Celebrating 25 years of SkyTeam’s global business travel network

23 Jun

Written By Cat

SkyTeam, the global airline alliance, celebrated its 25th anniversary on 22 June 2025, marking a quarter century of international collaboration and a commitment to enhancing business travel through innovative customer-focused solutions.

Founded in 2000 by four airlines - Delta Air Lines, Aeroméxico, Air France and Korean Air - the alliance has grown to include 18 member airlines, connecting over 945 destinations across 145 countries. With a focus on digital transformation, customer experience innovation, and sustainability, SkyTeam continues to shape the future of seamless global travel for business travellers and beyond.

For UK-based business travellers, SkyTeam’s extensive network and customer-centric initiatives are particularly valuable, offering seamless connectivity and enhanced services that streamline international business trips. The alliance’s 750+ airport lounges, SkyPriority services, and intermodal travel partnerships with Eurostar and Trenitalia provide time-saving benefits and flexibility, ensuring business travellers can maximise productivity while enjoying a smoother journey. The Digital Spine, launched in 2018, further enhances the travel experience by enabling seamless check-in and real-time baggage tracking across member airlines, making multi-leg itineraries more efficient for those travelling for work.

Since its inception, SkyTeam has prioritised customer experience, serving 624 million passengers annually and managing a combined 235 million loyalty programme members. Its innovations include reciprocal loyalty benefits through SkyTeam Elite and Elite Plus tiers, expanded lounge access, and SkyPriority services for faster check-in, boarding, and baggage handling. Recent enhancements include a new lounge access policy effective 1 April 2025, allowing Elite Plus customers to access selected lounges on domestic flights, a first for the alliance. SkyTeam’s commitment to sustainability is evident through initiatives like The Aviation Challenge, which promotes sustainable aviation, and its Anti-Human Trafficking Declaration, a global first for an airline alliance.

Andrés Conesa, Chairman of SkyTeam and CEO of Aeromexico, one of the alliance’s four founding members said,

“SkyTeam’s success lies in the strength of its partnerships and a shared vision to put the customer at the center of the travel experience,”

Patrick Roux, SkyTeam CEO added

“This 25-year milestone isn’t just about reflecting on our accomplishments. It’s also a catalyst for the future. Together with our members, we’re building the next generation of travel experiences – smarter, more integrated and more responsible; a connected ecosystem that puts the customer in control, no matter how many airlines are involved.”

Anko van der Werff, President & CEO of SAS said,

“Joining SkyTeam has given us new opportunities to offer our customers a more seamless and personalized travel experience across the globe. As the newest member, we are proud to be part of an alliance defined by operational excellence and a shared focus on the customer.”

Paul Baker, Sales Director of Global Travel Management, commented,

“SkyTeam’s 25-year milestone underscores its dedication to delivering seamless travel solutions, which is a game-changer for UK business travellers needing reliable, efficient, and flexible options to navigate their demanding schedules across the globe.”

The alliance’s partnerships with Eurostar and Trenitalia enable integrated air-rail journeys, offering sustainable and convenient travel options for UK business travellers visiting European hubs like Paris, Amsterdam, or London. Despite challenges, such as the exit of ITA Airways in April 2025 and the closure of lounges in London Heathrow and Istanbul, SkyTeam continues to serve nine Italian cities with over 1,000 weekly flights, ensuring robust connectivity for business travellers.

SkyTeam’s focus on digital innovation, such as the Digital Spine, facilitates smoother interline travel by linking member airline systems, a critical advantage for business travellers managing complex itineraries. Its loyalty programme enhancements and commitment to sustainability, including support for IATA’s 25by2025 gender equality campaign, further align with the values of modern UK businesses.