SkyTeam, one of the world’s major airline groups, is celebrating 25 years. If you’re new to using points and miles for travel, this is a great time to understand what an airline alliance is and how it can help you.

Think of an airline alliance like a team, and that’s why SkyTeam is most likely the alliance with the best name. SkyTeam started in 2000 with just four airlines: Aeromexico, Air France, Delta Air Lines, and Korean Air. Today, the team has grown to 18 members. The most important thing for you to know is that because these airlines work together, you can use points from one airline to book flights on another airline in the group. For example, you can use your Delta SkyMiles to book a flight on Air France to Paris or on Korean Air to Seoul.

More Airlines Means More Options For You

Over the years, SkyTeam has added more airlines, which gives you more places to fly using your points. Recently, Virgin Atlantic and SAS (the main airline for Denmark, Norway, and Sweden) joined. This is great news because it opens up many more flight options to the UK and Northern Europe that you can book with points from any SkyTeam partner. With 18 member airlines, the alliance now flies to over 945 cities, giving you a long list of destinations to choose from for your award trips.

Making Travel Smoother

Booking a trip with points that involves more than one airline can sometimes be tricky. SkyTeam has been working to make this easier. They have technology that lets you check in one time for your entire trip, even if you fly on Delta for the first leg and KLM for the second.

Another big perk is for travelers with airline loyalty status (often called “Elite” status). If you have status with one SkyTeam airline, you get special benefits like priority boarding, extra baggage allowance, and access to over 750+ airport lounges when you fly with any of the other 17 airlines in the alliance. This means your loyalty with one airline pays off across the whole network.

A Quick Guide to SkyTeam Status

SkyTeam has two main elite status tiers that are recognized across the alliance:

  • SkyTeam Elite: Your first level of recognition, often including benefits like priority check-in, preferred seating, and an extra baggage allowance.
  • SkyTeam Elite Plus: The top tier, which includes all Elite benefits plus lounge access for you and a guest, guaranteed reservations on sold-out flights, and priority baggage handling.

A Quarter Century of Growth

2000: Foundation

Founded by Aeromexico, Air France, Delta, and Korean Air.

2004: Expansion

KLM and Northwest Airlines join the alliance.

2011: Asia Network Growth

China Airlines and China Eastern become full members.

2018: Tech Innovation

The "Digital Spine" debuts for seamless check-in.

2023: Transatlantic Boost

Virgin Atlantic officially joins the team.

2024: New Frontiers

SAS joins; rail partnerships with Eurostar & Trenitalia begin.

What’s Next? Flights and Trains

SkyTeam is also starting to partner with high-speed train companies in Europe, like Eurostar and Trenitalia. This is interesting because, in the future, you should be able to book a single award trip that includes a flight to Europe and a connecting train ticket to your final city, all using your points.

Tailored Guides for SkyTeam Members

SkyTeam Fact Sheet

Aerolíneas Argentinas

The leading airline in South America, connecting Argentina with the world from its base in Buenos Aires.

Fleet83
ProgramAerolíneas Plus
Aeromexico

A founding member of SkyTeam and a leading international airline based in Mexico City.

Fleet133
ProgramAeromexico Rewards
Air Europa

A Spanish airline with a modern fleet connecting Europe and the Americas from its hub in Madrid.

Fleet55
ProgramSUMA
Air France

A founding member and major global player known for its extensive network and unique travel experience.

Fleet256
ProgramFlying Blue
China Airlines

Taiwan's flag carrier, providing extensive passenger and cargo services across Asia and beyond.

Fleet84
ProgramDynasty Flyer
China Eastern

One of China’s three major airlines, operating a vast domestic and international network from Shanghai.

Fleet785
ProgramEastern Miles
Delta Air Lines

A founding member and a leader in global travel, offering flights to over 300 destinations worldwide.

Fleet1,279
ProgramSkyMiles
Garuda Indonesia

The flag carrier of Indonesia, renowned for its award-winning service and hospitality.

Fleet55
ProgramGarudaMiles
Kenya Airways

A leading African airline connecting the continent to the world from its hub in Nairobi.

Fleet34
ProgramAsante Rewards
KLM

The world's oldest airline, pioneering aviation from its base in the Netherlands for over a century.

Fleet238
ProgramFlying Blue
Korean Air

A founding member and leading global airline with a world-class hub at Seoul's Incheon airport.

Fleet160
ProgramSKYPASS
MEA

A major air carrier in the Middle East, operating from its home base in Beirut, Lebanon.

Fleet23
ProgramCedar Miles
SAS

Scandinavia’s leading airline, connecting the region with the world for over 75 years.

Fleet131
ProgramEuroBonus
Saudia

The flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, serving over 98 destinations with a modernizing fleet.

Fleet144
ProgramAlFursan
TAROM

The national airline of Romania, with a rich history in the aviation world since 1954.

Fleet18
ProgramFlying Blue
Vietnam Airlines

The flag carrier of Vietnam, offering 4-star service reflecting the nation's unique cultural identity.

Fleet97
ProgramLotusmiles
Virgin Atlantic

Founded by Sir Richard Branson, known for its innovative flair and award-winning customer service.

Fleet44
ProgramFlying Club
XiamenAir

China’s first modern airline, serving a network that covers Asia, Europe, and North America.

Fleet162
ProgramEgret Miles

SkyTeam’s 25th Anniversary Video

Our Experience with SkyTeam

At AwardFares, we don’t just build the tools for award travel; we’re passionate travelers ourselves who love putting airline alliances to the test. When SAS joined SkyTeam and announced its “EuroBonus Millionaire” challenge, we saw the perfect opportunity to dive deep into the new partnership. Germán (from our team), took on the challenge to fly on 16 different SkyTeam airlines in just under three weeks to earn one million points. His journey was a real-world stress test of the alliance, spanning the Americas, Europe, and Asia using a mix of cash tickets and award flights booked with points.

This intense experience gave us firsthand knowledge of the real-world process of booking and flying with multiple SkyTeam partners. We learned about the best ways to connect between airlines, the challenges of booking complex itineraries, and the on-the-ground experience with carriers like Delta, Air France, Korean Air, and Virgin Atlantic. You can follow his entire adventure and read detailed trip reports for each flight right here on our blog. It’s this hands-on experience that helps us make AwardFares the best tool for planning your own SkyTeam trips.

How to Find Awards Flights on SkyTeam Airlines

You could search each airline’s website one by one, but that takes a lot of time. This is where AwardFares comes in handy. AwardFares supports 18 different airline programs (and more to come soon), several of them from SkyTeam airlines (such as Delta, Air France-KLM, SAS, Virgin Atlantic, etc.)

  • One Simple Search: Instead of checking on each different airline website, you can search for award seats across all SkyTeam airlines at once.
  • See What’s Available: AwardFares shows you which flights have seats you can book with points, across multiple dates, and for how many points.
  • Get Alerts: If the flight you want isn’t available, you can set an alert. AwardFares will email you if a seat opens up.

Using your points should be rewarding, not complicated. Ready to see where you can go? Try AwardFares for free or check out our Gold & Diamond tiers for more advanced features.

Related Articles