Alliance
Founded June 22, 2000, SkyTeam is the airline alliance built on volume and emerging-market reach. 18 member airlines flying more than 660 million passengers a year to more than 900 destinations, a large global network with strong emerging-market coverage, though oneworld and Star Alliance maintain comparable or larger scale depending on metric.
For points fans, SkyTeam's edge is everywhere coverage: Delta's massive US domestic network, Flying Blue's Europe-Asia-Africa anchor, Korean Air's Pacific premium, Virgin Atlantic's transatlantic. The alliance has only two elite tiers (Elite Plus and Elite, simpler than oneworld's three), no Round-the-World award product, and a quietly excellent SkyPriority program that handles priority everything across all members. Headquartered in Amsterdam, with 850+ lounges worldwide. Aeroflot's membership has been suspended since 2022.
Where your points punch above their weight.
Where this currency genuinely shines.
SkyTeam's redemption strengths cluster around its biggest member balance sheets, Delta SkyMiles (vast partner inventory but eye-watering award pricing under full dynamic), Flying Blue, Korean Air SKYPASS (Asia premium cabins), and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (transatlantic Upper Class).
18 member programs. Status follows you across all of them.
18 member programs + status crossover.
| Member program | Carriers | Joined | Tier crossover | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerolineas | — | August 29th 2012 | Elite PlusAerolineas Plus Diamante, Aerolineas Plus Platino EliteAerolineas Plus Oro | Buenos Aires hub. Latin America flag carrier. |
| Aeromexico Rewards | — | June 22nd 2000 | Elite PlusAeromexico Rewards Titanium, Aeromexico Rewards Platinum EliteAeromexico Rewards Gold, Aeromexico Rewards Silver | Founding member. Mexico City hub. Program rebranded from Club Premier to Aeromexico Rewards; some Aeromexico-side surfaces may still display the legacy name. |
| Air Europa | — | September 4th 2007 | Elite PlusSUMA Platinum, SUMA Gold EliteSUMA Silver | Madrid hub. Spain's second carrier. |
| Air France | Air France | June 22nd 2000 | Elite PlusFlying Blue Platinum Ultimate, Flying Blue Platinum, Flying Blue Gold EliteFlying Blue Silver | Founding member. Paris CDG hub. Earns Flying Blue (shared with KLM and TAROM). See /programs/flying-blue for loyalty content. |
| China Airlines | — | September 28th 2011 | Elite PlusDynasty Flyer Paragon, Dynasty Flyer Emerald EliteDynasty Flyer Gold | Taipei hub. Taiwan's flag carrier. |
| China Eastern | — | June 21st 2011 | Elite PlusEastern Miles Platinum EliteEastern Miles Gold | Shanghai Pudong hub. |
| Delta SkyMiles | — | June 22nd 2000 | Elite PlusSkyMiles Diamond Medallion, SkyMiles Platinum Medallion, SkyMiles Gold Medallion EliteSkyMiles Silver Medallion | Founding member. ATL/DTW/MSP/SLC/JFK/LAX/SEA hubs. Note: Delta has a carrier-specific Sky Club restriction effective Jan 1, 2024 (see Tips & quirks). SkyMiles is a fully dynamic-pricing program. |
| Garuda | — | March 5th 2014 | Elite PlusGarudaMiles Platinum, GarudaMiles Gold EliteGarudaMiles Silver | Jakarta hub. Indonesia's flag carrier. |
| Kenya Airways | — | June 4th 2010 | Elite PlusAsante Rewards Platinum EliteAsante Rewards Silver | Nairobi hub. Per SkyTeam's official member page, Kenya Airways' Asante Rewards has limited frequent-flyer reciprocity across some SkyTeam member airlines — verify with KQ before relying on cross-alliance benefits. |
| KLM Royal Dutch Airlines | KLM Royal Dutch Airlines | September 13th 2004 | Elite PlusFlying Blue Platinum Ultimate, Flying Blue Platinum, Flying Blue Gold EliteFlying Blue Silver | Amsterdam hub. Earns Flying Blue (shared with Air France and TAROM). |
