How Asian Airline Alliances Could Change in 2018 — Business of Loyalty

2018 will be an interesting year for frequent flyers in Asia. As the boom in luxury travel throughout China continues, international carriers are rushing in to stake their claims, changing the dynamic among alliances in the region. In 2015, Delta, part of SkyTeam, bought a stake in China Eastern, which in 2017 it leveraged into more space at Beijing's new airport. Air China, the flag carrier of China, has meanwhile taken advantage of the Star Alliance to funnel traffic in from the U.S. (through United) and Europe (through Lufthansa and the Miles and More network). Only Oneworld, the alliance employed by American, British, and Qantas, among others, has relatively kept quiet with its partnership with Cathay Pacific — which is based out of Hong Kong. That lack of reach for many Oneworld passengers spurred the alliance to start sear