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Everything You Need to Know About Star Alliance, the World's Largest Airline Alliance

Here's everything frequent fliers should know about the Star Alliance, including member airlines, benefits, and more.

United Airlines

You’ve probably heard of SkyTeam, OneWorld, and Star Alliance, but have you ever wondered what exactly these airline partnerships mean for travelers? Airline alliances are partnerships among carriers that enable them to share resources and collaborate for the benefit of both travelers and airlines. When they join together, airlines can expand their flight schedules to include routes offered by partner airlines, and they can coordinate their frequent flier programs so travelers can earn and redeem miles on airlines in the alliance. Ready to learn more?  Here’s what every avid traveler should know about the Star Alliance, the first-ever global aviation alliance.

What to Know About the Star Alliance

Star Alliance was founded on May 14, 1997 as the first global airline alliance. It linked five major airlines — United Airlines , Scandinavian Airlines , Thai Airways International , Air Canada , and Lufthansa — to create a single network and offered new services to international travelers. Today, the alliance includes 26 members and offers a far-reaching network spanning 195 countries and more than 1,200 destinations worldwide. Members include both major carriers and smaller regional airlines.

Major Chicago-based carrier United Airlines is the Star Alliance member American travelers are probably most familiar with. The airline flies to more than 230 domestic destinations and 118 international cities on more than 800 aircraft. Main hubs include Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Denver International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport , George Bush Intercontinental Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Dulles International Airport, and New York LaGuardia Airport. Major international destinations for United are London , Frankfort, Tokyo , and Brazil. These hubs and major airports provide convenient options for both domestic and international travelers, and the options are really endless when you consider all the destinations you can reach on United’s partner airlines.

Star Alliance Member Airlines

Members of the Star Alliance include: Aegean Airlines , Air Canada , Air China , Air India , Air New Zealand , All Nippon Airways , Asiana Airlines , Austrian Airlines , Avianca , Brussels Airlines , Copa Airlines , Croatia Airlines , Egyptair , Ethiopian Airlines , Eva Air , Lot Polish Airlines , Lufthansa , Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines , Singapore Airlines , South African Airways , Swiss International Air Lines , Thai Airways , Tap Air Portugal , Turkish Airlines , and United Airlines.

Benefits for Star Alliance Members

Before airline alliances existed, travelers would have to research the best flight prices and times from each individual airline, piecing together the best flight path for their trip on their own. Today, airline alliances make traveling on multiple partner carriers seamless so you can reach your final destination with ease. Airlines can offer more flight options by providing details on trips flown by other alliance members. For example, United Airlines offers a variety of flight options from Washington, D.C. to Lisbon thanks to the Star Alliance — the United website shows flights on United as well as Lufthansa, Tap Air Portugal, and Brussels Airlines, giving travelers a broader selection of fares, departure times, layovers, and arrival times. 

Werner Krüger/Lufthansa

The alliance makes it easy to earn and redeem frequent flier miles on all your flights. As long as you’re enrolled in one of the partners’ frequent flier programs, you can earn miles on alliance flights and redeem them on partner flights via your frequent flier program’s website.  

And those frequent flier miles aren’t just great for booking free flights — you can also reach elite status with the airline (which transfers to other airlines in the alliance) to enjoy exclusive perks. Star Alliance Gold entitles travelers to privileges that include rewards, discounts, priority check-in and boarding, extra baggage allowance, priority baggage handling, and entry at more than 1,000 airport lounges. Silver status grants access to the Priority Reservations Waitlist (a waitlist to get a seat in a higher class) and gives travelers higher priority when flying standby.

United’s network of lounges includes more than 45 United Club locations and five United Polaris lounges (exclusively for international travelers in business or first class). Star Alliance lounges are also available in certain cities. Planning a lengthy international trip that involves several carriers is easy with Star Alliance Book and Fly . A traveler can research and book online with over 20 airlines and fly to approximately 1,300 unique destinations.

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Round the World Tickets: The Ultimate Guide (Updated 2024)

Y ou've probably heard about round the world tickets, a one-stop shop approach to cross-continental flying. But let's be real: it's never been easier to book flight tickets yourself, and round the world tickets are pricey. So why do people book round the world tickets, and are they  actually worth the cost?

The quick answer is, it depends . If you're pressed for time, have a seriously fixed itinerary with many international stops to make, it can be cost-wise. However, if you have a whimsical, budget-conscious trip in mind, or are focusing on just one part of the world, there are cheaper options out there that you should know about  (like finding fares yourself on Skyscanner on Kiwi.com ).

So, here's everything you need to know about round the world tickets, followed by our DIY approach that could save you even more money!

• 1 How do Round The World tickets work?
• 2 How to book a round the world ticket
• 3 What are the restrictions and/or setbacks?
• 4 The alternative: book separate flights yourself
• 5 How to book your own round the world trip
• 6 So, what's the cheapest option?
• 7 A Thrifty Case Study: A Round the World Trip from New York City
• 8 What are the alternatives?
• 9 So, is a round the world ticket worth it?

How do Round The World tickets work?

Round the world (RTW) tickets are flight packages that let you visit a number of destinations around the world for one price. These tickets are offered by airline alliances like SkyTeam, Oneworld, and Star Alliance. All the flights in your itinerary must be served by airlines within the chosen alliance.

RTW tickets require you to select your destinations and departure dates in advance. This means you prepay for the pass and book all of your flights before your trip. Note: you don't have to actually fly “around the world” with these tickets , they're also sold as multi-city flights, continent-based travel, or by miles.

The perk of RTW tickets is the ability to book all flights at once at a discounted price, plus ensures a mass accumulation of frequent flyer miles since you'll only be flying partner airlines. You can even purchase part or all of your RTW ticket with relevant miles, where permitted.

How to book a round the world ticket

Round the world tickets can be purchased directly with airline alliances or via  travel agents .

Airline Alliances

• OneWorld Alliance
• Star Alliance

Each alliance offers an online trip planner that allows you to put in every stop of your itinerary and get a price quote. It also makes it easy to work around the restrictions of round the world tickets, warning you when your planned route doesn't meet the requirements. All alliances offer online booking, or you can call one of the participating alliance airlines directly.

Travel Agents

• AirTreks (U.S. – our top choice & has 32+ years experience in RTW planning)
• Liberty Travel (U.S.)
• Flight Centre ( Australia , U.K. , Canada )
• RoundAbout Travel (Australia)
• Student Flights (Australia)
• A travel agent local to you

Travel agents have exclusive access to flight deals, plus receive discounts accessible only via their IATA code. They also save a great deal of time and money whilst adhering to your budget and needs. Find an agency that specializes in round the world tickets, so they're aware of the restrictions and can secure the best price.

