For the political party in Papua New Guinea, see Star Alliance Party.
Star Alliance
AllianceStar Alliance
Size240
Launch date14 May 1997 (age 29)
Full members26
Airports1,300[1]
Countries195[1]
Annual passengers762[1]
Annual rpk1,739[1]
Fleet5,033[1]
HeadquartersFrankfurt, Germany[2]
Key people
Websitestaralliance.com
Alliance sloganTogether. Better. Connected.

Star Alliance is an airline alliance headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany.[5] Founded on 14 May 1997, it was the world's first global airline alliance.[1] Star Alliance has 26 member airlines that operate a combined fleet of over 5,000 aircraft, serving more than 1,300 airports in 195 countries on more than 19,000 daily departures.

As of April 2024 , it is the world's largest airline alliance by market share, holding 17.4 percent compared to 13.7 percent for SkyTeam and 11.9 percent for Oneworld.[6]

The alliance has a two-tier rewards program, Silver and Gold, with incentives including priority boarding and upgrades. Like other airline alliances, Star Alliance airlines share airport terminals (known as co-locations), and many member aircraft are painted in the alliance's livery.

History

1997–1999: Founding and early years

The Star Alliance was announced on 14 May 1997 by five airlines from three continents: Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines.[7][8][9] The group adopted a shared star-shaped logo, with each point representing a founding member. Its first slogan was “The Airline Network for Earth,” and it aimed to connect passengers to major cities worldwide.[7][8] Advertising efforts were managed by Young & Rubicam, with a budget of $25 million (€18 million).[10]

VARIG, a now-defunct Brazilian airline, joined the alliance on 22 October 1997, marking its expansion into South America.[7][11] Ansett Australia and Air New Zealand also joined, extending the network into Australia and the Pacific.[12][13] With these additions, the alliance served 720 destinations in 110 countries and operated a combined fleet of 1,650 aircraft. All Nippon Airways became the second Asian airline to join on 15 October 1999.[14][15]

2000s: Expansion and first decade

During the early 2000s, a number of airlines joined Star Alliance; the Austrian Airlines Group (Austrian Airlines, Tyrolean Airways and Lauda Air) joined on 26 March 2000[16][17] and Singapore Airlines on 1 April.[18] BMI and Mexicana joined on 1 July, bringing the alliance's membership to 13.[19] With Singapore Airlines' entry into the alliance, Thai Airways considered moving to Oneworld, but eventually decided to remain.[20] The addition of BMI made London Heathrow the only European hub with two alliances. During the year, Emirates considered joining Star Alliance, but decided against it.[21] That year the now-defunct BWIA West Indies Airways, which had entered an alliance with United Airlines, considered becoming a member but did not.[22] In 2000, the alliance also opened its first three business centres (in Los Angeles, Frankfurt and Bangkok) and announced the formation of an Alliance Management Team (AMT), the partnership's executive body.[23] In September 2001, Ansett Australia (the alliance's only Australian member) left Star Alliance due to bankruptcy, giving most of the Australian market to Qantas (a Oneworld member). That year, Star Alliance announced the appointment of a new CEO, Jaan Albrecht.[23]

Partner airlines promoted the Star Alliance brand with a 'Round the World' ticket (RWT) that offered choices of 19,000, 21,000, and 23,000 miles with stopovers in 15 cities, valid for one year.[24]

Asiana Airlines joined the alliance on 28 March 2003,[25] Spanair on 1 May 2003,[26] followed by LOT Polish Airlines (Poland's flag carrier) joining in October.[27] Around this time, Mexicana Airlines left the alliance after deciding not to renew a codeshare agreement with United Airlines, later joining Oneworld.[23] US Airways joined the alliance in May 2004,[28] becoming its second US-based airline. In November, Adria Airways, Blue1 and Croatia Airlines joined the alliance as its first three regional members.[29]

Although Star Alliance invited Lineas Aereas Azteca to join in 2005, the airline filed for bankruptcy in mid-2007. TAP Air Portugal joined on 14 March 2005, adding African destinations to the network.[30][31] In April 2006, Swiss International Air Lines, the alliance's sixth European airline, and South African Airways (its first African carrier) became the 17th and 18th members.[32]

By May 2007, Star Alliance's 10th anniversary, its members had a combined 16,000 daily departures to 855 destinations in 155 countries and served 406 million passengers annually. The alliance introduced Biosphere Connections, a partnership with UNESCO, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands to promote environmental sustainability.[33][34]

Today, nearly 30% of global air travellers use the services of our member carriers or, looking at it from an overall industry perspective, two-thirds of worldwide air travellers use one of the three airline alliances.

