SAS Airlines: A Member of Star Alliance?

Last Updated on July 31, 2026 by Daniel Globe

SAS, short for Scandinavian Airlines System, is Scandinavia’s joint flag carrier and operates major hubs in Copenhagen, Oslo, and Stockholm. Its alliance status changed in 2024, so many older travel guides now give the wrong answer about Star Alliance. The change matters when you earn EuroBonus points, use airport lounges, book partner flights, or expect priority services.

Is SAS Part of Star Alliance Today?

No. SAS is no longer part of Star Alliance. According to the airline’s official alliance-transition announcement, SAS remained in Star Alliance through August 31, 2024. It then officially joined SkyTeam on September 1, 2024.

History of SAS Airlines

SAS was formed in 1946 by Det Danske Luftfartselskab, Det Norske Luftfartselskap, and Svensk Interkontinental Lufttrafik. Its first intercontinental service connected Stockholm and New York. The present SAS consortium structure followed in 1951.

The airline entered the jet age earlier than the original article suggested. SAS’s official history milestones state that the Caravelle entered service in 1959. The DC-8 then joined its intercontinental operation in 1960. These aircraft, rather than a Boeing 707 milestone, supported the airline’s early jet expansion.

SAS’s head office is in Solna, Sweden, in the greater Stockholm area. Its network is built around Copenhagen, Oslo, and Stockholm. These hubs connect Scandinavian domestic markets with destinations elsewhere in Europe and with selected long-haul routes.

The regular passenger operation is now centered on Airbus aircraft, including A320-family jets for shorter routes and A330 and A350 aircraft for long-haul service. Embraer and other regional aircraft also support the network. SAS separately uses a specially configured Boeing 737-700 for certain medical-evacuation missions. Current aircraft information is available on the airline’s official fleet page.

SAS Airlines’ Former Star Alliance Membership and Move to SkyTeam

SAS was one of the five founding airlines that launched Star Alliance in 1997. It remained an important member for more than 27 years, providing strong coverage in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and other parts of Northern Europe.

SAS spent more than 27 years in Star Alliance before ending its membership on August 31, 2024, and joining SkyTeam the next day.

The switch followed SAS’s financial restructuring and the arrival of new principal owners, including Air France-KLM. The move created closer commercial alignment with airlines such as Air France, KLM, and Delta Air Lines, all of which belong to SkyTeam.

The transition did not end EuroBonus. Instead, SAS moved its alliance-level earning, redemption, status, priority, and lounge relationships from Star Alliance to SkyTeam. Travelers with older bookings or long-held loyalty habits therefore need to check the current operating carrier and partner rules rather than assuming their former benefits still apply.

Benefits SAS Passengers Receive Through SkyTeam

SkyTeam currently reports a network of more than 13,800 daily flights serving over 945 destinations in more than 145 countries. SAS passengers can use that network through eligible partner itineraries, but the exact benefits depend on how the ticket is issued and the traveler’s cabin or EuroBonus status.

A trip involving SAS and another SkyTeam airline may be easier to manage when all segments are sold together. A single reservation can support coordinated check-in, rebooking, and baggage handling. However, alliance membership alone does not guarantee that every airline combination will be available on one ticket.

Bags may be checked to the final destination when the itinerary, carriers, and airport procedures allow it. Travelers may still need to collect and recheck baggage when entering a country, changing airports, using separately purchased tickets, or following local customs rules.

Routes and Destinations Covered by SAS and SkyTeam

SAS operates an extensive Scandinavian and European network from Copenhagen, Oslo, and Stockholm. It also serves selected destinations in North America and Asia. The exact schedule changes by season, demand, airport capacity, and aircraft availability, so travelers should confirm current nonstop routes on the SAS booking site.

SkyTeam expands the number of destinations that can be reached through partner connections. For example, a passenger may connect through Amsterdam on KLM, Paris on Air France, or a major United States gateway on Delta. Asian connections may involve partners such as Korean Air, China Airlines, China Eastern, or Vietnam Airlines.

The best connecting airport depends on the origin, destination, fare, travel date, and minimum connection time. A SkyTeam itinerary is not automatically better than a nonstop flight or a separately available option. Compare total journey time, baggage terms, change rules, and the operating carrier before booking.