What are the restrictions and/or setbacks?

RTW tickets often more expensive than a DIY approach (covered later), especially given they exclude budget airlines. Furthermore, there are restrictions to follow, so ensure you've read the fine print. Such restrictions typically include:

• A minimum number of flights to book (typically three), as well as a maximum
• Flights usually must be within the same airline alliance. This can sometimes result in obscure stopovers to stay with partner alliances.
• Restrictions on the direction of travel (e.g. East to West only) and/or requiring you to cross both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans at least once
• All flights must end in the city you started from and connect from city-to-city (i.e. you can't fly into London, then take a train to fly out of Paris)
• A minimum number of stopovers
• Additional surcharges for itinerary changes and/or flying to certain destinations
• Missing a flight in your itinerary could result in the remaining flights being cancelled, even if days or weeks away

Whew! Though there are many restrictions, most will come up when making your booking . Simply use the round the world ticket planners provided by each alliance, put in your desired destinations, and the options and costs will be presented automatically.

The alternative: book separate flights yourself

The value of a round the world ticket depends on the route you're taking and the flexibility needed. More often than not, you'll find it's cheaper, easier, and more flexible to book your own round the world trip online across several bookings using multi-destination flight search engines like Kiwi.com  and Skyscanner . You also can mix and match airlines, and aren't confined by the restrictions that accompany an actual RTW ticket.

Credit card points programs also allow multi-city flight bookings, effectively allowing you to book your own round the world trip via points or a combination of cash and points. You can readily rack up a significant amount of miles just by hitting the minimum spend within a set time. The Chase Sapphire Preferred is our top pick as a beginner card. On hitting its minimum spend, you can earn up to 60,000 points worth $750 – more than enough for an international flight .

Flight deal subscriptions like Scotts Cheap Flights compile discounted airfare to your inbox, based on the desired departure airports. Whilst this doesn't include RTW flights, this could help you cover some of the legs of your trip, as it has majorly discounted international flights departing the U.S. For those outside America, similar services exist in the U.K. ( Jack's Flight Club ) and Canada ( Next Departure ).

The only major drawbacks with booking a RTW ticket yourself is the time and patience needed to make the booking. Additionally, you may end up with frequent flyer miles spread across a variety of programs, without enough miles in any program to use them. Most likely though, you'll come out ahead financially doing it yourself.

How to book your own round the world trip

Kiwi.com  and Skyscanner are the two flight search engines we recommend for booking your own tickets for a round the world trip. They include budget airlines and let you search multi-destination flights, letting you see prices for your entire itinerary at once.

The key difference between the two is that Skyscanner prefers results from partner airlines , while Kiwi.com will always  mix and match airlines (including budget airlines) for the cheapest price . Either booking site can be beneficial depending on your trip, so to get the best price, be sure to compare results and follow these tips:

• Experiment with  the order of your destinations for the best price. Just because a flight is shorter doesn't mean it will be cheaper.
• Experiment with the  dates of each flight . This can be time consuming, but if you're dedicated, you can shave hundreds of dollars off your total cost by simply finding the cheapest dates for each flight.
• Multi-city and  return flights are often better value than booking many one-way flights when they can all be fulfilled by the same airline/alliance. For example, Virgin Atlantic has routes from New York to London, London to Shanghai, and Shanghai to New York, so making one multi-city booking with this single airline will be cheaper than several individual bookings with different airlines.
• Skyscanner prefers partner airlines that can fulfil the entire itinerary you submit, which doesn't always get you the best price on complex itineraries. So if you have a lot of destinations, split your searches into 3-4 destinations at a time . For example, instead of submitting New York > London  > Paris > Beijing > New York as a single search, try searching New York > London > Paris as one search, and Paris > Prague > Beijing > New York as a second search. You don't have to worry about this on Kiwi.com , which always mixes and matches airlines to get the best results.

So, what's the cheapest option?

In our tests, the DIY approach is always cheaper, but it depends on the kind of trip you're taking. Round the world tickets can cost anywhere from $1,500 USD to $20,000 USD . The price varies greatly, and depends on your departure point, number of flights, distance flown, continents flown to, and flight class.

On the other hand, regular flight ticket prices are all over the map, dependent mostly on supply and demand. Sometimes a flight across continents can be even cheaper than a flight within your own country. Since regular flight tickets include budget airlines , sale and error fares , and you can still take advantage of discounts with partner airlines,  booking your own flight tickets has always been cheaper for us .

The only way to know for sure is to compare. Use the links provided in this guide and see what gives you the best result!

A Thrifty Case Study: A Round the World Trip from New York City

As an example, let's find the best price for the following round the world trip:  New York City > London > Paris > Prague > Beijing > Hong Kong > New York City . We want to go in  April and May , and we are booking now in  January . We'll start on Tuesday, April 10, and schedule each consecutive flight for the following Tuesday.

Option 1: A round the world travel agent

Booking with AirTreks also gives you a team with over 32 years of experience in RTW planning, all your tickets in one spot (instead of many confusing separate bookings), 24/7 support, and better routes (less layover time, more baggage, etc.) If you do find a cheaper fare yourself, let them know – AirTreks tells us they're confident they could beat it!

Option 2: A round the world ticket booked directly with airline alliances

Putting in the same itinerary into each of the airline alliances' round the world trip planner gives us the following totals:

• OneWorld: $3,738.86 USD
• SkyTeam: $3,904.28 USD
• Star Alliance: $4,543.84 USD

Not exactly thrifty, and up to 3x the advertised price of the travel agent! True round the world tickets require strategic planning, so using a travel agent's expertise can save you time and money. But let's take a look at booking regular airline tickets yourself…

Option 3: Book your own tickets using Kiwi.com and Skyscanner

Using the Kiwi.com multicity search feature, we enter our full itinerary, and within minutes, we have a variety of options from $1,390 – $1,434 USD .

As we mentioned, Skyscanner usually just shows results from  partner airlines that can fulfill a ticket for the entire route. This route is pretty complex, and it's unlikely one airline alliance could fulfill it all, so let's  break it up .

