5 Things Star Alliance Is Doing Right
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The three main airline alliances are Oneworld, Star Alliance and SkyTeam. Star Alliance, which includes United, Air Canada, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa and roughly two dozen others, is the oldest and largest of the three.
And how does it compare to the rest? As far as good things go, here are five things Star Alliance is doing right.
1. More destinations
Compared to the other two major airline alliances, Star Alliance has more partners and flies to more locations.
Star Alliance has more than two dozen partners, with flights to more than 1,300 destinations. Alas, there's a good chance Star Alliance can get you where you're going.
2. Good partnerships
Along with expanding the network geographically, Star Alliance strategically seeks out partnerships that maximize the overall quality of their alliance.
3. Great lounges
Star Alliance operates about a half dozen branded Star Alliance lounges for elite members of the Star Alliance loyalty program and provides access to over 1,000 lounges through its members. At the 2019 Skytrax airline awards, Star Alliance airlines took home a number of other lounge-related awards:
World’s Best Business Class Lounge Dining, Air Canada.
Best Business Class Lounge in the USA and the World’s Best Business Class Lounge, United Airlines.
World’s Best First Class Lounge, Swiss Air Lines.
Best First Class Lounge in Asia and Best Business Class Lounge in Asia, Singapore Airlines.
» Learn more: Credit cards with airport lounge access
4. Technological advancements
Some things Star Alliance envisions for the future are integrated mobile apps — use your United app to track all legs of a multi-carrier journey — and expansion of how you can use reward points. Imagine using your United frequent flyer miles not just to travel anywhere in the world with Star Alliance, but also to purchase duty-free items in the air or to invest in seat or baggage upgrades with other Star Alliance carriers.
5. Simplicity of redeeming miles and gaining status
Star Alliance airlines like United, Air Canada and Avianca make it easy to search and book award travel online. As with other alliances, you may not get a full picture of partner award availability when you use just one site — you may have to use several — but the United site in particular is user-friendly and offers a pretty complete picture of what's available.
Looking to gain frequent flyer miles fast for a Star Alliance flight? United’s MileagePlus credit cards might be an option.
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$0 intro for the first year, then $150.
$350.
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• 2 miles per $1 on United purchases, gas stations and local transit and commuting.
• 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.
• 5 miles per $1 on prepaid hotels booked through United.
• 2 miles per $1 on United purchases.
• 2 miles per $1 at restaurants and hotels (when booked directly with hotel).
• 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.
• 5 miles per $1 on hotel stays through Renowned Hotels and Resorts.
• 3 miles per $1 on United purchases.
• 2 miles per $1 at restaurants, select streaming services and all other travel.
• 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.
• 5 miles per $1 on hotel stays through Renowned Hotels and Resorts.
• 4 miles per $1 on United purchases.
• 2 miles per $1 at restaurants and all other travel purchases.
• 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.
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Debut Offer: Earn 90,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
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