The Guide to the Oneworld Alliance

In the late 1990s and into 2000, airlines banded together to launch three alliances offering travelers easier connectivity between partners, reciprocal elite status perks and additional options for earning and redeeming miles. The Oneworld alliance was the second major alliance to be founded and has since grown to 13 airlines serving more than 900 destinations across 170 countries and territories.

You may be familiar with Oneworld because of its two U.S. members, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. However, Oneworld has many more than these two airlines.

This guide covers the Oneworld alliance, how to get elite status and how to use partner airline points for maximum value.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

There are more than a dozen Oneworld alliance airlines.

Oneworld airline arrivals and departures

Alaska Airlines is the most recent addition to the Oneworld alliance. The Seattle-based airline joined the Oneworld alliance on March 31, 2021. With this addition, Oneworld elite members can enjoy their perks when flying on Alaska — and Mileage Plan elites enjoy reciprocal perks on the 12 other Oneworld airlines.

American and Alaska have forged an even closer partnership than is required as members of the Oneworld alliance — including offering reciprocal elite upgrades that aren't available to other Oneworld airline elites.

However, Alaska won't be the newest kid in the alliance for long. Oman Air is set to become the latest Oneworld airline in the second half of 2024.

Before Alaska's entry, Royal Air Maroc joined the alliance on April 1, 2020, and became the alliance’s first member in Africa.

There have also been departures. LATAM left the alliance on May 1, 2020, after a 20% acquisition by SkyTeam member Delta Air Lines. This departure left Oneworld without a South American-based airline. In addition, the Oneworld alliance suspended Russia-based S7 Airlines in April 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine.

» Learn more: American and Alaska reveal reciprocal elite upgrade details

Oneworld Connect airlines

In addition to Oneworld's full-member airlines, the Oneworld alliance includes one Oneworld Connect partner: Fiji Airways.

This partnership means the airline provides limited benefits to Oneworld elite members. Oneworld Ruby members get priority check-in on Fiji Airways and Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members receive priority check-in and boarding.

Additionally, passengers flying on one of Fiji Airways’ sponsor airlines — American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas — receive extra benefits when booked on a code-share flight on Fiji Airways. Per the Oneworld website, these benefits include:

• Through check-in of passengers and their baggage for itineraries including connections with a Oneworld sponsor.

• The ability to earn and redeem frequent flyer and elite-qualifying miles for eligible flights.

• Access to select airport lounges for elite members or first and business class passengers.

The Oneworld alliance has three tiers of elite status: Emerald, Sapphire and Ruby. Each is earned by achieving status through an Oneworld member airline.

If you’re a frequent traveler on American Airlines, your AAdvantage status determines your Oneworld status level. Meanwhile, Alaska frequent flyers get Oneworld elite status based on their Mileage Plan tier.

Below is a breakdown of how AAdvantage status converts to Oneworld and how much you need to earn during AAdvantage's status qualification year (between March 1 and the end of the following February) to achieve each status:

And here's how Alaska Mileage Plan elite status equates to Oneworld elite status:

Once you achieve elite status with your chosen member airline, you can access the following Oneworld benefits.

Oneworld Emerald benefits

• First and business class lounge access.

• Access to first class priority check-in.

• Fast track at select security lanes.

• Priority baggage handling, when available.

• Extra baggage allowance.

• Priority boarding.

• Priority status on standby waitlists.

• Preferred or prereserved seating.

Oneworld is unique among airline alliances in offering three tiers of elite status. Top-tier Emerald status gives you the best possible experience — including first class check-in counters and first class lounges even if you're flying in economy.

» Learn more: Pros and cons of the Oneworld alliance

Oneworld Sapphire benefits

• Business class lounge access.

• Business class priority check-in.

• Access to preferred or prereserved seating.

• Priority status on standby waitlists.

• Priority boarding.

• Extra baggage allowance.

• Priority baggage handling.

Oneworld's Sapphire status offers a broad selection of perks. The most important of these depend on what's important to you. That might be early boarding so you can ensure there's space in the overhead bin for your carry-on or complimentary checked baggage allowance — with priority baggage handling — so you don't have to carry on a bag.

Oneworld Ruby

• Business class priority check-in.

• Access to preferred or prereserved seating.

• Priority status on standby waitlists.

While the Ruby benefits might not sound like much, these perks can come in handy. Rather than waiting in a long line for economy check-in, having access to priority check-in can be a huge time saver.

Plus, free preferred seat selection can help ensure that you travel together with your companions without having to pay. That can be especially useful on British Airways flights, which require passengers to pay for seat selection more than 24 hours before departure.

» Learn more: The guide to Oneworld elite status

Oneworld alliance airlines provide access to more than 600 lounges in airports worldwide. But access varies between types of lounges.

