SkyTeam Alliance: Benefits and How to Become a Member

Discover the SkyTeam Airline Alliance, a major player in global air travel. Founded in 2000 by Aeromexico, Air France, Delta Air Lines, and Korean Air, SkyTeam now brings together 18 partner airlines and offers unrivalled connectivity across an extensive network of destinations.

From its history to its vision for the future of aviation, including exclusive benefits for travellers and a complete list of member airlines, dive into the world of SkyTeam and discover how this alliance is transforming the travel experience.

Here are all the member airlines that are part of the SkyTeam Alliance

Air Canada is not part of the SkyTeam Airline Alliance members, but rather of Star Alliance. Aeroflot, which was previously a member, has been suspended from the alliance due to the war in Ukraine.

Does the SkyTeam Airline Alliance have its own loyalty program? The short answer is no, but if you dig a little deeper, you’ll find the reality is more complex.

Although the SkyTeam Airline Alliance does not have its own loyalty program and you cannot become a direct SkyTeam member, you can achieve an equivalent status through a participating member airline’s frequent flyer program.

To do so, you first need to become a loyal member of a SkyTeam Airline Alliance member airline and reach a certain status level within its frequent flyer program before you can earn SkyTeam status.

For example, with Air France’s loyalty program, the SkyTeam Elite Plus status is equivalent to Flying Blue Gold and Flying Blue Platinum statuses.

As a SkyTeam Elite passenger, you enjoy a wide range of benefits and privileges, including:

Whether you fly with one of the member airlines or use a partner credit card, there are many ways to maximize your SkyTeam Miles. Earning and redemption conditions vary according to the frequent flyer program chosen, so it’s important to be well-informed and compare options.

To earn miles in the SkyTeam alliance, simply book an eligible flight with one of the member airlines via the frequent flyer program of your choice – for example, Flying Blue (Air France-KLM) or SkyMiles (Delta). The number of miles earned generally depends on the distance flown, the fare class and the type of ticket.

As each program applies its own rates, it’s a good idea to check each airline’s specific conditions before booking.

Once your points have been accumulated, you can redeem them for award tickets on any member airline of the alliance, subject to availability. Reservations are made directly from your member space on the website of the frequent flyer program to which you belong.

If you don’t see a Canadian airline in SkyTeam, don’t worry. As Canadians, there’s a list of frequent flyer programs that offer points transfers to member airlines of the SkyTeam alliance. We’ve published an article detailing the main Canadian transferable points programs.

Notable credit cards include the American Express Cobalt^® Card, which lets you transfer Membership Rewards points to Air France KLM Flying Blue. The same applies to other American Express Membership Rewards credit cards, such as the American Express^® Gold Rewards Card and the American Express^® Platinum Card.

Marriott Bonvoy credit cards can also be used to transfer points to many other SkyTeam airline partners, such as Korean Air SKYPASS, Delta Air Lines SkyMiles, Aeromexico Club Premier and more. However, these transfers often result in a loss of value, so it’s important to think carefully about how you intend to use your points.

The SkyTeam airline alliance, with its diverse list of member carriers, continues to revolutionize the way we travel the world. By fostering cooperation and connectivity, the alliance creates a consistent travel experience for passengers across continents. Whether for business or leisure, SkyTeam’s commitment to excellence makes it the preferred choice for travellers seeking convenience, rewards and a touch of adventure.

Our tips for optimizing your Miles when traveling with SkyTeam airlines? Compare programs (some itineraries cost less in miles depending on the program used), look out for promotions (such as Flying Blue Promo Awards) and use your American Express cards to transfer your miles for use with SkyTeam member airlines. Last but not least, be quick about it, as availability for award tickets can go fast, especially in high season.