Star Alliance is the largest and most popular alliance among the other Big 3 airline alliances – OneWorld and SkyTeam.
It currently has 26 airline members composed of major international carriers and smaller regional airlines that fly to thousands of destinations around the world.
In this article, we’ll guide you through the ins and outs of Star Alliance. We’ll discuss its member airlines, benefits, and key features, so you’ll get all the information you need to make the most of your travels with Star Alliance Airlines.
Related Article: Ultimate Guide to Airline Alliances.
Overview: What Is Star Alliance?
Star Alliance was founded on May 14, 1997 by five airline industry-leading airlines: United, Air Canada, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways, and Lufthansa.
These five founding members represent the Star Alliance logo.
It was the first global airline alliance that brought major airlines together to offer passengers a more seamless travel experience.
Today, Star Alliance has grown to be a massive presence in the aviation industry with 26 member airlines flying to over 1,300 destinations in 193 countries.
It’s currently based in Frankfurt, Germany with Jeffrey Goh as its CEO.
Through Star Alliance, travelers can access a wide range of benefits and services, such as streamlined connections, loyalty program perks, lounge access, and more.
It has become a popular choice for frequent flyers and those looking for a more connected travel experience.
Star Alliance Member Airlines
The Star Alliance is the world’s largest airline alliance. It currently boasts 26 member airlines, offering extensive connectivity and convenience for international travelers.
These airlines operate over 5,000 aircraft, flying to over 1,300 destinations in 98% of the world’s countries.
The current members of the Star Alliance are:
Star Alliance Airlines
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Aegean
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Air Canada
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Air China
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Air India
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Air New Zealand
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ANA
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Asiana Airlines
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Austrian Airlines
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Avianca
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Brussels Airlines
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Copa Airlines
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Croatia Airlines
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EgyptAir
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Ethiopian
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EVA Air
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LOT Polish
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Lufthansa
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SAS
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Shenzhen
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Singapore Airlines
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South African
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SWISS
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TAP Portugal
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Thai Airways
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Turkish Airlines
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United Airlines
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Star Alliance Status
To reward its loyal customers, Star Alliance offers two elite status tiers: Silver and Gold.
Each tier provides various benefits and privileges to frequent flyers.
Star Alliance Silver
Star Alliance Silver status is the entry-level tier of the loyalty program. Travelers who achieve this status can enjoy a range of benefits, including:
- Priority reservations waitlist
- Priority airport standby
How to Earn Star Alliance Silver Status
To earn Star Alliance Silver, you need elite status with a Star Alliance airline. Every airline’s lowest elite tier status translates to Star Alliance Silver.
Here are the status equivalents for Star Alliance Silver for the most popular programs:
- United Airlines Premier Silver.
- Air Canada Aeroplan 25K and 35K.
- Miles & More Frequent Traveller.
- Singapore KrisFlyer Elite Silver.
For others, check out the Star Alliance status conversion.
Star Alliance Gold
Star Alliance Gold status is the higher tier, which is available to the most frequent travelers. This status comes with additional privileges and benefits, including:
- Priority reservations waitlist.
- Priority airport standby.
- Gold Track Security.
- Access to Star Alliance Gold lounges.
- Priority airport check-in.
- Extra baggage allowance.
- Priority boarding.
- Priority baggage handling.
- Upgrades to Business First class on the Heathrow Express.
Achieving Star Alliance Gold status signifies that the traveler is a very frequent flyer on the Star Alliance network and is entitled to these exclusive privileges. This recognition helps to enhance the travel experience for their most loyal passengers, making their flights more enjoyable and seamless.
How to Earn Star Alliance Gold Status
To earn Star Alliance Gold status, you will need mid to upper-tier elite status with a Star Alliance Airline.
Here are the status equivalents for Star Alliance Silver for the most popular programs:
- United Airlines Premier Gold, Premier Platinum, Premier 1K, and Global Services.
- Air Canada Aeroplan 50K, 75K, and 100K.
- Miles & More Senator and HON Circle.
- Singapore Krisflyer Gold, PPS Club, Solitaire PPS Club, and Solitare PPS Club Life.
For others, check out the Star Alliance status conversion.
Star Alliance Lounges
Star Alliance Gold Members and First and Business class passengers who are flying on Star Alliance airlines will gain access to more than 1,000 lounges worldwide.
Here’s the Star Alliance lounge policy for more details on eligibility.
Star Alliance has branded lounges located in:
- Buenos Aires (EZE)
- Los Angeles (LAX)
- Paris (CDG)
- Rio de Janeiro (GIG)
- Rome (FCO)
- Amsterdam (AMS)
Additionally, Star Alliance also offers access to partner lounges. You can use the lounge finder to see the nearest partner lounge in your area.
Earning and Redeeming Miles Across Star Alliance Airlines
You can earn or redeem miles across the 26 Star alliance members if you’re a frequent flyer member of any of those airlines.
Additionally, Star Alliance also allows you to use your miles for cross-alliance upgrade options. SkyTeam also allows this, but OneWorld doesn’t.
The number of miles that you can earn or redeem on alliance partners can depends on two things:
- The airline loyalty program that you use to book your flight.
- The carrier that operates the flight you are booking.
For example, United Airlines Mileage Plus has an award chart for its loyalty members where they can check how many miles they can earn or redeem on other alliance members.
Here’s an example above on how many miles you’ll earn on ANA flights when booked through United Airlines.
You can even boost your miles earnings by using a United co-branded card or any Star Alliance member co-branded card when booking flights.
