Virgin Atlantic Will Join SkyTeam Early Next Year
SkyTeam and Virgin Atlantic made a surprise announcement this week, revealing that the UK airline will join as SkyTeam’s newest member in early 2023.
Virgin Atlantic will become SkyTeam’s first and only UK member airline, enhancing the alliance’s transatlantic network and services to and from Heathrow and Manchester Airport.
Virgin Atlantic customers will benefit from a consistent, seamless customer experience, across 1,000+ global destinations. They’ll also have more opportunities to earn and redeem points across member airlines and access to a network of 750+ airport lounges, spanning six continents.
The airline’s Flying Club members will enjoy significant benefits from the day of joining, with a global expansion of its loyalty offering. Virgin Atlantic Silver Card holders will be recognized as SkyTeam Elite Members, while the airline’s Gold Card members will become Elite Plus.
This recognition provides valuable benefits, including priority check in, baggage handling and boarding. Flying Club members will be able to take advantage of the benefits as soon as Virgin Atlantic officially enrolls in SkyTeam. That is expected to happen in the early months of next year, and possibly as soon as January.
Virgin Atlantic’s entry into the alliance builds upon the success of its transatlantic joint venture partnership with Delta Air Lines and Air France-KLM, each already long established SkyTeam members. The four partners are co-located at London Heathrow’s Terminal Three, alongside existing SkyTeam members Aeromexico and China Eastern, providing customers with smooth airside transits and the most convenient connections times possible.
Virgin Atlantic already has codeshare agreements in place with Aeromexico and Middle East Airlines. And there’s possibility that more codeshares could happen with other SkyTeam members.
Agreements are already in place with all SkyTeam members to make customers’ lives easier with one touch point and a seamless journey on one ticket.
SkyTeam Alliance
SkyTeam is one of the big three global alliances. Current SkyTeam airlines include:
- Aerolineas Argentinas
- Aeromexico
- Air Europa
- Air France
- China Airlines
- China Eastern Airlines
- Czech Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- Garuda Indonesia
- ITA Airways
- Kenya Airways
- KLM
- Korean Air
- Middle East Airlines
- Saudia
- Tarom
- Vietnam Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic (coming soon)
- XiamenAir
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