?
There are three big ones: Star Alliance, oneworld, and SkyTeam.
Which alliance is my airline in?
| Airline | Alliance |
|---|---|
| Aegean Airlines | Star Alliance |
| Air Canada | Star Alliance |
| Air China | Star Alliance |
| Air India | Star Alliance |
| Air New Zealand | Star Alliance |
| ANA | Star Alliance |
| Asiana Airlines | Star Alliance |
| Austrian Airlines | Star Alliance |
| Avianca | Star Alliance |
| Brussels Airlines | Star Alliance |
| Copa Airlines | Star Alliance |
| Croatia Airlines | Star Alliance |
| EgyptAir | Star Alliance |
| Ethiopian Airlines | Star Alliance |
| EVA Air | Star Alliance |
| ITA Airways | Star Alliance |
| LOT Polish Airlines | Star Alliance |
| Lufthansa | Star Alliance |
| Shenzhen Airlines | Star Alliance |
| Singapore Airlines | Star Alliance |
| South African Airways | Star Alliance |
| SWISS | Star Alliance |
| TAP Air Portugal | Star Alliance |
| THAI | Star Alliance |
| Turkish Airlines | Star Alliance |
| United Airlines | Star Alliance |
| Alaska Airlines | oneworld |
| American Airlines | oneworld |
| British Airways | oneworld |
| Cathay Pacific | oneworld |
| Fiji Airways | oneworld |
| Finnair | oneworld |
| Hawaiian Airlines | oneworld |
| Iberia | oneworld |
| Japan Airlines | oneworld |
| Malaysia Airlines | oneworld |
| Oman Air | oneworld |
| Qantas | oneworld |
| Qatar Airways | oneworld |
| Royal Air Maroc | oneworld |
| Royal Jordanian | oneworld |
| SriLankan Airlines | oneworld |
| Aerolíneas Argentinas | SkyTeam |
| Aeromexico | SkyTeam |
| Air Europa | SkyTeam |
| Air France | SkyTeam |
| China Airlines | SkyTeam |
| China Eastern | SkyTeam |
| Delta Air Lines | SkyTeam |
| Garuda Indonesia | SkyTeam |
| Kenya Airways | SkyTeam |
| KLM | SkyTeam |
| Korean Air | SkyTeam |
| Middle East Airlines | SkyTeam |
| SAS | SkyTeam |
| Saudia | SkyTeam |
| TAROM | SkyTeam |
| Vietnam Airlines | SkyTeam |
| Virgin Atlantic | SkyTeam |
| XiamenAir | SkyTeam |
| Emirates | None |
| Etihad Airways | None |
A few recent changes are worth knowing. ITA Airways joined Star Alliance on April 1, 2026. Asiana Airlines leaves Star Alliance at the end of December 16, 2026 (Korea time), and Star Alliance has 25 members from December 17. Hawaiian Airlines joined oneworld in April 2026, alongside its sister airline Alaska. Virgin Atlantic joined SkyTeam in 2023, and SAS moved to SkyTeam in September 2024. oneworld also notes that S7 Airlines' membership has been suspended since April 2022.
Why alliances matter for awards
Member airlines share award seats with each other's loyalty programs. So the program you book with doesn't have to be the airline you fly. That's the whole trick.
The pattern I use:
- Figure out which airline flies your route.
- Find its alliance in the table above.
- List the programs in that alliance that your bank points transfer to.
- Search those programs for the seat.
Go deeper on each alliance
- Star Alliance explained: United, Lufthansa, ANA, Singapore, and Turkish, plus Aeroplan's partner chart.
- oneworld explained: American, Alaska, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Qatar, and JAL.
- SkyTeam explained: Delta, Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic, and Korean Air. If you're in SkyTeam, my Flying Blue guide is the next stop.
- Star Alliance vs oneworld vs SkyTeam: Which Is Best for You? if you're deciding which one to focus on.
Once you're booking, stopovers and open jaws can help you get more trip out of one award.
Sources
- Star Alliance, ITA Joins Star Alliance: https://www.staralliance.com/en/ita-joins-star-alliance
- Lufthansa Group newsroom, ITA Airways Joins Star Alliance: https://newsroom.lufthansagroup.com/en/ita-airways-joins-star-alliance/
- Lufthansa Group newsroom, Asiana Airlines to Exit Star Alliance: https://newsroom.lufthansagroup.com/en/asiana-airlines-to-exit-star-alliance/
- oneworld members: https://www.oneworld.com/members
- oneworld, Aloha! oneworld welcomes Hawaiian Airlines: https://www.oneworld.com/news/oneworld-welcomes-hawaiian-airlines
- SkyTeam about page: https://www.skyteam.com/en/about
Not financial advice. Program rules and partners change, so check the official page before you transfer or book. Drafted with AI assistance.