Code-Sharing and Interline Agreements With SkyTeam Partners

A codeshare allows one airline to market a flight that another airline operates. A ticket may display an SK flight number even though a SkyTeam partner supplies the aircraft and crew. The booking page should identify the operating carrier before payment.

An interline agreement is related but different. It can allow airlines to issue connecting segments on the same ticket and transfer baggage between carriers. A codeshare is not required for every interline journey, and neither arrangement guarantees identical seats, meals, baggage allowances, or upgrade rules across all segments.

For example, an itinerary sold by SAS might include an SAS-operated flight to Amsterdam followed by a KLM-operated connection. When both segments are issued together, the airlines can normally manage the journey as one itinerary. If the two flights were purchased separately, the passenger may have fewer protections during a missed connection and may need to collect and recheck baggage.

EuroBonus Loyalty Program and SkyTeam Benefits

EuroBonus is SAS’s loyalty program. It has four membership levels: Member, Silver, Gold, and Diamond. Members earn Bonus points for eligible flights and partner activity. Level points and qualifying flights determine progress toward elite status.

Gold and Diamond status does not provide a blanket promise of complimentary domestic upgrades. SAS normally offers upgrades through advance bids or, when seats remain, purchases at the airport. Silver, Gold, and Diamond status may improve a member’s chance of a successful bid, but availability and payment rules still apply.

What Happened to Star Alliance Earning and Status Benefits?

SAS’s alliance-wide Star Alliance earning, redemption, and status recognition ended with its departure. Existing EuroBonus accounts and point balances continued, but the list of eligible alliance partners changed.

This does not mean every relationship with a Star Alliance airline must disappear. SAS may maintain individual bilateral agreements outside SkyTeam. Those arrangements are airline-specific and can change independently. Never assume a former Star Alliance benefit still applies simply because the airline once partnered with SAS.

When booking a partner award, remember that seats are limited. Partner awards may also involve booking fees, service fees, fixed region-based point prices, and restrictions on stopovers or mixed itineraries. Review the current terms before transferring points or planning a trip around one award seat.

How SAS’s SkyTeam Membership Benefits Business Travelers

Business travelers can benefit from coordinated schedules between SAS and SkyTeam partners, especially when moving between Scandinavia and major business markets in Europe, North America, and Asia. Connections through Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Paris, and other partner hubs can create more same-ticket options than SAS could provide by itself.

Eligible Business Class passengers and EuroBonus Gold or Diamond members may receive SkyPriority services such as priority check-in, priority baggage handling, priority boarding, and faster assistance at certain transfer desks. The exact sequence and availability vary by airport.

Lounge access can provide a quieter place to work, eat, or rest before a flight. SAS and SkyTeam together advertise access to a broad network of lounges, but eligibility must be checked for the specific itinerary. A Gold or Diamond card alone may not overcome an ineligible operating carrier, airport, guest, arrival, or domestic-itinerary rule.

Companies can also use SAS for Work products and business-travel agreements where available. These programs are separate from SkyTeam status and may offer corporate booking tools, negotiated terms, or traveler benefits based on the employer’s agreement.

Environmental Initiatives and Sustainability Efforts of SAS Airlines

SAS has continued renewing its fleet with more fuel-efficient aircraft and increasing its use of sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF. Newer aircraft can reduce fuel use and noise compared with the older models they replace, although every flight still produces a significant environmental impact.

The airline’s FY2025 annual and sustainability report states that SAS achieved a 24.97% reduction in Scope 1 emissions compared with its adjusted 2005 baseline. When SAS included estimated lifecycle benefits from SAF, it reported an overall reduction of approximately 26%.

SAS also reported using 18,267 tonnes of SAF in FY2025, equal to 1.73% of its total fuel consumption. The report said carbon dioxide emissions per passenger-kilometer fell from 81 grams in FY2024 to 79 grams in FY2025, although total aircraft-operation emissions rose as production increased.

For 2030, SAS lists goals that include using SAF equivalent to its domestic production, reducing aircraft-noise exposure by 50% compared with 2010, using sustainable materials in its customer offering, and recycling wherever possible. Its longer-term stated ambition is net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Challenges and Opportunities for SAS Airlines as a SkyTeam Member

Joining a new alliance requires more than changing logos. SAS and its partners must align loyalty systems, airport recognition, schedules, digital services, customer support, and disrupted-travel procedures. A passenger may still encounter different baggage, seat, meal, upgrade, or lounge rules on each operating airline.

