Star Alliance Guide: Members, Best Partners, and How to Use It

By Bryce Casson, Founder · Cardocrat · Updated July 2026

The short answer: Star Alliance is the biggest of the three global alliances, about 26 airlines with United as its US anchor, and it has the widest reach of any of them. The mistake most people make is booking Star flights with United’s own miles, which are dynamically priced and often expensive. The real value lives in the partner programs, where the same seat can cost far less. Here is who is in Star Alliance, which programs to actually book through, which bank points feed it, and how the status works. For the broader picture, start with airline alliances explained.

Who is in Star Alliance

With roughly 26 members, Star Alliance covers more of the globe than either rival. The heavy hitters are United, Lufthansa, Air Canada, ANA, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Swiss, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, EVA Air, Thai Airways, Air India, Avianca, Copa, Aegean, Air China, EgyptAir, and Ethiopian, with ITA Airways joining in 2026. Two roster notes matter: Asiana is being absorbed into SkyTeam’s Korean Air and leaves the alliance at the end of 2026, and SAS departed for SkyTeam in 2024. If you fly United, this is your alliance, and its breadth across Europe, Asia, and Latin America is the selling point.

The partner programs to lean on

This is where Star Alliance rewards a little knowledge. Three programs do most of the heavy lifting. Avianca LifeMiles charges no fuel surcharges and prices Star business cheaply, and it takes transfers from Amex, Citi, Capital One, and Bilt, which makes it the default for many. Aeroplan has a sensible distance-based chart, allows a stopover, and takes transfers from Amex, Chase, Capital One, and Bilt. ANA Mileage Club has some of the lowest business-class prices anywhere, with the catch that awards must be round-trip. Round those out with Turkish Miles and Smiles for cheap United domestic and Star business if you can stomach its clunky service, and Singapore KrisFlyer for its own Suites and business cabins. Lean on LifeMiles and Aeroplan for everyday Star bookings, and reach for ANA when you want a premium cabin cheap.

Which bank points feed Star Alliance

Star Alliance is the most transfer-accessible alliance, which is a big part of why it is so useful. Amex Membership Rewards reach ANA, Aeroplan, Avianca, and Singapore. Chase Ultimate Rewards reach United itself plus Aeroplan and Singapore, and Chase is the only bank that transfers to United. Citi ThankYou points reach Avianca, Singapore, Turkish, and EVA Air. Capital One reaches Avianca, Aeroplan, Singapore, TAP, EVA, and Turkish. Bilt reaches Aeroplan, Avianca, and Turkish. Because almost every bank feeds at least one strong Star program, you can point flexible points at this alliance from nearly any card. See transferable points explained.

Status in Star Alliance

Star Alliance has two published tiers, Silver and Gold. Silver gets you priority waitlisting and standby, which is minor. Gold is the one that matters: lounge access across the alliance, priority check-in, boarding, and baggage, and extra baggage allowance. Most people earn it through United’s program, but any member program that reaches Star Gold does the trick, and the status is honored on every member airline. If your goal is lounge access when you fly Lufthansa or ANA, Star Gold is the target.

Instant Star Alliance status from a credit card

Because alliance status carries across every member, a co-brand card that grants airline status extends it across the whole alliance rather than just the one airline. In Star Alliance, the Avianca LifeMiles Amex at $99 grants complimentary LifeMiles Silver, which is Star Alliance Silver, honored on United, Lufthansa, ANA, and every other member. Be realistic about that tier, though: Star Silver covers priority reservations waitlisting and priority standby, but not lounge access or priority boarding, which begin at Star Gold. Reaching Star Gold, and the alliance-wide lounges that come with it, requires LifeMiles Gold, which is earned by flying rather than handed to you by a card. So the Avianca card is a cheap way to hold entry-level Star status across the alliance, not a shortcut to lounges. That is a real gap versus Oneworld, where the Qatar Infinite card hands out lounge-level Sapphire status outright. See airline elite status from credit cards.

Verdict and how to take advantage

Overall we rank Star Alliance first among the three, for its unmatched reach and its deep bench of cheap, transfer-friendly partner programs, though the best alliance for you still depends on where you live and fly. To take full advantage, keep your points flexible, book through Avianca LifeMiles or Aeroplan rather than United, save ANA for premium cabins, and earn Star Gold in one program to unlock lounges across all of them. For the booking specifics and award sweet spots, see how to book Star Alliance with points.

Frequently asked questions

How many airlines are in Star Alliance?

About 26, making it the largest of the three global alliances. Members include United, Lufthansa, Air Canada, ANA, Singapore, Turkish, and many more, with ITA Airways joining in 2026 and Asiana leaving at the end of 2026 as it merges into Korean Air.

What is the best program to book Star Alliance flights?

For most trips, Avianca LifeMiles or Air Canada Aeroplan, because they price partner awards reasonably and take transfers from several banks. For premium cabins at the lowest cost, ANA Mileage Club is excellent, with the catch that its awards must be round-trip.

Which credit card points transfer to Star Alliance?

Nearly all of them. Amex reaches ANA, Aeroplan, Avianca, and Singapore; Chase reaches United, Aeroplan, and Singapore; Citi reaches Avianca, Singapore, Turkish, and EVA; Capital One and Bilt reach several of the same. It is the most transfer-accessible alliance.

What is Star Alliance Gold worth?

It is the valuable tier. Star Gold grants lounge access across the alliance, priority check-in, boarding, and baggage, and extra baggage allowance, all honored on every member airline. Silver, the lower tier, mostly just adds waitlist and standby priority.

Can a credit card give me Star Alliance status?

Yes, at the entry level. The Avianca LifeMiles Amex grants LifeMiles Silver, which is Star Alliance Silver, honored across every member airline. It covers priority waitlisting and standby but not lounge access, which requires Star Gold, and that has to be earned by flying rather than granted by a card.

Is Star Alliance better than Oneworld or SkyTeam?

For global reach and cheap, transfer-friendly award options, we rank it first, though it is close. Oneworld edges it on premium-cabin quality and SkyTeam on European coverage, so the best pick depends on your home airport and travel patterns.