— Jaan Albrecht, former Star Alliance CEO[35]

VARIG left the alliance on 31 January 2007,[36] and the two Chinese airlines, Air China and Shanghai Airlines, joined on 12 December.[37]

On 1 April 2008, Turkish Airlines joined the alliance after a 15-month integration process beginning in December 2006, becoming its 20th member.[38] EgyptAir, Egypt's national airline and Star Alliance's second African carrier, joined on 11 July 2008.[39]

On 27 October 2009, Continental Airlines became the 25th member of Star Alliance after leaving SkyTeam three days earlier. According to Alliance CEO Jaan Albrecht, "Bringing Continental Airlines into Star Alliance has been a truly unique experience. This is the first time an airline has moved directly from one alliance to another, and I would like to thank all those involved in ensuring a smooth switch". At the time, it was rumoured that the switch was Continental's first move in a planned merger with United Airlines.[40] Eventually on 2 May 2010, United and Continental announced they would be merging under the United name; the merger was completed on 1 October 2010. On 26 December 2009, Brussels Airlines joined the alliance.[41]

2010s: Further expansion and second decade of operations

Brazilian carrier TAM Airlines joined Star Alliance on 13 May 2010,[42] increasing its foothold in South America.[43] Aegean Airlines, Greece's largest airline by number of passengers, joined on 30 June.[44]

Shanghai Airlines left the alliance on 31 October 2010 when it merged with China Eastern Airlines, a SkyTeam member.[45] On 29 September, the chief executive board approved Ethiopian Airlines as Star Alliance's 30th member, though Ethiopian did not officially join the alliance until December of the following year.[46][47] In 2010, the alliance flew to 1,172 airports in 181 countries, with about 21,200 daily departures.[46]

Since 2011, the alliance has gained several large members, but it has lost others due to collapse or mergers. On 13 December 2011, Ethiopian Airlines joined, adding five countries and 24 destinations to the alliance's map.[48]

2012 and 2013 were tumultuous years for Star Alliance, starting with two key departures but ending with a major move into Latin America. In Europe, Spanair ceased operations, and BMI left after being acquired by International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of Oneworld members Iberia and British Airways. BMI was integrated into British Airways.[49][50] In North America, Continental merged with United Airlines, reducing Star Alliance's membership further, even if it effectively remained in the alliance after the merger.[51] On 21 June, though, Avianca, TACA Airlines and Copa Airlines joined, massively increasing the alliance's Latin American presence.[52] In November, Blue1 left after becoming an affiliate of parent Scandinavian Airlines,[53] while Shenzhen Airlines joined, augmenting Air China's Chinese network.[54] Taiwanese carrier EVA Air then joined on 18 June 2013, and after TACA's integration into Avianca, the alliance grew to 28 members, making it the largest of the three major airline alliances.[55][56] On 13 December, Air India was again invited to begin an integration process with Star Alliance and joined the alliance on 11 July 2014.[57]

Following this string of expansions, 2014 opened with two major departures through mergers. First, Brazilian carrier TAM Airlines merged with LAN Airlines to become LATAM Airlines Group, leaving the alliance without a presence in the world's fifth-largest country.[58] Next, US Airways completed its merger with American Airlines and also left the alliance.[59] Both parent companies stayed with Oneworld. On 24 June, though, the alliance finally approved Air India, which joined on 11 July, leaving the alliance at 27 members.[60][61][62][63]

Future expansion centres around the addition of Connecting Partners, subsidiaries or partners of alliance members, which will add connectivity to the alliance without becoming full members. Avianca Brasil joined in this way on 22 July 2015, bringing the alliance back into the Brazilian market and partially filling the void left by Varig and TAM.[64] South African Airways' low-cost subsidiary, Mango, was initially announced to join as a Connecting Partner in Q3 2016,[65] but has since been delayed. Juneyao Airlines, which codeshares with Shenzhen Airlines, joined as a Connecting Partner on 23 May 2017.[66][67][68] On 20 August 2019, Star Alliance announced affiliate member Avianca Brasil's exit from the alliance from 1 September 2019. The departure, however, will not affect Avianca's membership.[69][70] On 30 September 2019, Adria Airways ceased operations, and the airline exited the alliance on 2 October 2019.[71]

