SkyTeam Guide: Members, Best Partners, and How to Use It

By Bryce Casson, Founder · Cardocrat · Updated July 2026

The short answer: SkyTeam is the alliance built around Delta, with about 18 airlines and real strength in Europe through Air France and KLM. Its reputation among points people is mixed, mostly because Delta’s own SkyMiles are dynamically priced and often expensive, which earned them the SkyPesos nickname. But the alliance holds excellent partner programs, and once you learn to book through them instead of Delta, SkyTeam becomes very usable. Here is the roster, the programs to lean on, the bank points that reach them, and how status works. Start with airline alliances explained for the full comparison.

Who is in SkyTeam

SkyTeam has grown to about 18 members. The core is Delta, Air France, KLM, Korean Air, Aeromexico, China Airlines, China Eastern, Saudia, Kenya Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, Middle East Airlines, TAROM, Xiamen Air, and Air Europa, with two notable recent additions: Virgin Atlantic joined in 2023, and SAS crossed over from Star Alliance in 2024. Its US anchor is Delta, and its European footprint through Air France and KLM is genuinely strong, though it is thinner across Asia-Pacific premium routes than Star or Oneworld.

The partner programs to lean on

The golden rule of SkyTeam is to avoid burning Delta SkyMiles on premium cabins and use the partners instead. Flying Blue, the joint program of Air France and KLM, is the backbone: it runs monthly Promo Rewards that discount specific routes, and it transfers in from all four major banks, Amex, Chase, Citi, and Capital One, which makes it the most reachable sweet-spot program in any alliance. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, now a SkyTeam member, is superb for booking Delta One and select partners at a fraction of SkyMiles pricing, and it too transfers from all four banks. Korean Air’s SKYPASS has one of the best remaining award charts with generous stopovers, reachable mainly through Marriott Bonvoy. Lean on Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic first, and reach for Korean when you want a premium long-haul on a real chart.

Which bank points feed SkyTeam

This is SkyTeam’s hidden strength: its two best partner programs are reachable from every major bank. Air France KLM Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club both take transfers from Amex, Chase, Citi, and Capital One, so no matter which card you carry, you can book SkyTeam sweet spots. Amex also transfers to Delta directly, Capital One reaches Aeromexico, and Korean Air is reachable mainly by moving Marriott Bonvoy points. The upshot is that even though Delta itself is a poor value, the alliance is easy to feed with flexible points. See transferable points explained.

Status in SkyTeam

SkyTeam has two tiers, Elite and Elite Plus. Elite is basic, priority check-in and preferred seating. Elite Plus is the one worth chasing: lounge access across the alliance, priority boarding, and extra and priority baggage. Most US flyers earn it through Delta’s Medallion program, and it is honored on Air France, KLM, Korean, and the rest. If lounge access when flying SkyTeam is your goal, Elite Plus is the target, and it lines up with Star Gold and Oneworld Sapphire.

Instant SkyTeam status from a credit card

This is where SkyTeam comes up short. No US credit card currently grants instant SkyTeam elite status the way the Qatar card hands out Oneworld Sapphire or the Avianca card gives Star Alliance Silver. Delta’s co-brand cards, even the premium Reserve, come with onboard perks like a free checked bag and priority boarding, plus a boost toward Medallion status through spending, but they do not confer a SkyTeam tier outright, so those perks do not follow you onto Air France, KLM, or Korean Air the way real alliance status would. Emirates co-brand cards do grant airline status, but Emirates belongs to no alliance, so that status does not travel either. If you want SkyTeam Elite Plus and its alliance-wide lounge access, the path is earning Delta Medallion or status in a partner program, not swiping a card. See airline elite status from credit cards.

Verdict and how to take advantage

We rank SkyTeam third of the three, mainly because Delta’s own pricing drags the anchor program down, but that ranking hides how good the partners are, and it is close. To take advantage, ignore SkyMiles for premium cabins and book through Flying Blue or Virgin Atlantic, both of which any bank can feed, watch Flying Blue’s monthly Promo Rewards, and use Korean via Marriott Bonvoy for long-haul on a fixed chart. Earn Elite Plus if you want lounges. For booking specifics, see how to book SkyTeam with points.

Frequently asked questions

How many airlines are in SkyTeam?

About 18, including Delta, Air France, KLM, Korean Air, Aeromexico, and Vietnam Airlines. Virgin Atlantic joined in 2023 and SAS crossed over from Star Alliance in 2024, strengthening its European lineup.

What is the best program to book SkyTeam flights?

Air France KLM Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, both of which price partner and Delta flights far better than Delta’s own SkyMiles and transfer from all four major banks. Korean Air SKYPASS is also excellent for long-haul, reachable mainly through Marriott Bonvoy.

Why are Delta SkyMiles considered a poor value?

Delta prices its awards dynamically with no fixed chart, so premium-cabin redemptions are often very expensive, which is why they are nicknamed SkyPesos. The fix is to book the same Delta and SkyTeam flights through partner programs like Flying Blue or Virgin Atlantic instead.

Which credit card points transfer to SkyTeam?

All four major banks, Amex, Chase, Citi, and Capital One, transfer to both Air France KLM Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic, the alliance’s best two programs. Amex also reaches Delta directly, and Korean Air is reachable mainly through Marriott Bonvoy.

Can a credit card give me SkyTeam status?

Not instantly. No US card confers a SkyTeam tier outright. Delta cards give onboard perks and a spending boost toward Medallion, but not alliance status that follows you onto Air France or KLM. Reaching SkyTeam Elite Plus means earning Delta Medallion or partner status.

Is SkyTeam worth using?

Yes, as long as you book through partners rather than Delta. We rank it third of the three alliances because Delta’s pricing weighs it down, but Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic, and Korean Air make it genuinely useful, and its two best programs are reachable from any bank.