| Korean Air | — | June 22nd 2000 | Elite PlusSKYPASS Million Miler Club, SKYPASS Morning Calm Premium Club EliteSKYPASS Morning Calm Club | Founding member. Seoul Incheon hub. Marriott Bonvoy ended its SKYPASS transfer in June 2024, and Chase UR transfer was discontinued in 2018. |
| Mea | — | June 28th 2012 | Elite PlusCedar Miles Gold EliteCedar Miles Silver | Beirut hub. Middle East Airlines (Lebanon's flag carrier). |
| SAS EuroBonus | — | September 1st 2024 | Elite PlusEuroBonus Diamond, EuroBonus Pandion, EuroBonus Gold EliteEuroBonus Silver | Newest member. Joined SkyTeam September 1, 2024 (departed Star Alliance August 31, 2024). Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo hubs. |
| Saudia Alfursan | — | May 29th 2012 | Elite PlusAlFursan Gold EliteAlFursan Silver | Jeddah and Riyadh hubs. Saudi Arabia's flag carrier. |
| Tarom | Tarom | June 25th 2010 | Elite PlusFlying Blue Platinum Ultimate, Flying Blue Platinum, Flying Blue Gold EliteFlying Blue Silver | Bucharest hub. Romania's flag carrier. Earns Flying Blue (shared with Air France and KLM). |
| Vietnam Airlines | — | June 10th 2010 | Elite PlusLotusmiles Platinum, Lotusmiles Gold EliteLotusmiles Titanium, Lotusmiles Silver | Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City hubs. |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | — | March 13th 2023 | Elite PlusFlying Club Gold EliteFlying Club Silver | London Heathrow + LGW + MAN hubs. Flying Club is fully dynamic-pricing as of 2024. The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at LHR T3 has its own access policy outside the standard SkyTeam ruleset. |
| Xiamen | — | November 21st 2012 | Elite PlusEgret Miles Platinum EliteEgret Miles Gold | Xiamen and Fuzhou hubs. China's first private airline. |
The status ladder. 2 rungs, each unlocking better lounges, bags, and bragging rights.
2 status levels.
Mid-tier alliance status; thresholds set by each member program
Top-tier alliance status; thresholds set by each member program
Where to vanish before takeoff. Your status (or ticket) opens which doors.
Who gets in, who doesn't, and the carve-outs.
SkyTeam alliance lounge ruleset
Lounge access is reserved for Elite Plus members, First Class, and Business Class customers traveling on a same-day international flight operated by a SkyTeam member airline, or transferring between flights (domestic or international) operated by two SkyTeam members.
| Tier / cabin | Lounge access |
|---|---|
| First or Business Class on SkyTeam-operated flight | Complimentary at any SkyTeam member airline lounge |
| Elite Plus (any cabin, including Economy) | Complimentary at any SkyTeam member airline lounge |
| Elite | No alliance-wide lounge access |
| Non-elite Economy | No alliance-wide lounge access |
Key rules (effective 2025-2026):
SkyTeam-branded lounges (alliance-operated): SkyTeam runs 5 of its own lounges in addition to member airline lounges, Frankfurt (FRA, 550m2, 126 seats), Vancouver (YVR), Dubai (DXB, 960m2+), Sydney (SYD), and Santiago de Chile (SCL). These are accessible under the same ruleset. SkyTeam has also partnered with Global Lounge Network to open a joint lounge at Sao Paulo-Guarulhos (GRU, Terminal 2, open 24 hours), available to SkyTeam Elite Plus, First and Business Class customers flying on services operated by Air Europa.
Pets and service animals: Pets in carriers permitted where local laws allow; service animals permitted subject to local laws.
Key exclusions:
Source: SkyTeam lounge access policy. Member airline lounge access is subject to capacity, local airport policy, and statutory/regulatory restrictions.
Tier mapping, lounge access, award rules, the stuff nobody tells you until you've been burned once.
The fine print, decoded.