2020s: 25th anniversary and restructuring of several member airlines

The now-defunct regional subsidiary of Thai Airways, Thai Smile, joined as a Connecting Partner in February 2020.[72] In January 2024, the Thai Smile brand was discontinued and folded into the parent airline as a result of the reorganization of Thai Airways International following bankruptcy.[73]

On 16 November 2020, Asiana Airlines announced its plans to exit the alliance.[74] Asiana will merge with Korean Air, the South Korean Government confirmed, in a $1.6 billion acquisition by the SkyTeam member.[75] After the United States Department of Justice approved the merger in December 2024, the merger was completed and Asiana Airlines became a subsidiary of Korean Air.[76] It was announced in May 2026 that Asiana would be integrated into Korean Air by December 17 2026.[77]

In October 2023, as a part of the restructuring of Scandinavian Airlines' parent company SAS Group, Air France-KLM, along with the Government of Denmark and two financial firms (Castlelake and Lind Invest), announced plans to invest in Scandinavian Airlines. In March 2024, the US Bankruptcy Court approved the investment, along with the Stockholm District Court on 12 June 2024 and the European Commission on 28 June 2024. As a result of the investment, Scandinavian Airlines left Star Alliance on 31 August 2024 and joined SkyTeam on 1 September 2024.[78][79][80]

In January 2025, Lufthansa Group acquired a 41 percent stake in ITA Airways, a SkyTeam member.[81][82] The European Commission approved the acquisition of ITA in July 2024.[83] On 3 February 2025, ITA Airways announced that it was leaving SkyTeam following the acquisition by Lufthansa Group.[84][85] ITA Airways joined Star Alliance on 1 April 2026.[86][87]

Member airlines and affiliates

Members and affiliates

style="bgcolor="silver""|Member[88][89]style="bgcolor="silver"" |Joinedstyle="bgcolor="silver""|Member affiliates
Aegean Airlines30 June 2010Olympic Air
Air Canada14 May 1997Air Canada Express
Air Canada Jetz
Air Canada Rouge
Air China12 December 2007
Air India11 July 2014
Air New Zealand3 May 1999
All Nippon Airways15 October 1999ANA Wings
Asiana Airlines28 March 2003
Austrian Airlines26 March 2000
Avianca21 June 2012Avianca Costa Rica[90]
Avianca Ecuador[91]
Avianca El Salvador
Avianca Express
Avianca Guatemala
Brussels Airlines9 December 2009
Copa Airlines21 June 2012
Croatia Airlines18 November 2004
Egyptair11 July 2008
Ethiopian Airlines13 December 2011
EVA Air18 June 2013
ITA Airways1 April 2026
LOT Polish Airlines26 October 2003
Lufthansa14 May 1997Lufthansa City Airlines[92]
Shenzhen Airlines29 November 2012
Singapore Airlines1 April 2000
South African Airways10 April 2006
Swiss International Air Lines1 April 2006
TAP Air Portugal14 March 2005TAP Express
Thai Airways International14 May 1997
Turkish Airlines1 April 2008
United Airlines14 May 1997United Express

Connecting partners

style="bgcolor="silver""| Connecting Partnerstyle="bgcolor="silver"" | Joined
Juneyao Air[66]23 May 2017

Intermodal partners

Since August 2022, the German railway provider Deutsche Bahn has been the first intermodal partner of the Star Alliance, whose airlines have been able to assign their own flight numbers for trains.[93][94] In March 2025, Austrian Federal Railways became the second intermodal partner.[95]

Intermodal PartnerJoined
Deutsche Bahn1 August 2022
Austrian Federal Railways19 March 2025