After half an hour of trying different combinations of multi-city and one-way searches, the cheapest combination I could find for these dates was

• New York City > London > Paris > Prague: $390 USD
• Prague > Beijing: $283 USD
• Beijing > Hong Kong: $119 USD
• Hong Kong > New York City: $493 USD
• TOTAL TRIP COST: $1,285 USD

This is the cheapest option, beating Kiwi.com by only $105. What's going on here? In short, trial and error. The first batch of airlines aren't partners, but Skyscanner sometimes lets you mix and match airlines by using Kiwi.com for booking. And although there are partner airlines to fulfill the rest of the route, Hong Kong Airlines is an independent budget airline with competitive pricing, so it ended up being cheaper to book the flights separately in order to include their fares.

You can take this even further by testing different dates in your itinerary, as well as the order of your flights. As you can see, the process can be time consuming, but a little time rewards you with hundreds or thousands of dollars saved!

What are the alternatives?

Regional flight passes.

While not a round the world ticket in itself, this type of flight pass might be more sensible for your trip, depending whether you'll be flying a lot in one region versus globally. For instance, if you are planning to take more flights around South America than across continents, then you may be better off investing in one of their regional passes (check our guide here ).

Some examples of regional flight passes include:

• OneWorld single-continent passes: available for Africa, Asia, Japan, Australia & New Zealand, Malaysia, South America, Europe, North America, Middle East, South Asian Sub-Continent
• OneWorld multi-continent passes: rather than flying all the way around the world, these passes let you fly in a circle around one smaller area of the world
• SkyTeam regional passes : available for Asia & Southwest Pacific, Africa, Asia, Europe, Greater China, Russia, and USA & Canada
• Independent airline passes in South America : these work within specific South American countries (check our comprehensive list and guide here )
• Qantas Explorer pass : a flight pass for exploring Australia and New Zealand

Building your own stopover

A stopover – that is, an extended layover where you can actually leave the airport for 1 or more days or weeks – can be added for cheap or free to any trip, all by yourself. Our how-to guide here explains exactly how to do this.

Essentially, you find a flight fare that includes a layover, but instead of rushing to your connecting flight, you spend days or weeks in the layover destination, visiting 2 destinations for the price of 1. Whether you go round the world or not, it's a great way to squeeze more travel value out of your flight costs.

So, is a round the world ticket worth it?

In short, for most travellers, the answer is probably no. There are a certain set of criteria where it could be more cost-effective, and some travellers may prefer the ease of having all of their tickets booked in one pass anyway. However, the fixed timing, many restrictions, and high price are likely to be unappealing to those who are seeking a thriftier approach, especially when it's so easy to book yourself for less with Kiwi.com and Skyscanner .

The Thrifty Gist

• Round the world tickets are usually pricier than self-booking, but offer peace of mind and a pre-set itinerary
• A dedicated RTW agent such as AirTreks can save you a lot of time, with the added benefit of 24/7 support, having all of your flights in one place, established airlines with shorter routes, and over 32 years of experience in RTW planning. AirTreks tells us they're confident they could beat the other prices in this post, so if you find a cheaper fare yourself, let them know!
• Round the world tickets can be booked with airline alliances or travel agents, while self-booking regular flight tickets can be booked using the multi-destination features of Skyscanner and Kiwi.com
• Self-booking is usually the cheapest approach to a round the world trip, but can also be more tedious
• Reasons to self-book include the abundance of available error/sale fares , budget airlines, the ease with which self-booking can be done, and that stopovers can easily be added to any trip

Our website contains some affiliate links in relevant areas. This means we get a small commission, at no extra cost to you, for recommending a product we personally use, trust, and own.

trying to fin d the cheapest country to start a Oneworld 4 continent ticket July 2022, it used to be South Africa or Jordan, any update links?

Please send complete information for my round the world travel for 2 – up to a year.

Skyteam RTW tickets are not available currently, and haven’t been since the start of COVID. The Star Alliance RTW business ticket I just booked was half the price of using the DIY method.

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The Star Alliance: Everything You Need to Know [Partners Listed]

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Table of Contents

Star alliance, by the numbers, how it works, status levels, co-location airports, global travel, star alliance exclusive lounges.

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“The Way the Earth Connects”

Founded: May 14, 1997 Headquarters: Frankfurt Airport, Frankfurt am Main, Germany Website:  staralliance.com

• Annual Customers: 728 million
• Daily Flights: 18,800+
• Destinations: 1,200+
• Countries: 193
• Combined Fleet: 4,919 aircraft
• Lounges: 1,100+
• Employees: 423,210
• Annual Revenue: $171 billion

German rail operator Deutsche Bahn is also a Star Alliance intermodal partner. With this partnership, you can travel to and from a Deutsche Bahn station in Germany to Frankfurt Airport on a high-speed train and onward on a Star Alliance member airline flight on a single ticket.

If you are looking for award availability, check out our Ultimate Guide to Searching for Flight Award Space .

Consistent with the other major airline alliances, Star Alliance does not host an individual frequent flyer program.

To achieve Star Alliance status, members must first accrue status through their respective partner airline of choice. Once this is achieved, an equivalent Star Alliance tier status is issued (see below).

Miles earned through multiple airline programs cannot be transferred or combined to reach the designation for Star Alliance status.

With that being said, passengers traveling on eligible flights operated by Star Alliance member airlines will accrue miles or points, which can be redeemed across the entire Star Alliance network.

Essentially, Star Alliance status levels aim to translate elite status benefits across partner airlines. For example, if you fly on United Airlines and have the equivalent of Star Alliance Gold, you should be able to get perks such as extra baggage when flying on Lufthansa or any other Star Alliance partner.

Tier Breakdown

Star alliance silver.

When your tier status is equivalent to Star Alliance Silver, you may take advantage of the following benefits, no matter which Star Alliance airline you are flying or cabin class you’re assigned.

Priority on Waitlists and When on Standby (Where Offered)

• This allows those with status to move ahead of other flyers without status on reservation and standby lists, making it more likely to be granted a seat on the flight in question, except when flying on an award ticket.

Star Alliance Gold

When your respective tier status is equivalent to Star Alliance Gold, you may take advantage of the following benefits, no matter which Star Alliance airline you are flying or cabin class you’re assigned.

Access to Priority Check-In Counters

• This can significantly expedite the time spent in line or at the airport ticket counter. Just look for the Star Alliance Gold sign.

Access to Priority Boarding

• Star Alliance Gold members board along with First and Business Class passengers (where offered).

