If you’ve been rethinking your airline loyalty lately, you’re not alone. Many readers are wondering whether to stick with their current programme, switch within the same alliance, or switch alliances entirely.
A growing number of people have opted to switch programmes within Oneworld or moved over to SkyTeam, especially after the introduction of the Virgin Atlantic and Flying Blue status match offers. But what about Star Alliance? It may not be the first option that comes to mind, particularly without a UK-based member airline. Yet for some travel patterns, Star Alliance gives more flexibility.
Even if your loyalty already lies within Star Alliance, is there another airline within the alliance that would work better for you? And even if you ultimately choose Oneworld or SkyTeam, it is still worth keeping a preferred Star Alliance programme in your back pocket, ready for those occasions when you end up on a Star Alliance flight.
This article details the essential things you need to know about the Star Alliance and some of the programmes worth considering as part of our series covering the most popular airline loyalty programmes and alliances.
In this post:
Airline Alliances
There are three major alliances: Oneworld, Star Alliance, and SkyTeam. Most airlines are part of an airline alliance, with notable exceptions, such as Emirates and Etihad. As you move up the tiers of an airline loyalty programme, your status is recognised across the alliance. This allows you to enjoy loyalty benefits (e.g., lounge access) with your preferred airline and other airlines in the alliance. We cover all the details in our guide to airline alliances.
Star Alliance
Star Alliance, founded in 1997, is the world’s largest and first-ever airline alliance. Fast forward to today, it now has 25 member airlines (soon to be 26 once ITA joins), and a network across over 1,300 destinations across 195 countries. That’s a lot of flexibility!
The main caveat is that there is no Star Alliance airline based in the UK, but there’s a great range of options in Europe where you can easily connect from the UK, with a good amount of Europe-based members, such as Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, and TAP.
Star Alliance Silver vs Gold: What You Really Get
You never earn ‘Star Alliance status’ directly. You earn status with a member airline, and each tier within that loyalty programme is equivalent to one of the two tiers of the Star Alliance: Silver and Gold. When flying with any airline in the Star Alliance, you’ll then have Star Alliance benefits due to your status with your chosen airline.
As with SkyTeam, Star Alliance does not have a third tier like Oneworld does…
Star Alliance Silver
Unfortunately, Silver has limited benefits. If you think Silver is the highest status you’ll be able to reach, make sure you pick a loyalty programme with good mid-tier benefits.
There are just two benefits:
- Priority reservations waitlist
- Priority airport standby
Star Alliance Gold
Gold is the status to aim for. Lounge access is, of course, the best benefit. Your status will give you access to 1,000+ lounges worldwide for you and a guest, no matter which Star airline you hold status with, and even if flying in Economy, as long as you are flying on a same-day Star Alliance flight.
Other benefits include:
- Fast-track security using Gold Track priority lanes
- Priority Airport Check-In
- Priority Baggage Handling
- Priority Boarding
- Extra baggage allowance (airline policies apply), usually 20kg extra or one extra piece.
Top Star Alliance Programmes That Are Worth Considering
Whether Star Alliance is the best alliance for you or a secondary option, it’s certainly not one size fits all. Where one airline may be ideal for your travel patterns, it may just not work with someone else. Here’s everything you need to know.
1. Singapore Airlines
Pros:
- Good premium cabin availability on Singapore Airlines if you book early, particularly on long-haul.
- Amex Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy transfer options
- Reasonable value redemptions on some Star Alliance routes, especially within Southeast Asia and parts of the Middle East.
- Simple distance-based earning on most tickets.
Cons:
- Miles expire after three years regardless of activity, unless you hold PPS Club status.
- Adds high surcharges on many awards, particularly on its own flights
Earning Status
Status is earned through Elite miles, which are earned by flying on Singapore Airlines, Scoot, or Star Alliance partners. The number of elite miles you earn depends on the distance flown and the cabin. There are 2 PPS Club status levels which require premium cabin spend, but the main status levels are:
| Tier | How to qualify | How to retain |
|---|---|---|
| KrisFlyer Elite Silver | 25,000 Elite Miles in a 12-month membership year | 25,000 Elite Miles |
| KrisFlyer Elite Gold | 50,000 Elite Miles in a 12-month membership year | 50,000 Elite Miles |
You can use the miles calculator, reward chart, or partner chart to work out how many miles you’ll earn/need for a redemption. View it here.