Former members

Former memberJoinedExitedAffiliatesNotes
Adria Airways18 November 200430 September 2019Darwin AirlineCeased operations on 30 September 2019.
Ansett Australia3 May 199912 September 2001Aeropelican
Hazelton Airlines
Kendell Airlines
Skywest Airlines
Ansett New Zealand		Suffered financial collapse on 12 September 2001.[96] Ansett resumed operations on 1 October 2001, but would permanently cease operations on 4 March 2002. In 2002, Hazelton and Kendell merged to become Rex Airlines.
Blue13 November 20041 November 2012Left the alliance on 1 November 2012 after SAS took over mainline operations, was a member affiliate of Scandinavian Airlines (2012–2015), and is now a part of CityJet.[53][97]
British Midland International1 July 200020 April 2012BMI Regional[98]Merged into British Airways, an International Airlines Group division and a Oneworld member, on 20 April 2012.[49]
Continental Airlines27 October 20093 March 2012Continental Connection
Continental Express
Continental Micronesia		Merged with United Airlines on 3 March 2012.[99]
Mexicana1 July 200031 March 2004AerocaribeLeft the alliance in 2004 after deciding not to renew a codeshare alliance with United Airlines, opting instead to codeshare with American Airlines and then joined Oneworld in 2009. Ceased operations on 28 August 2010.[100]
Shanghai Airlines12 December 200731 October 2010Acquired by China Eastern Airlines, a SkyTeam member, on 31 October 2010.[101]
Spanair1 May 200327 January 2012AeBalCeased operations on 27 January 2012.[102]
Scandinavian Airlines14 May 199731 August 2024Blue1
SAS Connect
SAS Link		Founding member; partly acquired by Air France–KLM, two SkyTeam members.[103]
TACA Airlines21 June 201227 May 2013TACA RegionalMerged with Avianca on 27 May 2013; renamed Avianca El Salvador.
TAM Airlines13 May 201030 March 2014TAM ParaguayMerged with LAN Airlines, a Oneworld member, on 30 March 2014.
US Airways4 May 200430 March 2014US Airways Express
US Airways Shuttle		Merged with American Airlines, a Oneworld member, on 30 March 2014.[104]
VARIG22 October 199731 January 2007Nordeste
Rio Sul		Ceased operations on 20 July 2006.[36]

Former affiliates of current members

MemberFormer affiliateJoinedExitedNotes
Air CanadaAir Alliance
1997
1999
Folded into Air Canada Express.[105]
Air BC
1997
2001
Folded into Air Canada Express.[105]
Air Canada Tango
2001
2004
Folded into Air Canada.[106]
Air Nova
1997
2001
Folded into Air Canada Express.[105]
Air Ontario
1997
2001
Zip
2002
2004
Folded into Air Canada.[107]
Air ChinaAir China Inner Mongolia
2014
2025
Folded into Air China[108]
Air New ZealandAir Nelson
1999
2019
Folded into Air New Zealand.
Mount Cook Airlines
1999
2019
All Nippon AirwaysAir Next
2004
2010
Merged with ANA Wings.[109]
Air Nippon
1999
2012
AviancaAvianca Brasil
2015
2019
Ceased operations after filing for bankruptcy protection.
Avianca Honduras
2013
2018
Suspended operations in 2018 and retired its fleet in 2020. Currently dormant.
Avianca Perú
2012
2020
Ceased operations when Avianca filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[110]
Austrian AirlinesLauda Air[111]
2000
2013
Replaced by Austrian Airlines operations, now known as Austrian myHoliday.[112]
Tyrolean Airways[111]
2000
2015
Folded into Austrian Airlines.[113]
Copa AirlinesCopa Airlines Colombia
2010
2020
Ceased operations in 2020 and folded into Copa Airlines. Its routes are now operated by Wingo.
EgyptAirEgyptAir Express
2006
2019
Merged with EgyptAir.
LufthansaLufthansa Italia
2009
2011
Folded into Lufthansa.[114]
Lufthansa CityLine[115]
1997
2026
Folded into Lufthansa.[116]
South African AirwaysSouth African Express
2006
2020
Folded into South African Airways.
Swiss International Air LinesSwiss Global Air Lines
2007
2018
Folded into Swiss International Air Lines after being dissolved.
Thai Airways InternationalThai Smile
2011
2024
Connecting partner from 2020,[117] folded into Thai Airways.[118]
Turkish AirlinesAnadoluJet
2008
2024
Re-established as AJet.
United AirlinesUnited Shuttle
1997
2001
Became part of United Airlines.[119]
TED
2004
2009
Folded into United Airlines.[120]

Customer services

Frequent flyer programs, Star Alliance Silver and Gold status

Status miles can be earned across all Star Alliance member airlines’ frequent flyer programs using a single frequent flyer account, allowing members to attain Star Alliance Silver status or progress to Gold status. Higher-tier status levels of each member airline's frequent flyer programs are aligned with the two uniformly recognized Star Alliance status levels: Star Alliance Silver and Star Alliance Gold. Both status levels entitle special benefits and privileges to passengers when travelling on the Star Alliance network. Membership in any Star Alliance airline program grants full access to the entire Star Alliance network without the need to register with any additional program.