Extra Baggage Allowance*

• Using the weight concept, Star Alliance Gold members are eligible for an additional 44 pounds (20 kg)  baggage weight.
• Using the piece concept, Star Alliance Gold members are eligible for 1 extra piece of luggage .

* Exclusions apply, including intra-Europe Light fares from Lufthansa, Austrian, and SWISS; Check&Go fares from Brussels Airlines, and Go light fares from SAS. Also, Air New Zealand’s Seat fares are ineligible for extra baggage allowance. 

Priority Baggage Handling

• This ensures Star Alliance Gold member baggage is among the first on the belt from the aircraft to the carousel when traveling on any cabin on any eligible Star Alliance flight.

Access to Over 1,000 Airport Lounges (When You Fly on a Member Airline Flight)*

• This includes premium first class, business, and frequent flyer lounges, regardless of service class flown at the time of travel , for you and 1 guest traveling on the same flight.

* Exceptions apply.

Access to Priority Security Lanes (at Select Airports, for Select Carriers)

• Star Alliance Gold Track can significantly decrease security wait times.
• Restrictions and local agreements can significantly change this benefit. More information is available here .

Access to Priority Immigration Lanes (at Select Airports, for Select Carriers)

• Star Alliance Gold Track can significantly decrease immigration and customs wait times.

Check out our guide for The Best Ways to Search for Star Alliance Award Availability .

Status Equivalents

Austrian airlines, brussels airlines, croatia airlines, lot polish airlines, lufthansa, swiss international air lines.

• Miles & More Frequent Traveller = Star Alliance Silver
• Miles & More Senator = Star Alliance Gold
• Miles & More HON Circle = Star Alliance Gold
• Aegean Airlines
• Miles+Bonus Silver = Star Alliance Silver
• Miles+Bonus Gold = Star Alliance Gold
• Aeroplan Prestige 25K = Star Alliance Silver
• Aeroplan Elite 35K = Star Alliance Silver
• Aeroplan Elite 50K = Star Alliance Gold
• Aeroplan Elite 75K = Star Alliance Gold
• Aeroplan Super Elite 100K = Star Alliance Gold

Air China, Shenzhen Airlines

• PhoenixMiles Silver = Star Alliance Silver
• PhoenixMiles Gold = Star Alliance Gold
• PhoenixMiles Platinum = Star Alliance Gold
• Flying Returns Silver Edge Club = Star Alliance Silver
• Flying Returns Golden Edge Club = Star Alliance Gold
• Flying Returns The Maharajah Club = Star Alliance Gold
• Air New Zealand
• Airpoints Silver = Star Alliance Silver
• Airpoints Gold = Star Alliance Gold
• Airpoints Elite = Star Alliance Gold
• All Nippon Airways (ANA)
• ANA Mileage Club Bronze = Star Alliance Silver
• ANA Mileage Club Super Flyers = Star Alliance Gold
• ANA Mileage Club Diamond = Star Alliance Gold
• ANA Mileage Club Platinum = Star Alliance Gold
• Asiana Airlines
• Asiana Club Gold = Star Alliance Silver
• Asiana Club Diamond = Star Alliance Gold
• Asiana Club Diamond Plus = Star Alliance Gold
• Asiana Club Platinum = Star Alliance Gold
• LifeMiles Red Plus = Star Alliance Silver
• LifeMiles Silver = Star Alliance Silver
• LifeMiles Gold = Star Alliance Gold
• LifeMiles Diamond = Star Alliance Gold
• Copa Airlines
• ConnectMiles Silver = Star Alliance Silver
• ConnectMiles Gold = Star Alliance Gold
• ConnectMiles Platinum = Star Alliance Gold
• ConnectMiles Presidential Platinum = Star Alliance Gold
• EgyptAirPlus Silver = Star Alliance Silver
• EgyptAirPlus Gold = Star Alliance Gold
• EgyptAir Plus Elite = Star Alliance Gold
• EgyptAirPlus Platinum = Star Alliance Gold
• Ethiopian Airlines
• ShebaMiles Silver Club = Star Alliance Silver
• ShebaMiles Gold Club = Star Alliance Gold
• ShebaMiles Platinum Club = Star Alliance Gold
• Infinity MileageLands Silver = Star Alliance Silver
• Infinity MileageLands Gold = Star Alliance Gold
• Infinity MileageLands Diamond = Star Alliance Gold

Scandinavian Airlines

• EuroBonus Silver = Star Alliance Silver
• EuroBonus Gold = Star Alliance Gold
• EuroBonus Diamond = Star Alliance Gold
• EuroBonus Pandion = Star Alliance Gold
• Singapore Airlines
• KrisFlyer Elite Silver = Star Alliance Silver
• KrisFlyer Elite Gold = Star Alliance Gold
• KrisFlyer PPS Club = Star Alliance Gold
• KrisFlyer Solitaire PPS Club = Star Alliance Gold
• KrisFlyer Solitaire PPS Club Life = Star Alliance Gold
• South African Airways
• Voyager Silver = Star Alliance Silver
• Voyager Gold = Star Alliance Gold
• Voyager Platinum = Star Alliance Gold
• Voyager Lifetime Platinum = Star Alliance Gold
• TAP Portugal
• Miles&Go Silver = Star Alliance Silver
• Miles&Go Gold = Star Alliance Gold

Thai Airways International

• Royal Orchid Plus Silver = Star Alliance Silver
• Royal Orchid Plus Gold = Star Alliance Gold
• Royal Orchid Plus Platinum = Star Alliance Gold
• Turkish Airlines
• Miles&Smiles Classic Plus = Star Alliance Silver
• Miles&Smiles Elite = Star Alliance Gold
• Miles&Smiles Elite Plus = Star Alliance Gold
• United Airlines
• MileagePlus Premier Silver = Star Alliance Silver
• MileagePlus Premier Gold = Star Alliance Gold
• MileagePlus Premier Platinum = Star Alliance Gold
• MileagePlus Premier 1K = Star Alliance Gold
• MileagePlus Global Services = Star Alliance Gold

To enjoy Star Alliance Silver, you must have one of these statuses:

Conversely, you receive Star Alliance Gold if you have any of these statuses:

Star Alliance offers several co-location airports with specific terminals dedicated to Star Alliance member airlines, offering combined ticketing and check-in counters, member lounges, baggage facilities, and other services. This is an “everything under 1 roof” operating logic, though some exceptions apply.

Due to the number of cooperating airlines, providing travelers with opportunities for global travel is simplified within alliance networks.

