End of an Era: Asiana Airlines Sets Official Date to Exit Star Alliance

The massive consolidation of the South Korean aviation market has reached its definitive milestone.

In an official joint statement, Star Alliance and Asiana Airlines have announced that the Seoul-based carrier will formally withdraw from the alliance on December 16, 2026, at 23:59 Korea Standard Time. This ends Asiana’s 23-year tenure with the network as it prepares to be completely absorbed by rival mega-carrier and SkyTeam member, Korean Air.

Effective December 17, 2026, the Asiana brand will be phased out, and its operations will shift under the Korean Air banner. For frequent flyers with upcoming travel plans or massive mileage balances, this transition brings immediate rules you need to know.

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The Timeline: Earning and Redeeming Miles

If you frequently book Asiana flights or use Star Alliance partners (like United MileagePlus or Air Canada Aeroplan) to rack up points, keep these hard cut-off dates on your radar:

• Earning Miles: You can automatically earn points/miles on Asiana-operated flights departing on or before October 15, 2026. Any flights taken between October 16 and December 16 will require a manual retroactive mileage request.
• Redeeming Miles: You can continue to redeem partner miles for Star Alliance award tickets and upgrades on Asiana for travel completed on or before December 16, 2026.

Warning: What Happens to Already-Ticketed Awards?

According to Asiana's updated frequently asked questions, Star Alliance award flights booked using Asiana Club miles scheduled to depart on or after December 17, 2026, will not be honored. Affected tickets will be fully refunded and the miles reinstated without penalty. If you have partner flights booked for late winter 2026, it is highly recommended to review your itineraries immediately.

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Elite Status and Lounge Access

For Star Alliance Silver and Gold elite members, business as usual continues through mid-December. Priority check-in, extra baggage allowance, and access to eligible Asiana lounges at Seoul Incheon (ICN) remain intact until the December 16 deadline.

If you hold elite status directly through the Asiana Diamond Club (or higher), your status will be mapped over to a corresponding elite tier within the SkyTeam alliance once the merger goes live.

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What This Means for Incheon Airport

While losing Asiana is a blow to Star Alliance's presence in East Asia, the alliance has reassured passengers that global connectivity via Seoul remains strong. Moving into 2027, 14 Star Alliance member airlines—including United, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Air Canada, and EVA Air—will continue operating over 1,900 direct monthly flights out of Incheon International Airport to 29 destinations worldwide.

The landscape of global aviation is shifting fast. Asiana has been a beloved five-star favorite for transpacific travelers since 1988, and watching the brand wind down marks a truly historic transition.

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Do you have upcoming flights booked on Asiana Airlines? How will this merger affect your points strategy? Sound off in the comments below!

Hertz Partners With SkyTeam Airline Alliance To Drive Car Rental Benefits For Frequent Flyers In First-Of-A-Kind Tie-Up

- Hertz becomes the first non-air affiliate of SkyTeam, the world's leading airline alliance

- SkyTeam passengers to enjoy car rental benefits and earn frequent flyer miles when renting with Hertz

Hertz Global Holdings, Inc., (NYSE: HTZ) announced that The Hertz Corporation has partnered with SkyTeam, one of the world's leading airline alliances, as its first non-air affiliate. Effective October 16, 2018, Frequent Flyers of all of SkyTeam's 20 member airlines can enjoy a variety of car rental benefits while notching up miles towards air travel* when they rent a vehicle from Hertz.

SkyTeam is the first airline alliance to offer its Frequent Flyers access to car hire benefits plus the opportunity to earn miles when renting a vehicle.  Passengers participating in the Frequent Flyer programs of SkyTeam member airlines will receive a special code for their Hertz car rental bookings. Hertz covers SkyTeam's global network of 1,072 destinations with more than 10,000 rental locations around the world.  Car hire reservations can be made online, by phone or through the Hertz app.  

Vincent Gillet, Vice President Marketing, Hertz International, said: "We at Hertz are honored to offer car rental benefits to the 730 million customers travelling annually with the members of SkyTeam, a world leading airline alliance. Hertz already works with more than half of the SkyTeam partner member airlines, so it was a progressive move for us to extend our relationship to the full alliance. As a proud partner of SkyTeam, we look forward to providing a seamless fly-drive experience for our mutual customers."

Mauro Oretti, SkyTeam's Vice President Sales and Marketing, added: "Millions of SkyTeam customers hire cars at home or away and we are excited to take Frequent Flyer perks up a gear through our partnership with Hertz, one of the world's leading car rental brands. Our aim at SkyTeam is to offer the best end-to-end travel experience for our customers. Extending loyalty benefits beyond the airport is a natural step as we continue to add value to our customers' everyday traveling lives."

*Due to contractual reasons Frequent Flyer mileage accrual is not available to members of Alitalia/MilleMiglia or Aerolineas Argentinas/Aerolineas Plus.