Requirement to Fly with Singapore Airlines for status: No
Current Status Match? No, only a status challenge via the Marriott partnership
2. TAP Air Portugal
Pros:
- Sensible qualification levels for Star Alliance Silver and Gold compared with some other European airline loyalty programmes.
- Ability to convert some bonus miles into status miles within caps.
- Gold status allows you to nominate a Gold Partner (excluding status match status)
- Club TAP Miles&Go paid option
- No requirement to fly with TAP for status
Cons:
- Unreliable support
- High surcharges, especially on long-haul flights
- Strict 3-year expiry on miles unless you take specific steps; bonus miles have even shorter validity in some cases.
Earning Status:
Status miles are earned based on the distance flown and cabin class – More details on the TAP site here.
| Miles&Go Tier | How to qualify | How to retain |
|---|---|---|
| Silver | 30,000 Status Miles or 25 TAP segments | 20,000 Status Miles or 15 TAP segments |
| Gold | 70,000 Status Miles or 50 TAP segments | 50,000 Status Miles or 40 TAP segments |
| Navigator | 125,000 Status Miles or 70 TAP segments | 100,000 Status Miles or 70 TAP segments |
Current Status Match? Yes! – Read our guide here
3. United
Pros:
- Miles never expire (a rarity amongst Star Alliance airlines)
- United does not pass on fuel surcharges on partner awards.
- Excellent website and app with most Star Alliance partners bookable online.
- Often good value short-haul awards within Europe and the US.
- One of the best for intra-Europe redemptions, especially in Economy
- Lifetime status offered
Cons:
- Status thresholds are high, especially after the 2025 changes, which raised the thresholds
- Dynamic pricing can mean high redemption fares
- Having United Premier status does not automatically grant access to United Club lounges on US domestic-only flights (unless you hold Star Alliance Gold from a non-US airline).
- A complicated loyalty programme
Qualifying for Status:
To earn Premier status with United, you need a mix of Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs), which are based on spend and Premier Qualifying Flights (PQFs) = each flown segment. Partner flights earn PQPs too, but they are calculated based on distance and fare class rather than ticket price.
You must also fly at least four United or United Express segments in the same calendar year to qualify for any Premier tier, even if you meet the PQP/PQF thresholds through partner flights.
| Tier | Star Alliance Tier | Premier Qualifying Flights and Partner Flights | Just Partner Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premier Silver | Star Alliance Silver | 15 PQFs and 5,000 Premier Qualifying Points | 6,000 PQPs |
| Premier Gold | Star Alliance Gold | 30 PQFs and 10,000 PQPs | 12,000 PQPs |
United also has Premier Platinum and Premier 1K.
Current Status Match? – United offers a Status Challenge. If approved, you get a provisional United elite status for 120 days, during which you must complete a modest amount of flying on United. More info here.
4. Lufthansa Group
The Lufthansa Group is the largest airline group in Europe, covering Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings. ITA Airways is also set to join in 2026.
Pros:
- Much easier to book First redemptions than with a partner airline. Not limited to the 14-day release window that applies to partner programmes.
- Great for multi-city itineraries
- Ability to earn and spend miles across multiple European carriers within the same group.
- Senator status has some great benefits, such as seat blocking, 50% off companion award on LH Group, and special award availability
- A large European network with generous stopover rules
Cons:
- Miles normally expire after 36 months, but this is paused while you hold Frequent Traveller, Senator or HON Circle status (and can also be avoided via certain credit cards).
- Not an AMEX Membership Rewards Transfer partner
- High taxes, especially on premium long-haul redemptions.
- Low earning rate with partner airlines compared with Lufthansa Group flights.
