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4/29/24 Update: SAS has announced it will join SkyTeam on September 1, 2024. SAS frequent flyer EuroBonus Silver members will enjoy SkyTeam Elite status, while EuroBonus Gold and Diamond members will be recognized as SkyTeam Elite Plus members.
Scandinavian Airlines, SAS, Leaves Star Alliance effective September 1, 2024, so the last day to redeem SAS Eurobonus miles for Star Alliance partner airlines is August 31, 2024. Similarly, SAS flights 8/31/24 or earlier are eligible to earn miles for a Star Alliance frequent flyer program such as United MileagePlus, Air Canada Aeroplan, Lufthansa Miles & More, etc.
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Why is SAS Leaving Star Alliance?
Given that SAS was one of Star Alliance's five founding members, together with United Airlines, Lufthansa, Air Canada, and Thai Airways, it's a surprising turn of events for SAS to depart. It was occasioned by SAS declaring bankruptcy in 2022, which resulted in Air France-KLM becoming a major shareholder, currently with a ~20% stake in SAS. Air France-KLM is a member of rival alliance SkyTeam, which also includes Delta Air Lines, Korean Air, Virgin Atlantic, China Airlines, and ITA Airways, among others. From 9/1/24, SAS says that its EuroBonus frequent flyer members will receive benefits “similar to those offered today with Star Alliance airlines.”
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Analysis
Overall, this is a loss for Star Alliance and for frequent flyers who frequent fly SAS, earning miles that can be redeemed for award travel on other Star Alliance airlines, including top airlines such as ANA, SWISS, and EVA Airways. SkyTeam is our least favorite major airline alliance, since we've found it more difficult to obtain outsize ROI on SkyTeam member airline miles. Delta Air Lines' SkyMiles program is notorious for expensive award prices, to the point where its miles have been nicknamed SkyPesos, and Air France-KLM Flying Blue also charges an inordinate number of miles for many redemptions. It's a win for SkyTeam, which didn't have much coverage of routes to/from Scandinavia.
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