About Hertz: The Hertz Corporation, a subsidiary of Hertz Global Holdings, Inc., operates the Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty and Firefly vehicle rental brands in approximately 10,200 corporate and franchisee locations throughout North America, Europe, The Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. The Hertz Corporation is one of the largest worldwide rental companies, and the Hertz brand is one of the most recognized in the world. Product and service initiatives such as Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, Ultimate Choice, Carfirmations, Mobile Wi-Fi and unique vehicles offered through the Adrenaline, Dream, Green and Prestige Collections set Hertz apart from the competition. Additionally, The Hertz Corporation owns the vehicle leasing and fleet management leader Donlen, operates the Hertz 24/7 car sharing business in international markets, and sells vehicles through Hertz Car Sales. For more information about The Hertz Corporation, visit: www.hertz.com.

About SkyTeam: SkyTeam is the global airline alliance with 20 member airlines working together to offer seamless travel on an extensive global network. SkyTeam customers can unwind in 600+ lounges as they travel, earn and redeem Frequent Flyer Miles. SkyTeam Elite Plus customers are eligible for SkyPriority services. The 20 members are: Aeroflot, Aerolíneas Argentinas, Aeroméxico, Air Europa, Air France, Alitalia, China Airlines, China Eastern, China Southern, Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Garuda Indonesia, Kenya Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Korean Air, Middle East Airlines, Saudia, TAROM, Vietnam Airlines and Xiamen Airlines. SkyTeam welcomes 730 million customers each year on more than 16,609 daily flights to 1,074 destinations in 177 countries.

www.skyteam.com / www.facebook.com/skyteam / www.youtube.com/user/skyteam

Air France Unveils Redesigned Accent By Graffiti Artist JonOne

Air France teamed up with New York-born painter and graffiti artist JonOne to redesign the Air France accent. Measuring four meters by seven meters, the giant accent was unveiled November 10 at the heart of Air France Industries’ hangars at Paris Orly. The art represents the French flag and symbolizes freedom, one of the values held dear to France and the artist alike while echoing the company’s slogan: Air France, France is in the Air.  An Air France Boeing 777 equipped with the airline’s new travel cabins will don the accent serving the Company’s global network for one year.

The aircraft sporting this exceptional livery will then fly for the first time to New York, a legendary and historic route for Air France.

In December 2015, a selection of exclusive items including notebooks, tote bags and models of the aircraft with the Air France redesigned accent will be available for purchase on airfranceshopping.com.

Air France, Ambassador of Contemporary Art

For the past 80 years, Air France has had a special relationship with the contemporary art world – from the spiritual artist Zao Wou-Ki to the electrifying JonOne, via Jeff Koons, David Mach, and many more.

Air France has previously worked with JonOne –in September 2012, during their time spent in the La Premiere lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle, La Premiere customers were able to discover exclusive creations signed by JonOne. In the La Premiere cabin, on board long-haul flights, new menu and wine list covers also designed by JonOne stimulated the appetite and turned the flight into a gastronomic interlude.

In each travel cabin, throughout the year, the “Arts & Culture” TV program provokes Air France’s visual reflection around masters such as Le Corbusier, fun artists including Keith Haring, or sublime architectures such as the Louis Vuitton / Frank Gehry Foundation. In December 2015, Air France will show a video by JonOne as a tribute to abbé Pierre. And to make the most of this cultural showcase in the sky, the gigantic Air France Airbus A380s are equipped with genuine art galleries comprising wide video screens.

About JonOne

The person still known to many as John Andreas Perello was born in New York, to two Dominican parents who had fled Trujillo’s regime and met in New York to secure their chance at the American dream. The young man evokes the pitiless status quo of his childhood – “No Hope, No Future”, akin to the British punks’ nihilist movement. This paved the way for a found image – the dazzling trail of dynamic color and movement left by a spray-painted subway train.

So it would be the subway. The street. Graffiti.

The budding artist behind JonOne rapidly signed flamboyant murals, and “entered the world of art”. He visited museums and galleries, built his own culture – like Jean-Michel Basquiat, who he resembles in many aspects – and his graffiti took inspiration from his spiritual fathers (Kandinsky, Miro) and the lyrical abstraction which was a major influence in painting during this era – Pollock, of course, but also De Kooning, Motherwell, Rothko, etc. His life was punctuated by decisive encounters and trips, notable to Paris, where the artist had two major experiences – at the Hôpital Ephémère – a legal squat for artists at the end of the 90s – and his active collaboration for the Abbé Pierre Foundation (2011). In addition to reclaiming his Dominican roots, a perfect fusion between street art and High Art – the noble art of painting – his reputation was swiftly forged and fame followed. After multiple international exhibitions, on January 21, 2015, a monumental work, significantly titled “Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité” was inaugurated at the National Assembly, in Salon des Mariannes. This painting even became the new French stamp in September 2015.

About Air France

Air France, a global airline of French inspiration, with high standards and a caring attitude, turns the flight into a moment of real pleasure on all its daily operations in France, Europe and worldwide.

