Summary Star Alliance, formed in 1997, is the largest airline alliance. MileagePlus offers benefits with non-Star Alliance carriers, such as Aer Lingus. Other non-member airlines such as Azul and Emirates also provide perks for MileagePlus members.
United Airlines was one of the founding airlines of Star Alliance, together with Scandinavian Airlines, Air Canada, Lufthansa, and Thai Airways International. The alliance was established on May 14th, 1997, making it the first of its kind in the industry, with its five-point star logo representing the five founding airlines. Today, Star Alliance is the largest airline alliance in the world by market share, followed by SkyTeam and oneworld.
Star Alliance currently boasts 26 full member airlines and 41 affiliate airlines. The most recent carriers to join Star Alliance were: Air India - July 2014 EVA Air - June 2013 Shenzhen Airlines - November 2012 avianca - June 2012. United Airlines' loyalty program, MileagePlus, provides benefits to those traveling on the airline itself, in addition to Star Alliance's 26 member airlines.
The program also has partnerships with a number of non-Star Alliance members - which carriers are these, and what benefits do they bring for MileagePlus members? Aer Lingus From its hub at Dublin Airport (DUB), Aer Lingus connects Ireland to more than 90 destinations across Europe and North America. The carrier also has a mini transatlantic hub at Manchester Airport (MAN), serving New York (JFK), Orlando (MCO), an.