Asiana Airlines Will Exit Star Alliance in December Now Says It Won’t Honor Some Award Bookings

After years of back-and-forth, we learned a concrete date yesterday: Asiana Airlines will officially leave Star Alliance on December 16, marking the end of its 23-year membership in the world’s largest airline alliance.

Now, the airline has bad news for people who used Asiana miles to book flights on partner airlines past that date.

Here’s everything you need to know about Asiana’s exit from Star Alliance and important dates to be aware of.

Asiana Airlines Finally Leaving Star Alliance

Asiana Airlines will officially leave Star Alliance on December 16, 2026. The move clears the way for its full integration into Korean Air the following day. Asiana will cease to exist as a separate brand on December 17.

The move is one of the final milestones in Korean Air’s acquisition of Asiana, a deal that has been years in the making. Once the merger is completed, Asiana’s operations, aircraft fleet, and customer loyalty programs will gradually be absorbed into Korean Air, a member of the rival SkyTeam alliance. The airline joined Star Alliance in 2003 and has been a key member connecting South Korea to the alliance’s global network.

Star Alliance and Asiana have outlined a transition timeline with concrete dates for travelers. Members of any Star Alliance frequent flyer program will continue to earn miles on Asiana Airlines-operated flights departing on or before October 15, 2026. They may also redeem miles for Star Alliance award tickets and upgrades on Asiana Airlines for travel completed by December 16, 2026, subject to their program’s terms and redemption deadlines.

Elite-status benefits will also remain in place until Asiana’s departure from the alliance. Star Alliance Gold and Silver members will continue to receive priority service when flying Asiana, while Gold members will retain access to eligible Star Alliance and Asiana lounges through December 16.

What This Means for Travelers

Asiana’s departure will leave Star Alliance without a South Korean member airline, but the alliance will maintain a strong presence in the country. Fourteen Star Alliance carriers will continue to serve Seoul’s Incheon International Airport (ICN), including United Airlines, Air Canada, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and EVA Air.

After Asiana joins Korean Air, travelers who currently earn or redeem miles through programs such as Air Canada Aeroplan, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, or United MileagePlus will no longer be able to earn or redeem miles on flights with the former Asiana airline once the transition is complete.

On the other hand, travelers who fly with Korean Air or participate in SkyTeam loyalty programs, like Delta SkyMiles or Air France-KLM Flying Blue, may eventually gain access to a larger combined network as Korean Air integrates Asiana’s routes, aircraft, and operations.

Asiana Won’t Honor Some Star Alliance Award Tickets

For travelers with existing award bookings or plans to use miles on Asiana, the safest approach is to book and complete travel before the December 16, 2026, deadline. Flyers using miles redeemed from some airlines partnered with Asiana may have to book and fly Asiana award flights even earlier — as early as October 31, depending on their program’s terms and conditions.

Even worse, Asiana’s FAQ section says that mileage redemptions on Star Alliance partners past the December 16 exit won’t be honored — even if you have a confirmed ticket. That’s a customer-unfriendly policy, and it begs the question of why Asiana was issuing these tickets in the first place.

Final Thoughts

Asiana Airlines will leave Star Alliance on December 16, 2026, as it completes its merger with Korean Air, ending more than 2 decades as a member of the alliance.

Travelers can continue earning miles on Asiana flights until October 15 and redeeming Star Alliance awards and upgrades for travel up to December 16, 2026, depending on their program.

If you plan to use miles for Asiana redemptions, do so as early as possible. The airline is no longer issuing awards for Star Alliance partner flights after its exit date from the alliance, but some travelers have tickets past this date; now, Asiana says those won’t be honored.