- Very low earning rate on discounted/value fares
Qualifying for Status:
You earn Points on all Star Alliance flights, but Qualifying Points and HON Circle Points only on Lufthansa Group and co-issuing Miles & More partner airlines. HON Circle Points are only earned in Business and First Class.
| Miles and More Tier | Qualification |
|---|---|
| Frequent Traveller | 650 Points AND 325 Qualifying Points |
| Senator | 2,000 Points AND 1,000 Qualifying Points |
| HON Circle Member | 6,000 HON Circle Points |
Current Status Match? Yes – View here
5. Turkish Airlines
Pros:
- Great award chart on many routes, especially Europe to North America and the Middle East.
- Elite (Star Alliance Gold) status is valid for 2 years once earned, and fewer miles are needed to requalify
- More countries than any other airline
- Taxes are low on non-stop redemptions
- Options to transfer points from AMEX, Revolut, Marriott Bonvoy and HSBC Premier
- A great range of ways to earn miles, even when based in the UK
- A range of UK airports
- Good benefits for higher-tier members, including gifting status and upgrade vouchers, 50% off a second paid Business Class ticket and more
Cons:
- Fixed 3-year miles expiry. You can extend the validity for a fee.
- Website and app functionality
Qualifying for Status:
Status miles are earned based on distance and booking class. Partner accrual rates vary widely and should be checked per airline and fare. There is no requirement to fly with Turkish Airlines to qualify – you can earn status entirely on Star Alliance partners if you wish.
| Miles&Smiles Tier | Star Alliance Tier | Qualification (12 Months) | Renewal Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Plus | Star Alliance Silver | 25,000 Status Miles or 40 flights | 17,000 Status Miles or 30 flights (12 months) or 35,000or 60 flights (24 months) |
| Elite | Star Alliance Gold | 40,000 Status Miles | 25,000 Status Miles (12 months) or 37,500 (24 months) |
| Elite Plus | Star Alliance Gold | 80,000 Status Miles | 40,000 Status Miles (12 months) or 60,000 (24 months) |
Current Status Match? – No, but an unofficial status match may be granted – View our status match guide for details.
Our Guides:
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles loyalty programme guide
How to spend Turkish Airlines Miles
6. Air Canada
Pros:
- A great choice of partners, including non-Star Alliance options such as Emirates, Oman Air and Etihad.
- A flexible hybrid award structure with stopovers available for 5,000 extra points, even on one-way itineraries.
- No fuel surcharges on any partners, just booking fees
- Good online search and booking tools.
Cons:
- No direct way to transfer credit card points (only via Marriott)
- Distance and zone-based pricing can be expensive on some routes
- Airport taxes and fees can still be high even without fuel surcharges.
- Status requires both miles and segments, as well as spend, which is more challenging from outside Canada.
Qualifying for Status:
You earn: Status Qualifying Miles (SQM) based on distance and fare class, Status Qualifying Segments (SQS) per eligible flight, and Status Qualifying Dollars (SQD) for Air Canada issued tickets:
| Aeroplan Tier | Star Alliance Tier | How to Qualify (Flight or Everyday Activity) |
|---|---|---|
| 25K | Star Alliance Silver | 25,000 SQM or 25 SQS and 3,000 SQD, or 100,000 EDQ |
| 35K | Star Alliance Silver | 35,000 SQM or 35 SQS and 4,000 SQD |
| 50K | Star Alliance Gold | 50,000 SQM or 50 SQS and 6,000 SQD |
| 75K | Star Alliance Gold | 75,000 SQM or 75 SQS and 9,000 SQD |
| Super Elite 100K | Star Alliance Gold | 100,000 SQM or 100 SQS and 20,000 SQD |
Current Status Match? No
7. Aegean
Pros:
- One of the easiest and most popular routes to Star Alliance Gold
- Great pricing on Aegean and Olympic Air redemptions
- A good range of UK Olympic Air/Aegean departure points, especially in high season
- The new Platinum tier comes with a complimentary Gold tier
- Lower requalification threshold
Cons:
- The long-haul network is limited
- Partner award availability is limited
Qualifying for Status:
The number of flights and miles needed will change as of 5th November 2026. There will also be the addition of a new Platinum tier.
Current Status Match? No
Which is the Best Star Alliance Programme for You?
