Star Alliance
Star Alliance is the world’s first and largest global airline alliance. It is based in Frankfurt, Germany, and was launched on May 14, 1997.
The alliance brings together 25 full member airlines and 40 affiliates. Together, they fly to about 1,300 airports in 195 countries, offering roughly 19,000 daily departures with a fleet of more than 5,000 aircraft. The network serves hundreds of millions of travelers each year.
What this means for flyers: the Star Alliance program lets you earn and redeem miles across all member airlines. Members can reach two levels of status, Star Alliance Silver and Star Alliance Gold, which come with benefits such as priority check-in and boarding, extra baggage allowances, lounge access for Gold members, and smoother connections when transferring between member flights. Many aircraft wear the alliance’s livery, though they typically keep the branding of their own airline.
A brief look at its growth: Star Alliance was founded by five airlines — Air Canada, Lufthansa, SAS, Thai Airways, and United. Over the years, many other carriers joined from around the world, expanding routes and connections. The alliance has continued to evolve through mergers and changes in its member lineup, and it remains the largest alliance by market share.
Other notes: Star Alliance also works with affiliate and connecting partner programs that let travelers earn miles on additional flights, extending the network even further. In recent years, it has expanded collaboration with rail services in some countries, allowing travelers to earn miles on certain trains as well.
Awards: In 2024, Star Alliance was named the World’s Best Airline Alliance and Best Alliance Lounge by Skytrax.
Bottom line: If you fly with Star Alliance members, you get convenient, well-connected travel to many destinations worldwide, with consistent benefits across the network.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 20:31 (CET).