Travel guides6 min read
If you collect Star Alliance miles and plan to fly Asiana, read this part first. Asiana Airlines leaves Star Alliance on 16 December 2026 to join SkyTeam alongside Korean Air. Per the airline's own notice, earning Star Alliance programme miles on Asiana flights applies only to travel departing up to 15 October 2026; Star Alliance elite benefits on partner airlines run through 16 December 2026.
What an alliance actually gives you
Past the brochure, an alliance gives four concrete things:
- Earning and spending miles across carriers. Fly airline A, credit the miles to airline B's programme, and spend them on airline C.
- Status recognised everywhere in it. Priority check-in, extra baggage, lounges — on any member, not only the one you collect with.
- Baggage through-checked. On a single ticket your bags go to the final destination even when you change carrier on the way.
- Something to fall back on when it goes wrong. A delay or a missed connection on an alliance itinerary is usually easier to rebook than two unrelated tickets on two unrelated airlines.
What it does not give you: a lower fare. An alliance is not a discount scheme — two members still compete on price on the same route.
Star Alliance members selling on Vietnamese routes
| Airline | Code | Country | City pairs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore Airlines | SQ | Singapore | 14 |
| Shenzhen Airlines | ZH | China | 14 |
| Thai Airways International | TG | Thailand | 11 |
| Asiana Airlines (leaving 16 Dec 2026) | OZ | South Korea | 11 |
| Air China | CA | China | 11 |
| Air India | AI | India | 7 |
| EVA Air | BR | Taiwan | 6 |
| United Airlines | UA | United States | 4 |
| All Nippon Airways | NH | Japan | 1 |
| Ethiopian Airlines | ET | Ethiopia | 1 |
Once Asiana leaves, Star Alliance is on 46 city pairs rather than 49 — a smaller loss than Asiana's own 11, because most of what it flies is already covered by another member.
The most airlines, on fewer routes
Together, Star Alliance carriers appear on 49 of the 163 city pairs we sell, reaching 31 international destinations. Far short of SkyTeam's 149 — but that comparison misleads.
SkyTeam's 149 is almost entirely Vietnam Airlines, at 147 pairs. Remove the national carrier and SkyTeam drops to 41, which means Star Alliance actually reaches further among foreign carriers. And its reach is spread across ten airlines rather than concentrated in one.
That has a practical consequence: when one airline is full or cancels, Star Alliance offers more alternatives inside the same alliance.
The weakness: no Vietnamese airline is in it
No Star Alliance carrier flies within Vietnam. Of the 71 domestic city pairs we sell, not one earns Star Alliance miles — Vietnam Airlines is in SkyTeam, and Vietjet, Bamboo, Sun PhuQuoc Airways and Vietravel Airlines are in no alliance at all.
So collecting in Star Alliance means collecting entirely on international legs. That suits somebody who travels abroad for work; it suits a frequent domestic flyer poorly.
Where Star Alliance is strong
- Southeast Asia: Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways cover Singapore, Bangkok and everything connecting through those two hubs.
- Northeast Asia: ANA in Japan, EVA Air in Taipei, Air China and Shenzhen Airlines in China.
- South Asia: Air India, one of the few carriers reaching Delhi and Mumbai directly from Vietnam.
- North America: United Airlines, connecting through the Asian hubs.
How we counted
The figures here are TripWise.vn's own fare data: 163 city pairs touching Vietnam that we sell on (each counted once, regardless of direction), reaching 40 international destinations. A city pair counts for an alliance if at least one member airline sells on it.
Common questions
Is any Vietnamese airline in Star Alliance?
No. Vietnam Airlines is in SkyTeam; the other Vietnamese carriers are in no alliance.
Is Asiana still in Star Alliance?
Through 16 December 2026. From 17 December it joins SkyTeam alongside Korean Air. Earning Star Alliance programme miles on Asiana flights applies to travel departing up to 15 October 2026.
How many members sell on Vietnamese routes?
Ten, in our fare data — more than either other alliance. Nine once Asiana leaves.
Is EVA Air in Star Alliance?
Yes. China Airlines is in SkyTeam and Starlux is in none — Taiwan's three airlines sit in three different camps.
Does flying Vietjet earn Star Alliance miles?
No. Vietjet is in no alliance.
Read on
What SkyTeam is · What Oneworld is · Every airline selling on TripWise.vn
Need help choosing an airline?
Call +84 37 463 9192 and TripWise.vn will compare every carrier on your route. For companies needing VAT invoices and credit terms, see corporate travel.
Network figures are recorded at the time of publication and change with the airlines' schedules. Alliance membership and member benefits follow each airline's own terms.