Since 2004, Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines have formed a global air transport giant with a strong European base. The Group also offers cargo transport and aeronautical maintenance solutions.

Air France-KLM is the leading Group in terms of international traffic on departure from Europe. In 2015, it offers its customers access to a network covering 316 destinations in 115 countries thanks to its four brands Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Transavia and HOP! Air France. With a fleet of 546 aircraft in operation and 87.4 million passengers carried in 2014, Air France-KLM operates up to 2,200 daily flights from its hubs at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol.

Its Flying Blue frequent flyer programme is one of the leaders in Europe with over 25 million members.

Air France-KLM and its partners Delta Air Lines and Alitalia operate the biggest trans-Atlantic joint-venture with over 250 daily flights.

Air France-KLM is also a member of the SkyTeam alliance which has 20 member airlines, offering customers access to a global network of over 16,320 daily flights to 1,052 destinations in 177 countries.

KLM Invests In Customer And Future With New Boeing 787-9

The new aircraft will be introduced to KLM’s fleet in October 2015

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will introduce the Boeing 787-9 to its fleet in October 2015. This new aircraft will add a quieter and more fuel-efficient experience to ensure the airline’s passengers an unforgettable and comfortable journey.

“The Boeing 787-9 enables KLM to offer passengers even more comfort and privacy,” said Pieter Elbers, President & CEO KLM. “KLM has chosen to add specific improvements to this special aircraft, which make it unique among other 787s. All these details add up to ensure our passengers can experience a new way to fly.”

Among the most important features of the Boeing 787-9 are lower fuel consumption, the new World Business Class (WBC) and Economy Class seats, a state-of-the-art inflight entertainment system and Wi-Fi for all passengers.

Lower fuel consumption

The Boeing 787-9 is equipped with highly fuel-efficient engines, which will reduce CO2 emissions by at least 20%.

The aircraft is part of KLM’s program of fleet investment, which began with the introduction of the new World Business Class in the Boeing 747. This was followed by entirely new World Business Class and Economy Class interiors in the Boeing 777-200 and the phased introduction of new Boeing 777-300s. From December 2015, KLM will continue its fleet renewal with the deployment of the Embraer 175 and 190.

New flight mode

The interior design of the Boeing 787-9 maximizes comfort and privacy for passengers, while maintaining KLM’s aesthetic and brand values.

KLM’s Boeing 787-9 is fitted with onboard Wi-Fi, marking the launch of KLM Wi-Fi, which was tested in earlier trials. It will now be possible to use the internet, email and other online services onboard using laptops, tablets and mobile phones.

Larger windows, a higher cabin pressure and special LED-lighting further enhance the unique flight experience ensuring passengers arrive more rested at their destinations.

Luxury personal space in World Business Class

KLM has chosen the newest full-flat World Business Class seat for its Boeing 787-9s. The position of the new seats in the cabin and various design decisions ensure passengers can enjoy as much privacy as possible during the flight. Every World Business Class seat in the Boeing 787-9 has direct access to the aisle, a new feature for the Boeing 787-9.

Warmer colors – with different shades for every seat – and a large storage space ensure ultimate comfort and more personal room for passengers. Large, soft pillows and luxurious new blankets give the new World Business Class a warm and welcoming mood. Each seat is fitted with a 16” screen. There is also the option of a dual-screen experience, which allows passengers to game or chat using the handset while watching a film.

Economy Class

The seats in Economy Class offer passengers extra comfort. The back of the seat can recline 40% further and all passengers have access to a power socket where they can recharge their mobile equipment. The inflight entertainment system has been renewed and extended with a larger, 11” screen, intuitive HD-quality touchscreens, interactive 3D maps, and the option to communicate via Seat Chat with fellow passengers who are not seated nearby. The inflight entertainment system provides access to more than 150 films and 200 TV programs in 12 languages, including a large number of local films.

About KLM

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines was founded in 1919, making it the world’s oldest airline still operating under its original name. In 2004, Air France and KLM merged to form AIR FRANCE KLM. The merger produced the strongest European airline group based on two powerful brands and hubs – Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Paris Charles de Gaulle. Retaining its own identity, the group focuses on three core businesses: passenger transport, cargo and aircraft maintenance.

In the Netherlands, KLM comprises the core of the KLM Group, which further includes KLM Cityhopper, transavia.com and Martinair. KLM serves all its destinations using a modern fleet and employs over 32,000 people around the world. KLM is a leader in the airline industry, offering reliable operations and customer-oriented products resulting from its policy of enthusiasm and sustainable innovation.

Air France-KLM and its partners Delta Air Lines and Alitalia operate the biggest trans-Atlantic joint-venture with over 250 daily flights.

KLM is a member of the global SkyTeam airline alliance, offering customers an extensive worldwide network. The KLM network connects the Netherlands to every important economic region in the world and, as such, serves as a powerful driver for the economy.