Skyteam
What is an airline alliance?
An airline alliance is where multiple airlines establish a mutually beneficial relationship for both the airlines and their passengers. One of the biggest benefits associated with loyalty to any airline alliance is how alliances can translate your frequent flyer rewards across their member airlines. This means that if you have earned elite status benefits with one airline, you can experience those same perks even when you fly with other airlines, as long as they are in the same alliance.
There are 3 major global airline alliances: SkyTeam Airline Alliance, Star Alliance, and OneWorld Alliance. How you choose the best airline alliance for you will greatly depend on where you live, where you fly to, and which frequent flyer benefit programs you’re a part of.
What are the benefits of booking flights with the SkyTeam airline alliance?
To receive the benefits of booking Skyteam flights, you must be considered one of two status levels: SkyTeam Elite or SkyTeam Elite Plus. You may already have Elite or Elite Plus status if you have earned Elite membership at one of the alliance’s member airlines frequent flyer programs. Once Elite status is earned in a SkyTeam airline’s frequent flyer program, you become a SkyTeam Elite frequent flyer, which is recognized across all 19 SkyTeam carriers and all SkyTeam flights.
SkyTeam Elite benefits:
- Priority check-in counters
- Priority boarding
- Extra baggage allowance
- Preferred seating
- Priority reservation waitlist
SkyTeam Elite Plus benefits:
- All of the above benefits, and...
- Access to more than 750 airport lounges worldwide, whatever class of travel, and with the ability to bring a guest
- Guaranteed full-fare Y-class reservation on sold-out long-haul flights, when booking at least 24-hours before departure
- Priority baggage handling on arrival, whatever class of travel
- Additional extra baggage allowance
Which airlines are in the SkyTeam alliance?
Although Air Canada is not one of the 19 member airlines that SkyTeam partners with, SkyTeam has grown its extensive global network to fly to more than 1000 destinations in 170 countries. So no matter where you live, it’s not hard to find SkyTeam flights operating out of nearby airports.
SkyTeam was formed in 2000, when four formidable founder airlines came together to join forces, including Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico, Air France, and Korean Air. Other large airlines were soon to join, adding Alitalia, KLM Airlines, and others to the roster. In 2004, SkyTeam surpassed OneWorld to become the second-largest airline alliance and is close to matching Star Alliance for the most amount of passengers served each year.
For a full list of SkyTeam’s airlines, continue below to find our section of SkyTeam members.
Where does the SkyTeam alliance fly to?
SkyTeam operates flights to more than 1000 destinations in over 170 countries all around the world. Domestically, some of the most popular routes include flights to Toronto, flights to Banff National Park, and Halifax flights. Internationally, flights to Cancun, Barcelona, and Guadalajara are common SkyTeam routes.
Wherever you’re headed, when you book SkyTeam flights on Expedia, you can easily bundle those with convenient hotels near the airport, like these recommended hotels near Vancouver International Airport or the hotels near Manchester Airport. You’ll be getting a great deal on travel bookings and maximizing your rewards from SkyTeam and Expedia Rewards. Packaging bookings will allow you to see all your costs upfront, save more money, and have a one-stop-shop for all your travel itineraries.
Where does the SkyTeam alliance fly from?
SkyTeam’s 19 member airlines operating over 15,000 daily flights means you’ll have many options when looking for SkyTeam flights at most airports, but some airports more than others.
If you’re looking for flights from Calgary Airport, WestJet has a majority of the flights from this airport. Although WestJet is not part of SkyTeam, WestJet Rewards members can redeem points with the SkyTeam airlines: Air France, Delta, Qantas, and KLM.
One of the founding members of SkyTeam, Air France, has a dominant presence at its home airport in Paris, making it easy to book flights from Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) in France, regardless of where you may be headed. If you fly from Paris to Toronto, you can find deals on hotels near Pearson International airport.
Another founding member, Delta Airlines, is the primary gateway from Canada into the US with a broad offering at many domestic airports. Delta runs flights from Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax, just to name a few. You can go non-stop to Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), and many others.
China Eastern Airlines is well-represented with its home-turf advantage in Shanghai-Hongqiao International Airport (SHA), Xi’an Xianyang International Airport (XIY), and Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK).
You’ll measure the value of an alliance by looking at your most-frequented airports and which airlines have a prominent presence there.
What other deals can I book with Expedia?
Savvy travellers know how to get the best deals on all their travel bookings, whether that’s business class flights, the best hotel deals, or even last-minute deals. They enter their frequent flyer number to book SkyTeam airline flights and pay with their travel rewards credit card, all on Expedia.com. We are your one-stop-shop for optimizing personal and business travel rewards, getting you more points back on both.