Understanding and utilizing Airline Alliances is beneficial to global travel.  Airline alliances provide opportunities to travel globally using the partnered airlines to facilitate one or multiple legs of your global travel with many other benefits.  Since airlines are established in a specific country, territory, or union the global airlines regulations do not allow for these airlines to operate locally or domestically in other countries, unions or territories.  To address this matter, the airlines formed alliances to provide a wider range of travel through their partnership alliance that opens the world of possibilities to travel globally.  

 

There are three (3) global airline alliances; Star Alliance with twenty-six (26) partners, One World with fourteen (14) partners, and Sky Team with nineteen (19) partners.  Each one of the global alliances provide opportunities to travel across the globe to certain regions (continents, countries and cities) through their network of airlines.  The benefit for the consumer is the ability to book travel through a partner airline and utilize many of their alliance affiliates to facilitate one or many parts of airline global travel using code sharing and the operating equipment and personnel (aircrafts, gates, and personnel). 

 

Utilizing an alliance and their partner affiliations provides certain benefits and perks for frequent or elite travelers based on their status with one or multiple partner affiliations.  Benefits and perks can include and are not limited to priority boarding, priority baggage handling, extra baggage allowance, no baggage fees, lounge access and sometimes expedited security screening.  Check with the airline and the alliance for detailed information, benefits and perks and be sure to utilize them for your global travel.  Also, be sure to see our blog regarding Airline Alliance Experiences.

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Below are charts of the three (3) Global Airline Alliances