A US Airways plane landing in Los Angeles
US Airways completed its last full day in Star Alliance Sunday and became a full member of the oneworld alliance at the stroke of midnight. The airline immediately began to offer its frequent flyer program members the opportunity to earn bonus miles by flying on oneworld airlines starting Monday.
Star Alliance, founded in 1997, is considered the world’s largest airline alliance and currently has 28 members and a total of 4,701 aircraft. It serves 195 countries. Oneworld, founded in 1999, has 14 current members with the addition of US Airways and will have approximately 3,600 planes.
American Airlines, which merged with US Airways last year, is a founding member of oneworld.
The new bonus program will reward travelers for flying on a variety of oneworld carriers. US Airways Dividend Miles will receive a bonus of 500 after flying on a second oneworld partner (US Airways doesn’t count but American Airlines does) and the bonus increases until six carriers have been flown, which is when it hits 25,000 miles.
US Airways Dividend Miles members should have received new membership cards with the oneworld logo prior to the change. Chairman-level members will be given Emerald status, the top level, in the oneworld program. Platinum- and Gold-level members will receive Sapphire status within oneworld, and Silver will be oneworld Ruby. All Dividend Miles members will receive miles and earn status points when flying on any oneworld-member airline starting on Monday.
The airline said that the ability to redeem awards will be phased in over the coming few months. Members of other oneworld-member airlines have the ability to receive miles and earn status points when flying on US Airways as of Monday as well.
US Airways said that it will continue numerous relationships with airlines in Star Alliance after Monday. Flyers will be able to continue earn miles on the following airlines: Aegean, Air China, Air New Zealand, Avianca, Ethiopian Airlines, Eva, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, TAM, TAP, and Turkish Airways.
(Photo: Accura Media Group)