Even if you travel all the time, you may not have heard of — or paid any attention to — airline alliances. Even so, they matter a lot. They make traveling easier, and they come with perks that you can leverage to get just about anywhere on the planet.
Among the big three airline alliances, Star Alliance is king. Let’s go over everything you need to know about this heavy hitter — and how to use it to improve your travel.
Table of contents
Who is part of the Star Alliance?
With 26 airlines representing 25 different countries, Star Alliance is the United Nations of the skies. It’s considerably bigger than any other airline alliance, resulting in the most destinations served — more than 1,200 worldwide.
Here’s a quick look at all Star Alliance members.
| Aegean Airlines | Brussels Airlines | Shenzhen Airlines |
| Air Canada | Copa Airlines | Singapore Airlines |
| Air China | Croatia Airlines | South African Airways |
| Air India | EgyptAir | SWISS |
| Air New Zealand | Ethiopian Airlines | TAP Portugal |
| ANA | EVA Air | Thai Airways |
| Asiana Airlines | LOT Polish | Turkish Airlines |
| Austrian Airlines | Lufthansa | United Airlines |
| Avianca | SAS |
How does Star Alliance work?
The purpose of any airline alliance is to make travel more seamless for flyers, from the booking process to the commute.
That means if United Airlines is your go-to airline, you can still book a flight to a non-United destination through the United website, thanks to its Star Alliance partners. With coordinated schedules and connections, Star Alliance minimizes layovers and does its best to string together an efficient itinerary.
Here’s an example of a trip to Bali, which United doesn’t serve. When searching for a flight through the United website, you’ll notice that part of your journey is on United’s Star Alliance partner, Singapore Airlines.
Even better is the award aspect of Star Alliance flights. You’ll earn frequent-flier miles every time you book a paid flight with any of the alliance members. Even if you’re not flying your preferred airline, you can “credit” the miles you earn to whichever airline you like.
You can even redeem your rewards for flights across the entire network — not just with the airline you flew with. So if you rack up miles during a business trip to South America on Avianca, you can redeem those rewards for a domestic flight to see your grandma on United Airlines. It’s like earning rewards at your local coffee shop but being able to spend them at cafes worldwide. (We’ll cover how to redeem your miles within the Star Alliance network below.)
Plus, the more you fly, the closer you get to achieving Silver or Gold status, which opens the door to some legit perks that span across the alliance, so you can get the comforts of elite status even when you’re flying an airline you’ve never been on before.
What are the Star Alliance status levels?
Within Star Alliance, the loyalty game is strong, thanks to two shiny tiers of status: Silver and Gold. Each comes with its own set of benefits that can make your travels smoother and more enjoyable.
Star Alliance Silver benefits
Star Alliance Silver is the entry-level status. It comes with perks that might sound a tad boring, but in the right situation, they can really matter. For example, you’ll receive priority airport standby and priority reservations waitlist. This gives you a better chance at scoring a seat on a packed flight, and it could be the difference between getting to your cousin’s wedding on time or telling stories about how you watched it on your phone at the airport.
Just note that these benefits don’t apply for award flights.
Star Alliance Gold benefits
The real magic lives inside Star Alliance Gold status. You’ll receive the same benefits as Star Alliance Silver members, as well as a few hyper-valuable extras.
The showstopping benefit with this status tier is airport lounge access. Gold members have entry to more than 1,000 airport lounges worldwide, regardless of ticket class. Airport lounges often come with free food and alcohol, and some even offer showers. If you’ve never been in an airport lounge, you can’t imagine how much better it is than the three-ring circus that is the airport concourse.
Gold members even receive extra baggage allowance, which is a godsend for anyone who struggles to pack light (you know who you are). You’ll also get priority check-in and boarding, priority baggage handling, and priority security clearance in select airports.
How do I get Star Alliance Silver or Gold status?
So how do you climb these Star Alliance status tiers? You’ll first need to earn elite status with a Star Alliance carrier. Each member airline’s elite status automatically qualifies you for a Star Alliance status level.
For example, you’ll automatically receive Star Alliance Silver status when you earn any of the following:
- United MileagePlus Premier Silver status
- Aeroplan 25K status
And you’ll automatically receive Star Alliance Gold status when you earn any of the following:
- United MileagePlus Premier Gold
- United MileagePlus Premier Platinum
- United MileagePlus Premier 1K
- Aeroplan 35K
- Aeroplan 50K
- Aeroplan 75K
- Aeroplan Super Elite 100K
There are a variety of ways to earn the above elite statuses, but all require you to earn either Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) from spending on flights and other eligible purchases or Premier Qualifying Flights (PQFs), counted per eligible flight segment you take.
For Star United Silver status:
- 12 Premier Qualifying Flights (PQFs) and 4,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs)
- 5,000 PQPs (and at least four qualifying segments)
For United Gold status:
- 24 PQFs and 8,000 PQPs
- 10,000 PQPs (and at least four qualifying segments).