Star Alliance provides the following global travel options:

Round the World Fares

• Choose from over 1,300 destinations in more than 190 countries.
• Full 26 member airlines available
• Individually planned or Star Alliance Inspired Itineraries such as World Food, World Wonders, Romantic Journey, etc.

Circle Pacific

• Choose from over 85 destinations in 25 countries.
• 12 out of 26 member airlines available: Air Canada (AC), Air China (CA), Air India (AI), Ethiopian Airlines (ET), EVA AIR (BR), All Nippon Airways (NH), Air New Zealand (NZ), Asiana Airlines (OZ), Singapore Airlines (SQ), Shenzhen Airlines (ZH), THAI (TG), United (UA)

For more information on these fares, please visit the Travel Centre on staralliance.com.

In addition to member airlines’ lounges, a small set of exclusive Star Alliance-branded lounges are also offered. Local architects with local flair have created these to leave you with a positive and lasting memory of that country’s culture. 

Star Alliance provides Exclusive Lounges at the following airports:

• After the security checkpoint for Schengen flights on the upper level next to gate area D
• Airside, after security & immigration; upper level opposite Gate 9; via elevator or stairs
• Tom Bradley International Terminal; Level 6, via escalator or elevator from the main atrium
• After passport control, before security checkpoints; access via elevator to entrance on Level 11 of the Central Terminal Building
• Paris also offers an intra-Schengen Lounge
• International Departures Pier, Level 3; after passport control, before the departure gates; via escalators or lifts
• Terminal 3 after the security checkpoint for intra-Schengen flights on the upper level of Gate Area D
• Terminal 3 on the mezzanine above duty-free; accessible via escalators or elevators after passport checkpoint

Check out our guide to the full list of U.S. Star Alliance Lounges .

Frequently Asked Questions

What airlines are in star alliance.

The airlines that make up the Star Alliance are:

• Austrian Airlines
• Avianca Vuela
• Brussels Airlines
• Croatia Airlines
• LOT Polish Airlines
• Scandinavian Airlines (SAS)
• Shenzhen Airlines
• Swiss International Air Lines
• Thai Airways

How do you join Star Alliance?

To start the process, you can create a frequent flyer account for any Star Alliance airline. Simply add your frequent flyer number to all your Star Alliance bookings to earn miles and enjoy perks.

What is the point of airline alliances like Star Alliance ?

Star Alliance was created in 1997. Its central idea was to offer easy access and smooth transitions when flying on different airlines across its vast network of routes. Overall, it’s a hugely important part of global aviation travel, and it transports hundreds of millions of people in nearly all the countries in the world.

How many miles do I need to reach Star Alliance Gold or Silver status?

Each member airline defines its tier status levels, equating to Star Alliance Gold and Silver. To learn about qualification requirements, you must visit your airline’s frequent flyer program website.

What are the benefits of Star Alliance Silver?

With Star Alliance Silver, the introductory Star Alliance status, you get onto a priority reservation waitlist and standby over nonmembers.

What are the benefits of Star Alliance Gold?

Star Alliance Gold is one of the most valuable alliance elite status tiers out there. You receive:

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You can earn and use MileagePlus miles on more than 35 airlines worldwide. Select a Star Alliance™ or MileagePlus partner airline below for more information about earning miles on flights operated by that airline.

We give you more globe by aligning with the stars

We're excited to align with the Star Alliance member airlines. Together with our other worldwide and regional partners, plus the Star Alliance network, we keep you connected.

Star Alliance member airlines

Earn and use MileagePlus miles on any Star Alliance member airline. United Club℠ members and customers with qualifying tickets can access eligible airport lounges around the globe. More details about the Star Alliance network .​

Star Alliance members

Other worldwide partners

• Air Dolomiti
• Boutique Air
• Discover Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Olympic Air
• Silver Airways
• Virgin Australia

Star Alliance connecting partners

All members can earn and redeem MileagePlus miles on eligible connecting partner flights. Premier ® Gold, Platinum and 1K ® customers traveling on a Star Alliance itinerary that includes a flight on a connecting partner will be offered a tailored set of privileges detailed on the specific connecting partner page.​

• Connecting to Star Alliance
• Juneyao Air

MileagePlus rules

The accrual of miles and Premier qualifying credits, redemption of and provision of benefits through the United MileagePlus program, including the Premier Program, are subject to change and are subject to the rules of the MileagePlus program.

* Only available on flights entirely within the 50 United States that are operated by United or United Express.

See the complete rules and details of the MileagePlus program

Which mileage program is best for getting Star Alliance status quickly?

The aviation points and miles game is dominated by three alliances: Oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance. The latter is the largest, currently enlisting 26 member airlines. If you fly a lot of different airlines to all parts of the world, it could be valuable to hold status in this large alliance. Or maybe you just got a job near a Star Alliance hub and want to make your travel life a little bit easier.

With 26 airlines comes a lot of different loyalty programs, so which one should you choose for your points and status strategy? Let's take a look.

Star Alliance

Founded by Lufthansa, SWISS, Air Canada, Thai Airways and United back in 1997, the alliance has grown significantly. The five founding airlines are still represented in the logo today. Star Alliance offers standardized benefits for status holders of each of the mileage programs.

There are two status levels: Star Alliance Silver and Star Alliance Gold. The benefits are as follows:

Star Alliance Silver

• Priority waitlisting
• Priority airport standby

Star Alliance Gold

• Priority check-in
• Priority boarding
• Priority baggage handling
• Lounge access
• Extra baggage allowance

As you can see, Star Alliance Gold offers the benefits most flyers will be looking for.

Picking a loyalty program

For most travelers, picking their home country airline is a no brainer. It is, however, always smart to evaluate the perks and thresholds an airline's program offers before picking one to go with. In some cases, an airline you barely ever fly with could be the best option strategically. In the case of Star Alliance, there are no U.K. airlines in the alliance, so it's easy to keep an open mind.

Also, due to the coronavirus pandemic, it's still easier with some airlines to achieve status because the requirements are slightly lower.

Next, it's important to be able to credit your redeemable miles -- aside from status, this is the currency you work with. Make sure to find out if you can credit the flights you anticipate taking to the mileage program you go with. Also, check if you can use those hard-earned miles to book reward flights to destinations you desire.

Obtaining Star Alliance Gold status

In this section, we'll take a look at all mileage programs in the alliance to determine what is needed to obtain the coveted Star Alliance Gold status.

