KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is a member of SkyTeam, one of the three major global airline alliances. SkyTeam was launched in June 2000 by Air France, Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico, and Korean Air. KLM joined the alliance through its merger with Air France, and together Air France-KLM serves as a founding pillar of the group.
What SkyTeam Means for KLM Passengers
SkyTeam currently has 18 member airlines spanning six continents. When you book a KLM flight, you’re tapping into a network that includes Delta Air Lines, Air France, Korean Air, China Eastern, Aeromexico, Virgin Atlantic, Kenya Airways, and several other carriers. That network matters for two practical reasons: you can book connecting itineraries across member airlines on a single ticket, and your frequent flyer status carries over when you fly with any partner.
SAS, the Scandinavian carrier, joined SkyTeam in September 2024. Air France-KLM has since deepened its partnership with SAS through codeshare agreements on transatlantic routes from Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo. If you fly one of those SAS routes, you can earn Flying Blue miles and use reward tickets on SAS flights.
How Air France-KLM Fits Into the Alliance
Air France and KLM merged in May 2004 to form the largest European airline group, but the two brands operate as separate airlines under one corporate umbrella. Both are SkyTeam members individually, and both feed passengers through their respective hubs at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam Schiphol. For travelers, the merger means seamless connections between the two airlines and a shared frequent flyer program called Flying Blue, where miles earned on either carrier (or any SkyTeam partner) pool into a single account.
Flying Blue Status Across SkyTeam
KLM’s loyalty program, Flying Blue, maps directly onto SkyTeam’s tiered elite recognition. If you earn enough miles or experience points to reach Elite or Elite Plus status through Flying Blue, those benefits follow you onto any SkyTeam flight, not just KLM.
At the Elite level, you get an extra 10 kg checked baggage allowance (or one additional bag on routes using the piece system), priority check-in, priority boarding, and priority standby listing on SkyTeam flights.
Elite Plus adds meaningfully more. You receive lounge access on international SkyTeam flights, with the option to bring one guest traveling on the same flight. Baggage allowance increases to an extra 20 kg. You also get priority baggage handling so your bags arrive among the first on the belt, fast-track lanes at security and immigration where available, and guaranteed economy class booking on long-haul international flights of six hours or more, as long as you book at least 24 hours before departure.
The Three Major Alliances Compared
SkyTeam is one of three global alliances. The other two are Star Alliance (led by airlines like United, Lufthansa, and Singapore Airlines) and Oneworld (led by American Airlines, British Airways, and Qantas). Each alliance operates on the same basic principle: member airlines coordinate schedules, share airport lounges, honor each other’s elite status, and let passengers earn and redeem miles across the group.
Which alliance matters most depends on where you fly. SkyTeam is particularly strong in Europe (through Air France-KLM and now SAS), North America (through Delta), Latin America (through Aeromexico and Aerolíneas Argentinas), and East Asia (through Korean Air, China Eastern, and China Airlines). If your travel patterns line up with those regions, building status in Flying Blue through KLM gives you the widest practical benefit.
Booking With SkyTeam Partners
You don’t need to do anything special to take advantage of the alliance when booking through KLM. If your itinerary includes a leg on a partner airline, KLM can sell it as part of a single ticket. Your bags transfer automatically, and if a delay on one flight causes you to miss a connection, the airline handling the next leg is responsible for rebooking you.
You can also book partner flights directly with Flying Blue miles. Availability varies by route and season, but the option exists for all SkyTeam carriers. When searching for award flights on KLM’s website, filter by “SkyTeam” to see partner options alongside KLM’s own inventory.