Delta is running SkyMiles Award Flash Deals on Delta One flights to destinations around the world through October 29, 2026. Availability is limited and taxes and fees are paid at booking.
The Air France KLM Visa Signature shows 70,000 bonus miles plus 100 XP after $3,000 in 90 days from the Apply link on Flying Blue's partner page, and 50,000 plus 100 XP after $2,000 from Bank of America's own page. The annual fee is $89.
Delta is auctioning access for two to La Tablée, a Rhône Valley wine festival in New York, on December 11, 2026. Bidding opens October 27 and closes November 12, starting at 20,000 miles.
SAS EuroBonus status matches elite status from 84 airlines through an independent service, with no flight challenge. Here is who qualifies and what it costs.
Amex plans a Centurion Lounge at Newark Terminal A, more than 30,000 square feet and expected in 2027, while the Philadelphia lounge closes for renovation on October 16. A Delta Sky Club is the fallback at both airports when you fly Delta.
Flying Blue takes up to 25% off award tickets on long haul Air France and KLM flights to and from Europe. Book by October 31, 2026, travel through March 31, 2027.
Rove Miles moved to Air France KLM Flying Blue earn a 40% bonus through October 31, so 1,000 Rove Miles become 1,400 Flying Blue miles.
A 25% Amex Membership Rewards bonus to Air France KLM Flying Blue runs October 1 through October 31, 2026, if your account offers it. Check your own Amex account for the offer and its terms before transferring.
A 20% Amex Membership Rewards bonus to Aeromexico Rewards runs October 1 through October 30, 2026, if your account offers it. Check your own Amex account for the offer and its terms before transferring.
Delta and Starbucks restructured their linked earning effective August 5, 2026: a flat 1 mile per dollar replaces the old reload bonus, and you now need a Delta flight in the past year to keep earning.
Korea's antitrust regulator gave final approval to the Korean Air and Asiana mileage merger. Your Asiana flight miles convert to SKYPASS at 1 to 1, you get ten years to decide, and more award seats are coming. The clock that is actually ticking is October 15.
Buy SkyMiles by October 31 and Delta adds a 25% to 50% bonus, with the full 50% starting at 52,000 miles bought. It only makes sense if you've already priced a specific award and just need to close the gap.
Hyatt and American are ending their enhanced loyalty partnership and Hyatt is pairing with Delta instead. Link your World of Hyatt and AAdvantage accounts by November 15 to keep earning across both during the wind down.
Six Delta Amex cards are elevated through November 4, 2026, led by the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Amex at 200,000 miles after $20,000 in purchases in the first 6 months.
For the first time, new Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex Card Members can earn two round trip Delta Comfort Flight Certificates plus 50,000 bonus miles after $10,000 in purchases in the first six months, through November 4, 2026.
If you're on T-Mobile and fly Delta, you can grab a free premium drink on board, and it's now a year-round benefit.
Delta Concierge, the digital assistant built into the Delta app to help customers get the support they need throughout their journey, is now available to 100% of SkyMiles Members.
Spend TrueBlue points on China Airlines, the carrier based in Taiwan. JetBlue added China Airlines redemptions on April 29, 2026, so you can book its flights to Taipei, Bangkok, Manila and more on jetblue.com. Dynasty Flyer members can redeem on JetBlue flights in return.
If you've been booking Airbnb Experiences anyway, you might as well get paid for it. Delta SkyMiles members now earn 3 miles per $1 on qualifying Airbnb Experiences and Services, triple the 1 mile per $1 rate on Airbnb Homes. The catch is the connection requirement: you must click through from a Delta-hosted placement and book within a 10-day window for miles to count.
Last reviewed: May 2026
Loyalty programs change rules, fees, transfer ratios, and award pricing all the time — sometimes without warning. We do our best to keep these pages current, but the program's own site is always the final word. Always confirm specifics directly with SkyTeam before transferring miles or booking an award. Treat anything on this page as a starting point, not a guarantee. Crazy4Points is not responsible for actions taken based on information here — see our Terms of Service for full details.