Airpoints™ (Air New Zealand)

• Desired status Gold
• Requirement 900 Status Points in a 12-month period
• Pros Requalifying requires a lower amount of points (810)
• Cons Earning Status Points through credit card spending is only available in New Zealand

Altitude (Air Canada)

• Desired status Elite 50k
• Requirement 50,000 Altitude Qualifying Miles; or 50 Altitude Qualifying Segments (AQS) in addition to CAD6,000 Altitude Qualifying Dollars (AQD) in one calendar year
• Cons Due to the AQD requirement, this program is of no use if you never fly Air Canada

ANA Mileage Club (ANA)

• Desired status Platinum
• Requirement 50,000 Premium Points earned in one calendar year
• Cons 25,000 miles need to be earned on ANA operated flights

Asiana Club (Asiana Airlines)

• Desired status Diamond
• Requirement 40,000 miles accrued in 24 months; or 50 flights with Asiana Airlines boarded in 24 months
• Pros 24-month period to accrue miles or flights; obtained status is valid for two years; requalifying requires a lower threshold (30,000 miles/30 flights boarded)

ConnectMiles (Copa Airlines)

• Requirement (normally) 45,000 miles and/or 40 qualifying segments in one calendar year
• Requirement (2022) 35,000 miles and/or 35 qualifying segments in one calendar year
• Pros Relatively low thresholds
• Cons At least four qualifying segments need to be flown on Copa Airlines

EGYPTAIR Plus (EGYPTAIR)

• Requirement 30,000 Tier Miles within two years after your first 30,000 Tier Miles
• Pros Low threshold, long earning period; Tier Miles can be pooled -- relatives can help increase the Tier Miles balance
• Cons Requalification for Gold is more difficult than initial earning (40,000 Tier Miles or 36 segments in 24 months)

EuroBonus (SAS Scandinavian Airlines)

• Requirement 45 one-way flights with SAS/Wideroe or 45,000 Basic Points in one calendar year
• Pros Lifetime Gold member after 10 years of status

Flying Returns (Air India)

• Desired status Golden Edge Club
• Requirement 50,000 Status FR points during a 12-month rolling period

Infinity MileageLands (EVA Air)

• Requirement 50,000 miles in 12 months after obtaining Silver status; or 50 qualifying EVA Air/UNI Air segments in 12 months after obtaining Silver status
• Pros Lower threshold for maintaining status (80,000 miles OR 50 qualifying EVA Air/UNI Air segments in 24 months)
• Cons Obtaining Silver status first is required

KrisFlyer (Singapore Airlines)

• Desired status Elite Gold
• Requirement 50,000 Elite miles in a 12-month rolling period
• Pros Singapore Airlines is considered world-class

LifeMiles (Avianca)

• Requirement 40,000 Elite miles in one calendar year; or 45 qualifying Star Alliance segments in one calendar year
• Pros Low qualifying flights threshold, valid on all Star Alliance flights

MileagePlus® (United Airlines)

• Desired status Premier Gold
• Requirement (normally) 24 Premier qualifying flights (PQF) and 8,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP equal to USD amount spent) OR 10,000 PQP in one calendar year
• Requirement (2022) 16 Premier qualifying flights (PQF) and 6,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP equal to USD amount spent) OR 7,000 PQP in one calendar year
• Pros Well-known airline, popular program
• Cons At least four qualifying segments need to be flown on United Airlines

Miles & More (Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss)

• Desired status Senator
• Requirement 100,000 status miles in one calendar year
• Pros Obtained status is valid for two years
• Cons High status miles requirement

Miles&Smiles (Turkish Airlines)

• Desired status Elite
• Requirement 40,000 Status Miles in one year for initial qualification; 25,000 Status Miles in one year or 37,500 Status Miles in two years after initial qualification to requalify
• Pros Obtained status is valid for two years; lower thresholds for international members

Miles+Bonus (Aegean Airlines)

• Desired status Gold Tier
• Requirement 24,000 Tier Miles plus a minimum of four flights on Aegean Airlines; or 48,000 Tier Miles in 12 months for initial qualification, 12,000 Tier Miles plus a minimum of four flights on Aegean Airlines; or 24,000 Tier Miles in 12 months for requalification
• Pros Retaining Gold Tier is possible with half the qualification requirements

PhoenixMiles (Shenzhen Airlines, Air China)

• Requirement 80,000 qualifying miles; or 40 qualifying segments in one calendar year
• Pros Obtained status is valid for two years; low qualifying flights threshold, valid on all Star Alliance flights
• Cons High mileage threshold

Royal Orchid Plus (Thai Airways International)

• Desired status Royal Orchid Plus Gold
• Requirement 50,000 qualifying miles in 12 months; or 40 international Thai Airways sectors in 12 months; or 80,000 qualifying miles in 24 months

SAA Voyager (South African Airways)

Given recent developments surrounding a looming bankruptcy at SAA, we don't recommend using them for a long term strategy even though they recently restarted flights. Therefore, we do not cover SAA Voyager in this article.

ShebaMiles (Ethiopian Airlines)

• Desired status ShebaMiles Gold
• Requirement 50,000 status miles in one calendar year; or fly 40 qualifying segments in one calendar year

TAP Miles&Go (TAP Air Portugal)

• Desired status TAP Miles&Go Gold
• Requirement 70,000 status miles in one calendar year; or fly 50 qualifying segments on TAP in one calendar year for initial qualification, 50,000 status miles in one calendar year; or fly 40 qualifying segments on TAP in one calendar year for requalification
• Pros After 5 years of Gold status, you get a free extra year of Gold if flying a lot is an issue for a year / Convert Bonus Miles to Status Miles to maintain status at a 2:1 ration
• Cons High initial qualification

Bottom line

If your goal is to obtain Star Alliance Gold status as quickly as possible and you have the freedom to choose your own flights, Asiana Club is the program to choose. With only 40,000 miles needed over a 24-month period, Star Alliance Gold status is relatively easily obtained. Better yet, to keep this status, you only need 30,000 miles in the subsequent 24-month period. A good second is Aegean Airlines -- if you're able to fly four segments per year on Aegean Airlines, Gold status with them is very easy to obtain and especially keep.

However, always keep your own goals in mind -- status is good to have, but it also matters if you can accumulate redeemable miles and if you can book the flights you desire with them.

A Guide to Around-the-World Flights

E mbarking on a yearlong journey around the world is a dream scenario for many travelers. However, the logistics of making it happen can be challenging, not least because of the sheer number of flights you would need to book. One way to make the journey a reality is by purchasing an around-the-world flight ticket.

