SkyTeam Alliance Welcomes Its First New Member in Years

The SkyTeam global flight network will soon add its first U.K. airline. Beginning in early 2023, Virgin Atlantic will join the international airline alliance—which includes Delta Air Lines, Air France, and KLM—making it the only U.K.-based member and the first new addition to SkyTeam in eight years.

This partnership enhances connectivity to and through the U.K. via Virgin Atlantic and its SkyTeam partners, offering additional perks for Virgin Atlantic frequent flyers. Once the membership is officially confirmed in early 2023 (exact date yet to be announced), Virgin Atlantic Silver Card holders will gain recognition as SkyTeam Elite members, while Gold Card members will achieve SkyTeam Elite Plus status, providing them with priority check-in and boarding.

The official integration with SkyTeam isn't surprising, as Virgin has been aligned with Delta and Air France-KLM since February 2020 through a transatlantic joint venture partnership, which includes reciprocal frequent flyer benefits and the ability to earn and redeem miles across all four airlines.

Delta, Air France, KLM, and Virgin Atlantic all operate from the same terminal at London Heathrow: Terminal 3 (alongside SkyTeam members Aeromexico and China Eastern), facilitating easy and convenient connections. In addition to Heathrow, Virgin also runs long-haul flights from Edinburgh and Manchester in the U.K.

Regarding access to the impressive Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse lounges at London Heathrow and other major hubs, SkyTeam indicates that Elite Plus members are expected to gain entry. “We’re collaborating closely with Virgin Atlantic to ensure that all Elite Plus members can access each of the Clubhouses. We recognize their world-renowned status and believe they will offer significant new benefits to the relevant SkyTeam members,” SkyTeam noted on its FAQ page dedicated to the new Virgin partnership.

Virgin Atlantic currently operates 12 routes to the U.S., including flights to New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco. In May, the airline introduced new service to Austin, Texas, and daily flights to Tampa, Florida, are set to begin in November. Virgin Atlantic also flies throughout the Caribbean, reaching destinations like Antigua, Barbados, Jamaica, and the Bahamas, as well as farther afield to places such as China, India, Israel, Nigeria, Pakistan, and South Africa.

Code-share agreements are already established between Virgin Atlantic and SkyTeam members Aeromexico and Middle East Airlines, with additional code shares anticipated once Virgin officially joins the network. Virgin also has interline agreements with all SkyTeam members, allowing passengers to book connecting flights on a single ticket.

The complete list of SkyTeam members includes Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Air Europa, Air France, China Airlines, China Eastern, Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Garuda Indonesia, ITA Airways, Kenya Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Korean Air, Middle East Airlines, Saudia, TAROM, Vietnam Airlines, and XiamenAir. The membership of Russian national carrier Aeroflot is currently suspended.