Most Oneworld lounges are operated by Oneworld airlines. In these cases, any Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald elite can access the lounge when flying on an eligible itinerary.

However, in some cases, Oneworld airlines contract with third-party airport lounges to provide lounge access to their premium passengers. For example, Iberia passengers departing Budapest International Airport can access the Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 2.

However, Oneworld elites and premium passengers flying British Airways are restricted to using the Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 2B. Passengers flying other Oneworld airlines don't get access to this lounge.

In 2024, the alliance opened its first Oneworld-branded lounges. The first of these opened in Seoul, South Korea, at Incheon International Airport in January 2024, followed by Oneworld's second lounge at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in February 2024.

Which travelers have Oneworld lounge access?

Lounge access is extended to Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members, as well as first class and business class passengers traveling on Oneworld member airlines.

However, make sure to note the access restrictions. For starters, you must be traveling on a Oneworld member airline to access a lounge. That means Oneworld Sapphire elites can't sip champagne in a Oneworld lounge before boarding a Ryanair flight to their destination.

Also, those with American AAdvantage or Alaska Mileage Plan elite status don't get Oneworld lounge access on most flights within North America. You'll need to have Oneworld elite status through another airline or be flying on a qualifying international itinerary to get lounge access on these flights.

Additionally, the following lounges are excluded from Oneworld's general access policy:

• Arrival lounges.

• American Airlines/British Airways Chelsea Lounge in New York.

• British Airways Concorde lounges.

• Qatar Airways Al Safwa First Lounge in Doha.

• Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounges in Doha.

• Qatar Airways Premium Lounges.

Even with exclusions, travelers can still find Oneworld lounges all over the world, from London-Heathrow and Los Angeles to Amsterdam, Madrid and beyond.

» Learn more: How to gain access to American Airlines Admirals Clubs

Even if you don't have Oneworld elite status, you can still benefit from the Oneworld alliance by redeeming points for Oneworld awards. As part of the alliance, flyers have the option to redeem miles with any Oneworld airline. That opens the possibility of booking award flights for much cheaper than what might be available through an airline's loyalty program.

Here are some of the Oneworld sweet spots you can book in each region.

North America

After a March 2024 award chart change, Alaska Mileage Plan now prices flights under 700 miles at 4,500 Mileage Plan miles each way, plus taxes and fees.

While 700 miles isn't far, it covers hundreds of American Airlines and Alaska Air routes, including expensive routes where American or Alaska doesn't have much competition — such as Birmingham, Alabama, to Washington, D.C.

While it isn't as great as it used to be, British Airways Avios can still be a solid option for American and Alaska award flights within North America. Redemption rates are determined by distance, making them ideal for short- to mid-haul flights.

Nonstop flights under 650 miles in distance cost 8,250 Avios each way (plus taxes and fees), while flights between 651 and 1,151 miles in distance cost 11,000 Avios each way (plus taxes and fees):

You aren't limited to flying within the U.S. to get these rates. That means you can fly to the Caribbean for as few as 4,500 miles each way. That includes high-demand routes like Charlotte, North Carolina, to Freeport in the Bahamas.

The upside of booking through British Airways is that Avios are fairly easy to come by. You can transfer points to British Airways Executive Club at a 1:1 transfer rate from Chase Ultimate Rewards®, American Express Membership Rewards and Capital One Miles.

Stock up on these points by applying for one of the following cards and meeting the requirements for the welcome offer:

Central America

For shorter nonstop flights to Central America on American or Alaska, you can use the same Alaska and British Airways sweet spots highlighted above. For example, an American flight from Miami to San Jose, Costa Rica, costs 7,500 Alaska miles plus taxes and fees each way — with pretty wide-open award availability:

For longer and connecting itineraries, American Airlines’ dynamic award pricing can come in handy. For example, you can fly from New York City to Guanacaste, Costa Rica, or Chicago to Belize City, Belize, for as few as 8,000 AAdvantage miles plus taxes and fees each way.

AAdvantage miles can be easily amassed due to an extensive lineup of rewards credit cards, including:

South America

Because of Oneworld's lack of a South American airline partner, your only option between North America and South America is on American Airlines. You can use any Oneworld airline mileage program to book American Airlines awards. However, American Airlines’ dynamic award pricing can once again shine for awards to South America — as long as you're flexible.

For example, last time we checked, we saw awards as cheap as 24,000 AAdvantage miles plus taxes and fees round trip nonstop between Miami and Lima, Peru.

Or fly deeper into southern South America — such as from New York to Santiago, Chile, for as few as 16,000 AAdvantage miles plus taxes and fees one way.