There is no standout best programme as the best option for your particular travel patterns will depend on the following:
Minimum Flights, Status Requirements and Spend
Status with some airlines is much easier than with others. Some offer lower qualification thresholds, whereas others are more complicated and require a set number of flights to qualify. Many airlines require a minimum number of flights (sometimes with them), and others have a minimum spend.
It’s also important to consider premium cabin rates and how many flights you’ll need to take in your preferred cabin and route to qualify, compared to other options.
Final Destination and Direction
The routes you travel should play a major part in the loyalty programme you choose. Some Star Alliance airlines only fly from Heathrow, whereas others fly from a range of UK airports.
Hub Airport
Think about which airports would make convenient hubs, so you don’t have to fly in the wrong direction to connect. For example, Turkish Airlines is ideal for most destinations (excluding the West), and Singapore Airlines is ideal for flying to Asia and Australasia. The Lufthansa Group is ideal for city hopping in Europe and for connecting to almost anywhere, whereas United and Air Canada are ideal for flying west.
Where You Redeem Your Miles
Even if you earn most of your miles through one airline, it’s always good to have a variety of well-priced redemption options. Air Canada, for example, has a huge range of non-Star Alliance partners, and Turkish Airlines has very low taxes and fees. Miles & More remains the gateway to Lufthansa First Class without the 14-day partner restriction.
Status Benefits
Though you can earn and redeem miles across the Star Alliance, your chosen programme does not necessarily have to be the one you fly with most. However, some programmes have excellent benefits that are not given with Star Alliance Gold/Silver.
It’s best to look for a programme with a range of benefits beyond the standardised Star Alliance Silver and Gold. For example, Turkish Airlines status lasts 2 years once earned, and you’ll receive status discounts, such as 50% off a second Business Class ticket, whereas United MileagePlus has some great upgrade options.
Miles and Status Expiry
Most Star Alliance airlines have some form of three-year miles expiry, although the rules and exceptions vary. Some offer lifetime status options.
Credit Card Transfer Options
No Star Alliance airlines have a branded UK credit card. This removes some of the extra benefits that can come with a branded credit card (e.g. companion vouchers, upgrade vouchers, and easier status). However, there are still ways you can convert credit card points into miles with some Star Alliance airlines.:
- AMEX Membership Rewards Points can be converted into Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles, but there are no other Star Alliance options.
- HSBC reward points from Premier credit cards can be converted into miles with Singapore Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, or EVA Air.
- Marriott: You can earn points on your spend via the Marriott Bonvoy AMEX. Most airlines offer a 3:1 transfer rate (0.66 miles per £1), with a bonus if you convert 60,000+ miles (3:1.25). Star Alliance has 13 Marriott transfer partners, including Aegean, TAP Air Portugal, Turkish Airlines, United, and more. View the full list here.
Status Matches
If you want to get Star Alliance faster than the flight requirement allows, make sure you look into status matches and challenges. For details, read our guide to ‘What is a Status Match‘. Status matches are offered by different airlines all the time, either as a promotion or if an airline is moving alliances, etc. Read our Airline status matches article for more info. This is an ideal place to start if you want to switch to the Star Alliance or even have an airline as a secondary loyalty programme option.
Is Star Alliance Worth Switching To?
Although Oneworld and SkyTeam airlines remain the top choices among readers, Star Alliance should not be ruled out. The benefits at Silver may be marginal, but there are some great benefits at Gold, including a huge lounge network. If you combine this with a programme with its own excellent status benefits, you could get some real value.
Even if switching your loyalty to Star Alliance isn’t right for you, it’s always good to have a programme of choice in mind to credit to if you fly with a Star Alliance airline (for me, I’d be split between Singapore, Aegean and Turkish). There’s also the option to make the most of the current status match options, where, in some cases, no flight is required.
Which Star Alliance airline loyalty programme is your programme of choice? Would you ever consider switching completely? Let us know in the comments below:
Make sure you also read our other alliance and airline guides:
2 comments
A real blow to Star Alliance for us was the loss of Scandinavian. They offered great connections to Oslo, to pick up the frequent Lufthansa Business Class offers from there.
Not clear whether air canada miles expire from your article.