The World’s Three Airline Alliances in One Chart

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Over the last 30 years, airlines from around the world have formed airline alliances in order to integrate their services, retain customer loyalty, and offer better service to passengers flying internationally.

This graphic shines a light on the three big airline alliances which today compete for global market share: Star Alliance, SkyTeam, and Oneworld. The data comes from their own member registries.

Star, SkyTeam, and Oneworld help to not only facilitate long-haul travel involving connections, but also reward loyal customers with transferable points and miles.

The Star Which Started It All

The oldest airline alliance is also the largest. Founded in 1997 by five airlines from three continents, today Star Alliance is headquartered in Frankfurt and leads by both market share and number of members.

The alliance counts 25 current members, as well as newcomer ITA Airways which is expected to join in a few months following its acquisition by Star co-founder Lufthansa.

This data table below lists the member airlines of Star and its two competitors, SkyTeam and Oneworld.

ITA Airways is actually arriving to Star Alliance from its rival SkyTeam, from which it exited in 2025. This comes following the departure of founding member Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) from Star for SkyTeam in 2024.

The Musical Chairs of Airline Alliances

Scandinavian’s departure is not the only changes the alliances have seen in recent years. After SkyTeam founding member Delta Airlines acquired a stake in LATAM Group in 2020, Latin America’s largest airline departed Oneworld, leaving the alliance without a presence in the region.

Two years later, two Russian airlines (Aeroflot and S7 Airlines) were suspended by their respective alliances, SkyTeam and Oneworld, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

And Oneworld has faced other issues in recent years, including problems between member Qatar Airways and founding members American Airlines and Qantas. These issues have emerged from perceptions of unfair competition and business practices originating in the subsidies Qatar Airways receives from its country.

The Markets of Most (and Least) Competition

The European, Chinese, and U.S. markets have long been the sites of the fiercest competition between the three alliances. The three major U.S. airlines of Delta, American, and United are all founding members of their own respective alliances, having teamed up with foreign partners to offer greater long-haul connectivity.

China is today contested primarily by affiliates of Star Alliance and SkyTeam, the two largest alliances, while Europe sees particularly fierce competition between SkyTeam and Oneworld in Spain and the United Kingdom.

In contrast, Latin America is home to only four alliance members, two each from Star and SkyTeam. Meanwhile, Africa remains the greatest opportunity for alliance expansion, with some of the largest countries on the continent, such as Ghana or Nigeria, lacking any representation in any of the three alliances.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

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