Star Alliance Silver benefits include access to priority reservations, waitlist, and priority airport stand-by.[121][122] Star Alliance Gold benefits include priority reservations waitlist, airport stand-by, check-in and baggage handling, additional checked luggage allowance, and access to designated lounges operated by Star Alliance or member airlines.

Frequent flyer program list by airline and Star Alliance status equivalents
AirlineFrequent flyer programStar Alliance Silver
equivalent status(es)		Star Alliance Gold
equivalent status(es)
Austrian AirlinesMiles & MoreFrequent TravellerSenator
HON Circle
Brussels Airlines
Croatia Airlines
ITA Airways
LOT Polish Airlines
Lufthansa
Lufthansa City Airlines
Swiss International Air Lines
Aegean AirlinesMiles+BonusMiles+Bonus SilverMiles+Bonus Gold
Air CanadaAeroplan[123]25K
35K		50K
75K
Super Elite 100K
Air ChinaPhoenixMilesSilverGold
Platinum
Shenzhen Airlines
Air IndiaMaharaja ClubSilverGold
Platinum[124]
Air New ZealandKoruSilverGold
Platinum Black
All Nippon AirwaysANA Mileage ClubBronzeSuper Flyers
Diamond
Platinum
Asiana AirlinesAsiana ClubGoldDiamond
Diamond Plus
Platinum
AviancaLifeMilesSilverGold
Diamond
Cenit
Copa AirlinesConnectMilesConnectMilesSilverGold
Platinum
Presidential Platinum
EgyptairEgyptAir PlusSilverGold
Elite
Platinum
Ethiopian AirlinesShebaMilesSilverGold
Platinum
EVA AirInfinity MileageLandsSilverGold
Diamond
Singapore AirlinesKrisFlyerElite SilverElite Gold
PPS Club
Solitaire PPS Club
South African AirwaysVoyagerSilverGold
Platinum
TAP Air PortugalMiles&GoSilverGold
Navigator
Thai Airways InternationalRoyal Orchid PlusSilverGold
Platinum
Turkish AirlinesMiles & SmilesClassic PlusElite
Elite Plus
United AirlinesMileagePlusPremier SilverPremier Gold
Premier Platinum
Premier 1K
Global Services

Codeshares

In 2004, Star Alliance introduced a "regional" concept to expand its reach through smaller regional carriers. To join, these regional members needed sponsorship from an existing alliance member. The alliance no longer labels airlines as "regional" members, instead referring to all 27 airlines simply as "members."[125]

The common use of codeshare agreements led to suspicions of anti-competitive behaviour. The European Union suspected the alliance of operating as a virtual merger of its members, with speculation that, if regulations were relaxed, the members might merge into one corporation.[126]

Some Star Alliance members paint some of their aircraft with the alliance livery, usually a white fuselage with "Star Alliance" across it and a black tail fin with the alliance logo; the colour or design of the engine cowlings or winglets remains, depending on the member's livery. Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand were two exceptions: Singapore Airlines formerly kept its logo on the tails of its aircraft, but now uses the Star Alliance logo on white tails, while Air New Zealand now uses full black livery with reversed colored original Star Alliance livery elements. Asiana Airlines was the first Star Alliance member to paint its aircraft in the current Star Alliance livery.[127] Aircraft painted in an airline's regular livery have the Star Alliance logo between the cockpit and the first set of cabin doors, except double deck airliner like Boeing 747 and Airbus A380, which printed Star Alliance logo behind cockpit, and airliner with narrow space between the cockpit and the cabin door like the McDonnell Douglas DC-9/MD-80 and Comac C909, which printed the Star Alliance logo under the cockpit or on the first cabin door.

Award and recognition

On 24 June 2024, Star Alliance was voted for two top awards by Skytrax; 2024 World's Best Airline Alliance and Best Airline Alliance Lounge.[128]

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