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Asiana Airlines Exiting Star Alliance in December 2026

Written by Matthew Justice on Jun 27, 2026
Asiana A380 landing at LAX, photo take at H Hotel.

Key Takeaways

  • Asiana is leaving the Star Alliance on December 16, 2026, ahead of its merger with Korean Air.
  • Star Alliance lounge access and elite benefits remain as-is through December 16, 2026, then will transition to SkyTeam rules.
  • Eligible Asiana Club elite members are expected to transition to equivalent SkyTeam status as part of the Korean Air integration.

Asiana Airlines is exiting the Star Alliance after 23 years of membership. This change has been timed with the merger date between Asiana and Korean Air on December 16, 2026 (the day before official integration into Korean Air).

Asiana Club award members can continue to earn miles on flights between now and October 15, 2026. Award redemptions, upgrades, priority check-in, and other Star Alliance elite benefits, including lounge access, will remain active until December 16th at 23:59 (KST).  For flights operated between October 16th and December 16, 2026, mileage earning is only available through a separate request after completing your flight (no automatic credit).

For customers who currently hold Star Alliance Gold status through Asiana Club Diamond or higher membership, Star Alliance Gold status will end when Asiana leaves Star Alliance on December 16, 2026. As part of the integration with Korean Air, eligible members are expected to transition to the equivalent SkyTeam Elite Plus status.

Star Alliance is the largest of the three alliances, which currently has 26 member airlines. Once Asiana leaves the alliance, it will still remain the largest, with SkyTeam coming in second place.

Lounge Access

From now until December 16, 2026, Asiana Club elite members (Gold or Diamond) and eligible business/first class passengers can continue to use Asiana and Star Alliance lounges worldwide, including United Clubs, Lufthansa lounges, ANA lounges, and other partner lounges when flying on eligible Star Alliance itineraries. After December 16, 2026, Asiana will leave Star Alliance, and all Star Alliance lounge access and alliance benefits will end. Members will be transitioned into SkyTeam status under Korean Air’s integration plan, and future lounge access will follow SkyTeam rules based on the assigned status and airline.

Source: Notice of End of Star Alliance Mileage Partnership and Elite Benefits

Closing Thoughts

Asiana lounges have already or will transition into Korean Air lounges or will be closed. I imagine there will be a few hiccups along the way, but, between now and December 16th, lounge access will remain the same. I also must acknowledge the merger date being December 17th; kudos to whoever made that happen!