By Youssef Yahya 
Virgin Atlantic has announced that the airline will join the global airline alliance; SkyTeam, as early as 2023. Delta Air Lines has a 49% ownership stake in the British long-haul carrier and joint ventures with Air France-KLM and Delta, who are also members of the alliance, making Virgin Atlantic in SkyTeam a natural fit.
SkyTeam’s first and only UK member airline, Virgin Atlantic, will expand the alliance’s transatlantic network and services to and from London Heathrow and Manchester Airport. Mentioning that Virgin Atlantic is the first airline to join SkyTeam since 2014.
Customers will benefit from a consistent, seamless customer experience across more than a thousand global destinations as a result of this development. There will also be more ways to earn and redeem points across member airlines, as well as access to a network of 760 airport lounges across six continents.
“At Virgin Atlantic we strive to create thoughtful experiences that feel different for our customers and SkyTeam shares that customer first ethos. 2022 marks the year Virgin Atlantic gets back to its best for our customers and people and joining SkyTeam is an important milestone. Our membership will allow us to enhance established relationships with our valued partners at Delta and Air France-KLM, as well as opening up opportunities to collaborate with new airlines. It will enable a seamless customer experience, with an expanded network and maximized loyalty benefits.”
Shai Weiss, Virgin Atlantic’s CEO
Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club
Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club members will be able to receive significant benefits, as the airline expands its loyalty offering globally. SkyTeam Elite Members will be recognized as Virgin Atlantic Silver Card holders, while Gold Card holders will become Elite Plus. This recognition comes with a slew of perks, including priority check-in, baggage handling, and boarding. Members of the Flying Club will be able to enjoy the benefits as soon as Virgin Atlantic officially joins SkyTeam. This comes with loads of benefits, including priority check in, baggage handling and boarding. It’s also good news for Virgin Red members, whose Virgin Points will go even further. They only need to link their Virgin Red and Flying Club accounts.
“As a member of SkyTeam, Virgin Atlantic will benefit from increased opportunities to expand its global network through partnerships and synergies: customers will have more ways to earn and burn miles while enjoying the service for which Virgin Atlantic is renowned. Virgin Atlantic shares SkyTeam’s values, caring for our customers, our employees, and the world in which they live, and we are excited to have them as part of the SkyTeam family.”
Kristin Colvile, SkyTeam’s CEO
Virgin Atlantic Current Codeshare Agreements
Aeromexico and Middle East Airlines have already signed codeshare agreements with Virgin Atlantic. There is also the possibility of additional codeshares with other SkyTeam members. Agreements have already been reached with all SkyTeam members to make customers’ lives easier by providing a single point of contact and a seamless journey on a single ticket.
In collaboration with Delta and Air France-KLM, Virgin Atlantic flies to 12 destinations in the United States, including New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco. The airline launched a new service to Austin, Texas, in May, and will begin daily flights to Tampa, Florida, in November. Virgin Atlantic also has a large Caribbean portfolio, which includes Antigua, Barbados, Jamaica, and The Bahamas. Virgin Atlantic also has flights to and from Greater China, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and South Africa.
About SkyTeam
SkyTeam is the most recent of the three major alliances. Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico, Air France, and Korean Air founded it in June 2000. Currently, the alliance has 18 full members. And they are:
- Aerolineas Argentinas
- Aeromexico
- Air Europa
- Air France
- China Airlines
- China Eastern Airlines
- Czech Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- Garuda Indonesia
- ITA Airways
- Kenya Airways
- KLM
- Korean Air
- Middle East Airlines
- Saudia
- TAROM
- Vietnam Airlines
- XiamenAir
What do you think about Virgin Atlantic joining SkyTeam? Tell us in the comments section.
Youssef Yahya is the CEO and Founder of Aviation for Aviators, a platform dedicated to the aviation industry. With over 3 years of experience as an aviation writer, Youssef is passionate about sharing his insights on aviation, entrepreneurship, and the broader business landscape. As a Teaching Assistant in Entrepreneurship at Nile University, he also nurtures the next generation of entrepreneurs. When he’s not exploring the skies or business ventures, you can find him saying, ‘Drag your coffee, and let’s talk aviation, entrepreneurship, and football.’
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Bassem Youssef