Here are the basics of what you need to know about around-the-world flights, including which airlines and companies offer them and tips for navigating this travel option.

What is an around-the-world ticket?

An around-the-world (often referred to as RTW for "round the world") ticket allows travelers to hopscotch across the globe and visit multiple destinations on one ticket, usually at a lower cost than individually bought tickets. RTW trips typically need to be in a continuous forward direction, either eastward or westward; for example, an eastward itinerary could include flights from New York to Buenos Aires to Barcelona to Berlin to New Delhi to Bali to Honolulu to New York again.

With RTW tickets, changes are typically allowed, so extending or shortening your stay at each destination doesn't cost extra. Travelers either choose their own unique itinerary or follow one of the sample itineraries provided.

Which airlines offer around-the-world tickets?

Around-the-world tickets are typically offered by airline alliance networks and travel agencies-not by single airlines. Both Oneworld Alliance and Star Alliance offer around-the-world flights, but SkyTeam (which includes Delta Air Lines, Air France, and KLM) no longer has an around-the-world program . The rules around the tickets vary based on the provider.

Oneworld Alliance around-the-world tickets

The Oneworld Alliance (which includes U.S. carriers Alaska Airlines and American Airlines as well as international carriers British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Qatar, and seven others) offers travelers two options for RTW tickets , including:

• Oneworld Explorer, which sets prices based on the number of continents you visit
• Global Explorer, which bases the fee on the distance traveled

There are a few restrictions for each. For one, trips must start and end in the same city within 12 months. Also, travelers need to visit at least three continents and cross both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans in no more than 16 flights, without backtracking (meaning you need to continue in the same direction of travel).

Oneworld RTW prices for itineraries starting stateside begin at roughly $3,500 for an economy ticket to three continents. However, that price climbs to about $7,000 for travelers planning to visit six continents. Those seeking to travel in business or first class should expect rates to start at more than $10,000.

Star Alliance around-the-world tickets

There are few places you can't get to on a Star Alliance RTW ticket -the network reaches more than 1,300 destinations in 190 countries. It includes 26 airlines, some of which are United, Air Canada, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, and Air New Zealand.

Travelers have two options when booking: to pick their destinations or to select one of Star Alliance's themed RTW tickets. The themed itinerary Architecture Hotspots Round the World , for example, starts in Athens, from where you fly to Cairo, Beijing, Miami, Chicago, Brasilia (Brazil), Barcelona, and Florence and then return to Athens.

Like Oneworld, Star Alliance RTW tickets demand travelers make both a transpacific and transatlantic flight in no more than 16 flights, flown within one year. However, Star Alliance doesn't require fliers to start and end at the same airport. They just need to get back to the same country-so users could feasibly start in San Francisco and wrap up in New York if they're running short on allotted miles (the maximum allowed for the entire journey is 39,000). Additionally, each stop must last at least 24 hours.

For Star Alliance, prices are determined by total mileage flown and class of service. On the low end, expect to pay about $4,000.

Other companies that offer around-the-world tickets

If you'd rather not use one of the airline alliances, another option is to consult a travel agency that specializes in around-the-world tickets.

One of the oldest is AirTreks, which has been assembling RTW tickets for travelers since 1987.

Because AirTreks works with multiple airline alliances (including SkyTeam, even though it no longer sells RTW tickets), it can offer greater ticket flexibility, often at a lower price. It also provides overland options from one airport to another (meaning you could fly into London, take the train to France, and fly out of Paris), whereas Oneworld and Star Alliances require travelers to fly in and out of the same airports.

One sample itinerary titled the Off The Beaten Path starts in Los Angeles and has you fly to Melbourne and Catania, Italy, where you travel overland to Palermo to catch forward flights to Porto, Portugal; Florianópolis, Brazil; Medellín, Colombia; and Los Angeles. The price starts at $3,000, which is slightly cheaper than booking a similar trip with one of the airline alliances.

AirTreks doesn't have mileage or segment restrictions, so it allows travelers to embark on and conclude their journey wherever they choose. However, because flights are spread across multiple alliances, tickets can be subject to change fees.

Other companies you might consider include Trailfinders , Flight Centre , and RoundAbout Travel .

Can you pay for an around-the-world ticket using miles?

Yes, it's possible to fund your around-the-world ticket with select airline miles. However, you're going to need a treasure trove of loyalty points to make it happen, and you'll be tasked with finding flights with award availability for each flight segment, which can be challenging.

Some of the mileage programs that currently offer RTW tickets are Aeromexico, Air Canada, ANA, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa, Qantas, and Singapore Airlines.

Are around-the-world tickets worth it?

It depends.

There are some distinct advantages to booking a RTW ticket; chief among them is some built-in flexibility and a set price. Because the price is determined by the number of places you visit, it can be cheaper for travelers who are keen on flying during more expensive peak-travel periods, such as summer, versus during the offseason.

However, some travelers may find it easier to book individual tickets as they go rather than the whole itinerary upfront-especially if work, family, or other obligations may make it hard to use all the provided flights in a single year while adhering to the RTW-ticket conditions (namely, consistently flying in a single direction). Booking outside of an airline alliance also allows you to mix and match a greater number of airlines. Similarly, going the DIY route allows travelers to use a combination of points and cash.

Melden Sie sich an, um fortzufahren

Round the World

Der kauf eines multi-destination-tickets war noch nie so einfach.

Möchten Sie die Welt bereisen? Sind Sie begeistert, andere Länder und Kulturen zu entdecken und zu erleben? Sind Sie auf der Suche nach dem besten Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis für Reisen in die berühmtesten Städte der Welt?

Ihre Traumreise buchen Sie online mit unserem Star Alliance Book and Fly Tool. Alternativ können Sie sich auch gerne mit einer unserer Mitgliedsgesellschaften oder Ihrem Reisebüro in Verbindung setzen.

40.070 km Umfang. 7 Milliarden Menschen. Mehr als 6.000 Sprachen. Ein Ticket.

Ganz gleich, was Ihre Träume sind und wohin Sie auf die Reise gehen, der Star Alliance Round the World Tarif ist Ihre Eintrittskarte in die Welt.

Über 1300 Ziele in mehr als 190 Ländern. Ein Round the World Tarif.

Mit diesem flexiblen Tarif, der ein herausragendes Preis-Leistungsverhältnis bietet, können Sie 98% der Länder der Welt besuchen. Mit den Ressourcen unserer 26 Mitgliedsgesellschaften verbindet das Star Alliance Netzwerk Kontinente nahtlos und bequem.