Partner-award availability is another challenge. An airline can belong to SkyTeam while releasing only a limited number of seats to EuroBonus. Some booking classes may also earn fewer points than travelers expect, and a flight marketed by one carrier but operated by a nonmember may not qualify.

The main opportunity is stronger integration with partners whose networks complement SAS. Air France and KLM provide large European connecting hubs, Delta adds extensive coverage in the United States, and other members add destinations in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

SAS can also improve the passenger experience by making operating-carrier details, point earning, lounge eligibility, and connection rules clearer during booking. Better digital information would reduce confusion left by the Star Alliance transition.

The Future of SAS Airlines Within SkyTeam

SAS’s future within SkyTeam will depend on how well it turns alliance membership into useful schedules, reliable transfers, recognizable status benefits, and bookable EuroBonus awards. The alliance label itself has limited value when the desired route, fare, or award seat is unavailable.

Further coordination with Air France, KLM, Delta, and other members may expand one-ticket connections and create new route opportunities. However, schedules and commercial partnerships can change, so travelers should verify current information rather than treating any example route as permanent.

Fleet renewal, operational reliability, and careful cost control will also shape SAS’s position. Its alliance change followed a major restructuring, and continued investment will be needed to maintain aircraft, digital systems, lounges, and service standards across the Scandinavian network.

Alliance status is only one part of trip planning. For broader destination and transportation information, readers can visit taketravelinfo.com. Travelers with mobility needs may also compare a travel scooter, while families can review options for a double stroller for travel. These product topics are separate from SAS alliance and EuroBonus eligibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is SAS Airlines?

SAS, or Scandinavian Airlines System, is Scandinavia’s joint flag carrier. It operates major hubs in Copenhagen, Oslo, and Stockholm and serves domestic, European, and selected long-haul routes.

Is SAS Airlines part of Star Alliance?

No. SAS left Star Alliance after August 31, 2024. It had been a founding member since 1997.

Which airline alliance is SAS in now?

SAS has been a member of SkyTeam since September 1, 2024. Its alliance partners now include Air France, KLM, Delta Air Lines, Korean Air, Virgin Atlantic, and other SkyTeam airlines.

What benefits does SAS receive from SkyTeam membership?

SkyTeam gives SAS passengers access to a wider partner network, eligible EuroBonus earning and redemption, status recognition, qualifying lounges, SkyPriority services, and coordinated connections. Each benefit remains subject to ticket, route, status, cabin, and operating-airline rules.

Can I earn EuroBonus points on SkyTeam flights?

Yes, on eligible flights and booking classes. Check the page for the specific partner airline because the marketing carrier, operating carrier, booking class, route, and fare can affect whether you earn Bonus points, Level points, both, or neither.

Can I use EuroBonus points for SkyTeam award flights?

Yes, SAS allows EuroBonus points to be used for eligible partner awards. Award seats are limited, and point prices, booking fees, service fees, airline surcharges, and itinerary restrictions may apply.

What SkyTeam status do EuroBonus members receive?

EuroBonus Silver is recognized as SkyTeam Elite. EuroBonus Gold and Diamond are recognized as SkyTeam Elite Plus. Ordinary EuroBonus Member status does not receive SkyTeam elite recognition.

Can I still receive EuroBonus benefits on Star Alliance airlines?

Not through Star Alliance membership. SAS may maintain separate bilateral partnerships with selected non-SkyTeam airlines, but those benefits are airline-specific. Check the current SAS EuroBonus partner list before booking.

Will my baggage automatically transfer on a SkyTeam connection?

It often can when the complete journey is issued on one ticket and the airlines have the required agreements. You may still need to collect and recheck bags because of customs, an airport change, local procedures, or separately purchased tickets.

Sources

1. SAS alliance-transition announcement — confirms the final Star Alliance date and start of SkyTeam benefits.
2. SAS officially joins SkyTeam — confirms SAS became a SkyTeam member on September 1, 2024.
3. SAS travel on SkyTeam partners — explains current partner airlines, EuroBonus, SkyPriority, and lounge benefits.
4. SkyTeam alliance overview — provides current network figures and alliance information.
5. SAS history milestones — supports the formation, first intercontinental flight, Caravelle, and DC-8 history.
6. SAS Annual and Sustainability Report FY2025 — supports current emissions, SAF, fleet-renewal, and sustainability figures.