Europe

The Oneworld alliance offers a slew of options across the Atlantic Ocean. You can opt to fly:

• American Airlines.

• British Airways.

• Finnair.

• Iberia.

• Royal Air Maroc.

The cheapest option costs 13,000 Avios each way plus taxes and fees for nonstop British Airways flights from the U.S. Northeast to the British Isles during off-peak dates. British Airways awards can charge high taxes and fees. But options like Boston to Dublin can be fairly reasonable on Aer Lingus.

Once again, Alaska's revised award chart opened up another sweet spot. You can now book business class from Boston to London for 45,000 Alaska miles plus taxes and fees each way. Just make sure to pick your operating airline carefully. American Airlines-operated flights have $19 in taxes and fees, while British Airways-operated flights can have up to $1,000 in taxes and fees.

Headed to Spain? During off-peak dates, an Iberia award flight from Chicago to Madrid will set you back 17,000 Iberia Avios plus taxes and fees for economy or 34,000 Avios each way plus taxes and fees in business class. That's the cheapest business class award option to Europe of any airline we searched.

Build up your Iberia Plus Avios account with 1:1 point transfers from American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards® or any other Avios program.

Travelers with AAdvantage miles can score the cheapest rates by booking awards on American Airlines-operated flights. That's because American still publishes an award chart for partner awards. However, flights on American are priced dynamically and can be even cheaper than the published partner rates.

For example, on the route from New York to Madrid, American can price economy awards as cheap as 19,000 AAdvantage miles plus taxes and fees each way. But partner awards on Iberia are 22,500 AAdvantage miles plus taxes and fees on off-peak dates and 30,000 AAdvantage miles plus taxes and fees on standard dates.

» Learn more: How to transfer Avios between British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus and Qatar

Africa and the Middle East

Thanks to Oneworld member airlines Royal Air Maroc and Qatar Airways, redeeming miles for flights to Africa and the Middle East is fairly easy. American Airlines requires 40,000 miles plus taxes and fees one-way for an economy class award and 70,000 miles plus taxes and fees for business class to the Middle East. Award flights to Africa will cost you the same in economy and 75,000 miles plus taxes and fees each way in business class.

One exception is Morocco. American Airlines treats Morocco as part of Europe, so you'll pay as few as 22,500 miles each way plus taxes and fees in economy or 57,500 miles plus taxes and fees in business class.

» Learn more: What to know about Oneworld multi-carrier awards

Asia

Oneworld has several carriers that fly to Asia, giving you plenty of nonstop options. Depending on your destination, you can fly American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines — or any combination thereof.

Cathay Pacific's Asia Miles is a great way to fly between the U.S. and Asia. The distance-based program lets you book flights between the West Coast and Asia for as few as 20,000 miles plus taxes and fees one-way in economy.

Asia Miles are some of the easiest miles to generate as the program is a 1:1 transfer partner with:

• American Express Membership Rewards.

• Bilt Rewards.

• Brex Cash.

• Capital One Miles.

• Citi ThankYou Points.

Japan Airlines also offers a distance-based program, but redemptions vary depending on whether you fly JAL or a partner airline. If you redeem miles for a Japan Airlines flight between the U.S. and Tokyo, you’ll need as few as 25,000 miles each way in economy class or 50,000 for business.

Fly on a partner airline and you can redeem as few as 50,000 miles round trip for an economy class award between San Francisco and Tokyo, or 100,000 miles for business class on the same route. You can generate Japan Airlines miles by transferring points from Marriott Bonvoy.

Oceania

Thanks to Oneworld members Qantas and American Airlines, you can fly to Australia or New Zealand comfortably. Japan Airlines’ Mileage Bank is a great program for booking these awards. Redemption rates vary by distance.

For example, a 15,000-mile round-trip flight between Los Angeles and Sydney requires 70,000 miles in economy class or 130,000 in business.

Although American Airlines has switched to a dynamic award pricing model, awards between the U.S. and Oceania are currently pricing no cheaper than 40,000 miles plus taxes and fees each way in economy, 50,000 miles plus taxes and fees in premium economy, 65,000 miles plus taxes and fees in business class or 75,000 miles plus taxes and fees in first class.

Oneworld isn't the largest alliance; the Star Alliance has 26 member airlines. However, the Oneworld alliance offers travelers access to over 900 destinations across 170 countries and territories through its 13 member airlines. And Oneworld is unique in offering three tiers of elite status, each granting meaningful perks.

Best of all, travelers can use the Oneworld alliance to book a slew of sweet spots — from 4,500-point short-haul flights to 34,000-point business class flights to Europe. Factor in bank transfer partners and the Oneworld alliance offers knowledgeable travelers many ways of earning and redeeming miles.

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