Airline alliance changes

A quick summary of some upcoming changes to the 3 main airline alliances. With lots of changes there are new earning and redemption options opening up, and also some being lost (so book now if needed).

One World

- EI Aer Lingus leaves 31 March 2007
+ JL Japan Airlines joins 1 April 2007
+ MA Malev Hungarian joins 1 April 2007
+ RJ Royal Jordanian joins 1 April 2007
+ KA Dragonair joins 2007 (date yet to be announced)
+ XL Lan Argentina joins 2007 (date yet to be announced)
+ LP Lan Peru joins 2007 (date yet to be announced)
- BA's British Mediterranean (BMed) franchise ends northern Summer 2007 (ie many BA flights to Africa, Middle East and Central Asia will no longer be One World flights)
? RG New Varig may possibly join (with Lan's part purchase)
? WS Westjet is in talks with One World.

With Aer Lingus leaving, travel to Ireland is harder but otherwise not much impact. The addition of Japan Airlines adds several routes to Asia, but Malev and Royal Jordanian add some new destinations and more connections in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Dragonair adds lots of options for China travel, and the LANs open up much of South America. The loss of BMed removes several destinations.

Sky Team

+ UX Air Europa joins June 2007
+ CZ China Southern Airlines joins 2007 (date yet to be announced)
? IC Indian Airlines is in talks with Sky Team

More destinations added in Europe and China.

Star Alliance

- RG Varig left 31 January 2007
? RG New Varig is in talks to rejoin Star Alliance
+ CA Air China joins 2007 (date yet to be announced)
+ FM Shanghai Airlines joins 2007 (date yet to be announced)
+ TK Turkish Airlines is in talks with Star Alliance
+ BMed may possibly join or have flights under franchise with bmi (with bmi's purchase)

The biggest alliance keeps on growing. More destinations in China, and probably also Turkey, Eastern Europe, Africa, Middle East and Central Asia. A loss of Varig leaves a big gap in the network with extremely poor options for South America.