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SkyTeam
Official Launch Date		June 22, 2000
Members	Full	10
	Non-Voting	0
	Pending	6
Destinations Served	Airports	728
	Countries	149
Annual Passengers (M)		373
Fleet Size		2153
Website		skyteam.com

SkyTeam is the second largest airline alliance in the world — behind Star Alliance — partnering ten carriers from three continents, with six pending members. The stated benefits and goals of the alliance are:

• Easy frequent flyer mile collection and redemption across carriers
• Reciprocal airport lounge access between carriers
• Guaranteed reservations for Elite Plus customers
• More available flights and easier connections between carriers
• More fare options
• Unified check-in for all carriers
• Consistent quality standards across carriers
• One reservation network for all members

SkyTeam calls itself the "first alliance built around customer needs". In 2005, SkyTeam was the world's best airline alliance, according to the readers of Global Traveler Magazine. Again in 2006, readers of Global Traveler Magazine rated SkyTeam as the best airline alliance. SkyTeam also operates a cargo alliance called SkyTeam Cargo with all current SkyTeam members except for Continental Cargo.

Contents 1 Membership history 2 Member arlines 2.1 Current members 2.2 Future members 2.3 Potential future members 3 Premium status 3.1 SkyTeam Elite 3.2 SkyTeam Elite Plus 4 Destinations 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

• 2000 — Aeroméxico, Air France, Delta Air Lines, and Korean Air launch the SkyTeam alliance on June 22.
• 2001 — CSA Czech Airlines and Alitalia join.
• 2004 — Continental Airlines, KLM and Northwest Airlines join in September. Their simultaneous entry has been the largest expansion event in airline alliance history. As a result of the three new members, SkyTeam passes oneworld as the second-largest alliance.
• 2005 — Even though current member CSA pledged to help Malév Hungarian Airlines become associate member of the alliance (as opposed to a full member, an associate has no voting rights), Malév opts to join the Oneworld alliance, signing a Memorandum Of Understanding late in May. A few days later SkyTeam announces four new associate members due to join by 2006, each one being "sponsored" by an existing member: Madrid-based Air Europa (sponsored by Air France), Panama-based COPA (partly owned by and sponsored by Continental Airlines), Kenya Airways (partly owned by and sponsored by KLM) and Romania's Tarom (sponsored by Alitalia). Every associate will adopt a frequent flyer program of a full member (COPA already uses Continental's Onepass scheme and Kenya Airways uses Air France-KLM's Flying Blue[1])
• 2006 — Aeroflot joined on April 14. Air Europa, Copa Airlines, Kenya Airways and Tarom will launch the alliance's associate program.
• 2007 — China Southern Airlines will join the SkyTeam.

• Aeroflot [2]
• Aeroméxico* [3]
• Air France* [4] - KLM [5]
• Alitalia [6]
• Continental Airlines [7] including Continental Micronesia
• Czech Airlines [8]
• Delta Air Lines* [9]
• Korean Air* [10]
• Northwest Airlines [11]

* Founding members

• China Southern Airlines [12] — is on track for official alliance membership. It signed a Memorandum of Understanding on August 28, 2004, being the first mainland Chinese airline to do so. An official Global Airline Alliance Adherence Agreement (GAAAA) was announced on June 28, 2006 [13]. China Southern Airlines will officially become a member of SkyTeam once bilateral codesharing, frequent flyer and lounge agreements with each of the SkyTeam carriers are in place and the carrier satisfies all SkyTeam membership requirements. Completion of these requirements is expected in late 2007. ^[1] [14]

The following airlines are on track to become associate members:

• Air Europa [15] (sponsored by Air France)
• Copa Airlines [16] (partly owned and sponsored by Continental Airlines)
• Kenya Airways [17] (partly owned by and sponsored by KLM)
• Middle East Airlines [18] (sponsored by Air France)
• Tarom [19] (sponsored by Alitalia)

On February 2, Air Europa, Copa, and Kenya Airways signed an agreement affirming their commitment to become associate members. ^[2]

Note that there is much speculation about non-aligned airlines joining one of the global alliances. The list below only includes airlines that have expressed their desire to join SkyTeam or are in negotiations to do so.

• China Airlines — China Airlines currently has codeshare agreements with Delta Air Lines, Korean Air, and Alitalia. They have expressed interest in joining the alliance in the past.[20]

• Malaysia Airlines - Malaysia Airlines reached an agreement with Air France-KLM to upgrade their code-sharing agreement into an alliance in 2006. While there is no timetable for Malaysia Airliens to join SkyTeam, their current restructuring plan puts 2007-2008 as the target years.[21]

SkyTeam has two premium levels, Elite and Elite Plus, based on a customer's tier status in a member carrier's frequent flyer program. Each of the member and associate airlines recognizes the elite statuses, with a few exceptions. The statuses have no specific requirements of their own; membership is based solely on the frequent flyer programs of individual member airlines.

SkyTeam Elite status is awarded to customers who have reached the premium level of a member carrier's frequent flyer program.

Benefits of SkyTeam Elite membership:

• Priority reservations waitlisting
• Priority airport standby
• Priority boarding
• Priority check-in
• Preferred seating

Membership tiers granting SkyTeam Elite:

• Aeroflot (Aeroflot bonus) - Silver
• Aeromexico (Club Premier) - Gold
• Air France-KLM (Flying Blue) - Gold (for residents of US and Mexico), Silver
• Alitalia (MilleMiglia) - Ulisse
• China Southern Airlines(Sky Pearl Club) – Silver (joining SkyTeam in early 2007)
• Continental (OnePass) - Gold, Silver
• Czech (OK Plus) - Silver
• Delta (SkyMiles) - Gold Medallion, Silver Medallion
• Korean Air (SKYPASS) - Morning Calm
• Northwest (WorldPerks) - Gold, Silver

SkyTeam Elite Plus status is awarded to customers who have reached the higher premium level of a member carrier's frequent flyer program.

Benefits of SkyTeam Elite Plus membership:

• Priority reservations waitlisting
• Priority airport standby
• Priority boarding
• Priority airport check-in
• Preferred seating
• Priority baggage handling
• Additional checked luggage allowance
• Airport lounge access
• Guaranteed reservations on sold-out flights
• Express airport security (in some hub airports)

Membership tiers granting SkyTeam Elite Plus:

• Aeroflot (Aeroflot bonus) - Gold
• Aeromexico (Club Premier) - Platinum
• Air France-KLM (Flying Blue) - Platinum, Gold (for non-US/Mexican residents)
• Alitalia (MilleMiglia) - Freccia Alata
• Continental (OnePass) - Platinum
• Czech (OK Plus) - Gold
• Delta (SkyMiles) - Platinum Medallion
• Korean Air (SKYPASS) - Million Miler, Premium
• Northwest (WorldPerks) - Platinum

Further information: Skyteam destinations

• Oneworld
• Star Alliance
• Wings Alliance (a tentative alliance between several airlines that later joined SkyTeam)
• AACO (regional airline trade organisation)

• Official Website of SkyTeam
• Unofficial info about SkyTeam programs