Virgin Atlantic Joins Delta in SkyTeam Alliance — Giving Travelers Access to Perks Across 19 Airlines

Virgin Atlantic customers now have access to perks and benefits of over a dozen other airlines as the United Kingdom-based carrier has joined the SkyTeam Alliance network.

“We want to reward those who choose to fly with Virgin Atlantic and our Flying Club members deserve the very best loyalty proposition," CEO of Virgin Atlantic, Shai Weiss, said in a statement on Thursday. "Our SkyTeam membership offers this through a global network of maximized reward opportunities, alongside enhanced services on the ground and in the skies.”

The current members of the SkyTeam alliance include: Aerolíneas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Air Europa, Air France, China Airlines, China Eastern, Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Garuda Indonesia, ITA Airways, Kenya Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Korean Air, Middle East Airlines, Saudia, TAROM, Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Xiamen Airlines.

The alliance serves over 340 million passengers and over 1,088 annually.

For customers of participating airlines, Virgin Atlantic points out that members of the SkyTeam Elite Plus tier of the SkyTeam program will soon have access to Virgin Atlantic’s Clubhouse airline lounge inside of London Heathrow. The Clubhouse is a 12,000 multi-story lounge which includes dining and a full spa. 

Started in 1990, the SkyTeam alliance was originally formed by four airlines: Aeromexico, Air France, Delta, and Korean Air. Passengers who maintain loyalty to airline alliances, such as SkyTeam or its competitor Star Alliance, can enjoy the opportunity to redeem frequent flier miles on select partner airline flights within the alliance, a more seamless travel experience, or more flight availability through carrier agreements. 

Virgin Atlantic is a popular London-based carrier started by Sir Richard Branson in 1984, and currently operates routes to 28 destinations over four continents. The airline recently announced they would be re-starting flights between London and Shanghai, China on May 1.