Interestingly, if you’re aiming for Star Alliance status through the United MileagePlus program, as most probably are, you can earn PQFs through United Airlines credit card spending. For example, the United Club Infinite Card earns 25 PQPs for every $500 you spend on the card, up to 10,000 PQPs each year. In other words, you could earn Star Alliance Gold status from spending alone (aside from the mandatory four segments each year you’ll need to take).
Star Alliance lounges
Spread across major international airports, Star Alliance lounges offer a sanctuary from the chaos of departure gates. Whether you’re catching up on work, need a quick nap, or just want to enjoy a moment of peace with a side of excellent airport food, these lounges have got you covered.
Who gets access to Star Alliance lounges?
Access to these lounges are reserved primarily for those flying in business or first class with a Star Alliance member airline — but again, Star Alliance Gold members will also have free access, even when flying economy. So whether you’ve splurged on a premium ticket or earned your elite wings through miles and miles of loyalty, the pinot and plush sofas await.
Which airports have Star Alliance lounges?
From Los Angeles (LAX) to Paris (CDG), Star Alliance lounges dot the globe at numerous major international airports. If the airport is a hub for a Star Alliance airline, odds are that a Star Alliance lounge will be there. You can check the Star Alliance Lounge Finder to see if you’ll cross paths with a Star Alliance lounge during your upcoming travels.
What facilities and benefits do Star Alliance lounges offer?
For frequent travelers like us, Star Alliance lounges are often more than a stopover — they’re a destination. An airport lounge can transform your once-interminable connection into something exciting.
You’ll find perks such as full bars, hot buffets, business centers, conference rooms, free Wi-Fi, and sometimes even spa services and private sleeping areas.
How do I redeem points and miles for Star Alliance awards?
Now for the best part about Star Alliance (and airline alliances in general): The frequent flyer miles you collect with one Star Alliance airline can be used with other member airlines. If United is your fave but you’re flying somewhere it doesn’t go, you can almost certainly use your United Airlines miles to get there on a partner — your miles aren’t handcuffed to the carrier that issues them.
Let’s look at an example. United doesn’t fly to Turkey, but we’ll use United miles to get there anyway. Type your travel details into United’s search engine as you normally would. We’ll search from Indianapolis (IND) to Istanbul (IST) in early 2025.
As you can see, United takes care of the hard stuff for you. It flies you to Chicago (ORD) on its own plane, and then coordinates a flight from Chicago to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines, a partner carrier. There’s no extra rigmarole to book with Star Alliance partners.
Remember to keep an eye on those taxes and fees — depending on the airline miles you’re using, you could pay a considerable surcharge (though United doesn’t pass along fees).
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Frequently asked questions about the Star Alliance
What airlines are part of the Star Alliance?
Star Alliance includes 26 member airlines, such as United Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, and Air Canada, among others. These airlines provide a global network covering more than 1,200 airports in 184 countries.
How do I become a member of the Star Alliance?
You cannot join Star Alliance directly. Instead, you join one of the member airlines’ frequent-flier programs, which then allows you access to benefits across the network.
Is Star Alliance membership free?
Yes, joining a Star Alliance member’s frequent flyer program is free.
What are the differences between Star Alliance Silver and Gold status?
Star Alliance Silver status offers priority reservation waitlisting and airport standby. Gold status provides additional benefits, such as airport lounge access, extra baggage allowance, priority boarding, and priority check-in.
How do I become a Star Alliance Silver or Gold member?
Silver or Gold status is achieved through frequent travel on Star Alliance member airlines and accumulating enough qualifying miles or segments as specified by the member airline’s frequent flyer program.
How many frequent flyer miles do I need for Star Alliance Silver or Gold status?
You can’t achieve elite status through redeemable frequent flyer miles. Instead, you’ll have to earn whichever currency your airline uses to measure loyalty (qualifying flights, segments, dollars, points, etc.) The number of miles needed for Silver or Gold status varies by program, but it typically ranges from 25,000 miles for Silver to 50,000 miles for Gold.
Which Star Alliance frequent flyer program is best?
The best program depends on your travel patterns, preferred airlines, and the benefits that matter most to you. Programs vary in terms of how quickly you can earn status and rewards.
Can I use United miles on any Star Alliance airline?
Yes, you can redeem United miles for flights on any Star Alliance member airline, as long as there are award seats available.
Can I transfer my Silver or Gold status from one frequent flyer program to another?
No, you cannot transfer status directly between different frequent flyer programs (though you may occasionally see status-match and status-challenge opportunities). Still, your status may translate into a Star Alliance elite status, which grants you benefits across all partner airlines.
How do I get access to Star Alliance lounges?
Access is granted to Star Alliance Gold members, or travelers in international first or business class on Star Alliance partner airlines.
Are day passes for Star Alliance lounges available to buy?
Some Star Alliance lounges offer day passes for purchase, such as those in Rio de Janeiro, Los Angeles, and Buenos Aires.
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