Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) Will Officially Join SkyTeam on September 1

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) will officially join the SkyTeam Alliance as of September 1, 2024.

The move was finalized with SkyTeam and Scandinavian Airlines jointly signing an Alliance Adherence Agreement on April 29, 2024.

“We are delighted to officially chart a path to SAS joining the SkyTeam alliance,” said Patrick Roux, CEO at SkyTeam. “With its global reputation for reliability, quality and service, SAS is a great fit for SkyTeam and, as we continue to strengthen our customer proposition, we look forward to being part of their future journey.”

The news that the Scandinavian flag carrier, commonly known as SAS, would switch from Star Alliance to SkyTeam was originally announced back on October 2, 2023.

SAS Switches From Star Alliance to SkyTeam on September 1

SAS has been a member of the Star Alliance since 1997, when it founded the alliance with Air Canada, Lufthansa, Thai Airways, and United Airlines.

The transition is a historic one that will bring with it a lot of change in the industry, not least for SAS Eurobonus members.

“EuroBonus members will be able to enjoy new destinations and benefits as part of the SkyTeam alliance family, marking the start of an exciting future for customers, partners and employees alike,” said Anko van de Werff, president and CEO of SAS. “SAS customers will benefit from SkyTeam’s strong global presence in many of the world’s major aviation hubs and from its focus on strategic partnerships and innovative sustainability initiatives.”

While SAS Eurobonus members will no longer be able to earn and spend miles with the likes of Air Canada and Lufthansa, they’ll benefit from new relationships with Air France, Delta, KLM, and more.

The Eurobonus members’ status will also be matched to an equivalent SkyTeam status. Silver members will be granted SkyTeam Elite status while Gold and Diamond members will automatically become SkyTeam Elite Plus.

On the other hand, SAS Eurobonus status holders will no longer receive perks and benefits when flying member airlines of Star Alliance.

The news will also be welcomed by current SkyTeam members, who will now earn and spend points on SAS flights on the airline’s expansive route network from its Copenhagen (CPH), Oslo (OSL), and Stockholm (ARN) hubs.

SAS’s transition from Star Alliance to SkyTeam is a direct result of the Air France/KLM group taking a 19.9% non-controlling stake in the airline after it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July of 2022.

Final Thoughts

While September 1, 2024, will certainly be a day celebrated by SkyTeam frequent flyers, it will be one that some Star Alliance frequent flyers (and maybe some Eurobonus members) aren’t looking forward to.

Whatever SAS’s move from Star Alliance to SkyTeam means for you, monumental shifts like this don’t come around often in the world of airline points, miles, and loyalty.