• Geschäftsbedingungen

Book and Fly

• Einzelticket gültig für alle Star Alliance-Mitglieder
• Die Reise muss im selben Land beginnen und enden
• Folgen Sie einer globalen Richtung (Ost oder West)

Unser Online-Tool

• Überprüft die Regeln für Sie
• Gibt die passenden Tarife an
• Sie können Ziele per Drag & Drop verschieben
• Verfügbar in Englisch, Japanisch, Deutsch, Französisch, Spanisch, Portugiesisch und Chinesisch
• Speichern, mailen, drucken oder teilen Sie Ihre Reise
• Mindestens 2 Zwischenstopp haben
• Einmal den Atlantischen Ozean überqueren
• Einmal den Pazifischen Ozean überqueren

Flexibilität

• Aufenthaltsdauer: 10 Tage bis 1 Jahr
• Umbuchungsgebühren: fallspezifisch
• Zwischen 2 und 15 Stopps
• Maximale Coupons : 16

4 einfache Schritte

Wählen sie ihre ziele.

Um Ihre Reise zu starten, geben Sie Ihre Herkunftsstadt ein. Fügen Sie dann weitere Ziele hinzu oder wählen Sie Ziele auf der Karte aus.

Wählen Sie Ihre Flüge

Das System wählt automatisch die Flüge für jedes Segment aus. Sie können Flüge aus dem Star Alliance-Netzwerk auswählen, die Ihren Bedürfnissen am besten entsprechen.

Geben Sie Ihre persönlichen Daten ein

Mit Ihren Kontaktdaten und den Angaben aus Ihrem Ausweis können wir Ihre Buchung erstellen.

Klicken Sie auf „Bezahlen“

Geben Sie Ihre Zahlungsdaten ein, um die Transaktion abzuschließen.

Circle Pacific

Der Reiseplan kann durch einen erneuten Besuch auf staralliance.com und Eingabe des Reisecodes unter 'Reiseroute öffnen' im Buchungstool geöffnet und geändert werden. Danke, dass Sie die Star Alliance Buchungsseite für Ihre Reise gewählt haben.

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The Guide to Oneworld Elite Status

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Table of Contents

How to get Oneworld elite status

Oneworld elite status tiers and benefits, oneworld status match opportunities, reciprocal benefits with oneworld elite status.

The Oneworld alliance is one of the top three major global alliances and includes airlines from around the world.

Airline alliances help airlines expand their network of destinations and the markets they serve by affiliating themselves with other carriers around the world. Many of these alliance members code-share with each other, which means that they sell seats on each other’s flights to expand their footprint. That is the primary benefit to airlines, but there are benefits for consumers too.

Participating member airlines in the alliance agree to handling and transferring baggage between each other’s flights, assisting with each other’s flight disruptions when possible and sharing loyalty program perks and privileges. This makes traveling with alliance carriers easier. Travelers with elite status on one member airline can enjoy a variety of perks on other member carriers.

They also provide travelers with reciprocal frequent flyer benefits that allow more perks for elite status members, as well as the ability for all frequent flyer members to earn and redeem miles on each other’s flights.

Maybe you're an elite status member with American or Alaska Airlines. Here's what should you know about Oneworld elite status.

» Learn more: The guide to the Oneworld alliance

You can't actually independently earn Oneworld elite status. Instead, you have to earn elite status with a Oneworld member carrier by meeting the qualifications with one of the airline’s own frequent flyer programs.

The Oneworld alliance currently has 14 full airline members:

Alaska Airlines .

American Airlines .

British Airways.

Cathay Pacific.

Japan Airlines.

Malaysia Airlines.

Qatar Airways.

Royal Air Maroc.

Royal Jordanian.

Each airline has its own individual qualification metrics . Once you achieve a certain status tier within an airline’s program, it will directly match to a Oneworld elite status tier, and you will simultaneously have Oneworld elite status too.

Your physical or digital elite status card from your preferred Oneworld airline frequent flyer program will display an oval in the corner indicating the color of your status. The next time you fly Oneworld, you can start using your benefits.

Oneworld elite status is available in three tiers:

As you move into higher tiers, you earn bigger and better benefits when flying Oneworld airlines. This means that you can enjoy perks even when you fly another Oneworld airline despite not having elite status within that carrier’s own loyalty program. Oneworld elite status is, in a way, like having status on all of its members.

For example, a flyer holding American Airlines Executive Platinum status also has Oneworld Emerald status. That flyer could enjoy special benefits even when flying other Oneworld airlines such as Cathay Pacific or Finnair.

Within American Airlines, here's how each elite status tier maps to Oneworld elite status:

» Learn more: The guide to the American Airlines AAdvantage program

Other airlines have their own individual tiers that map to Oneworld elite levels. You can check your Oneworld tier from that airline in Oneworld's drop-down menu . These are the benefits that come with each level.

Oneworld Emerald

Access to business and first class lounges.

Access to priority check-in.

Fast track at select security lanes.

Priority boarding.

Preferred or reserved seating.

Priority status on standby waitlists.

Priority baggage handling.

Extra baggage allowance.

Oneworld Sapphire

Access to business class lounges.

Oneworld Ruby

Some elite status members can also enjoy perks when flying on Oneworld Connect partner carriers .

One notable thing missing from this list is reciprocal upgrades for holding Oneworld elite status on member carriers. This is not a published benefit on all carriers, although the alliance says it's working on a program that will allow this on some fares.

Unlike SkyTeam and Star Alliance , Oneworld does not have its own alliance-branded lounges, though plans are in the works to introduce those too.

While there are opportunities to status match between individual airlines , there is no option to status match directly between alliances, since status is tied to a member airline’s tier. Instead, you would have to be approved for a status match from one individual airline’s program to another.

Once approved for that status match on another airline, the new elite tier you hold with it would match to one of Oneworld’s individual elite status levels.

If you have elite status with a Oneworld member airline like American or Qantas, you may already have qualified for Oneworld status. Take a look at your elite status card (either physical or digital) and search for the colorful oval in the corner — this will indicate your status tier.

In the future, keep as many flights as possible within the Oneworld alliance so you can enjoy your hard-earned travel benefits.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

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Η Star Alliance κορυφαία αεροπορική συμμαχία στα World Travel Awards 2023

Τετάρτη, 06-12-2023.

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