One World
What is an airline alliance?
An airline alliance is an arrangement between certain airline brands within the aviation industry. Alliances not only improve a passenger’s experience, but they also allow airlines to better facilitate inter-airline connections—offering more routes to more places. Travellers will save time and money while enjoying wider access to their hard-earned frequent flyer benefits, even when flying with other airlines. And airlines will benefit from extending their service to a larger network of consumers. It’s a win-win!
The 3 big airline alliances are Star Alliance, SkyTeam Alliance, and OneWorld Alliance. And although OneWorld is the smallest of the three, it still might be the best airline alliance for you. Jetsetters choose an alliance by weighing the pros and cons of each based on individual circumstances. Things to consider might include where you live, where you fly, and which frequent flyer memberships and travel rewards programs you currently subscribe to. Each traveler’s priorities are just as unique as their journey, so it’s important to learn the details before pledging your loyalty.
What are the benefits of booking flights with the OneWorld alliance?
OneWorld members each have frequent flyer programs that will translate to equivalent levels on OneWorld’s priority tiers. There are 3 levels of priority: Ruby privileges, Sapphire privileges, and Emerald privileges.
Ruby privileges:
- Access to Business Class priority check-in
- Access to preferred or pre-reserved seating
- Priority on waitlists and when on standby
Sapphire privileges:
- All the above, plus…
- Access to Business Class lounges
- Priority boarding
- Extra baggage allowance
- Priority baggage handling
Emerald privileges:
- All the above, plus…
- Access to First and Business Class lounges
- Access to First Class priority check-in
- Fast track at select security lanes
- Additional baggage allowance and priority baggage handling
OneWorld also rewards loyalty with its ‘Co-Location’ service, providing smoother transfers and connection for passengers traveling across member airlines. The alliance has airports worldwide with combined ticket offices, check-in facilities, and over 650 lounges to serve its priority tier holders. And OneWorld has more codeshare agreements and connecting flights between airlines than any other alliance.
What are the airlines under the OneWorld alliance?
Although WestJet isn’t one of OneWorld’s official members, WestJet partners with four OneWorld members - American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Japan Airlines. These are the type of perks you’ll enjoy in exchange for your loyalty to the OneWorld alliance. The Oneworld partners include some heavy-weight players within the aviation world such as Alaska Airlines, Iberia, and Qantas, to name a few. The alliance has a total of 14 full-member airlines and 30 affiliate airlines. So no matter where you live, it won’t be hard to find OneWorld flights operating out of your nearest airports. You can earn and redeem frequent flyer points with your preferred OneWorld airline, even when traveling on different OneWorld airlines.
Scroll to the OneWorld Members section below to view a full list of OneWorld’s airlines.
Where does the OneWorld alliance fly to?
OneWorld operates flights to more than 1000 destinations in over 170 countries worldwide. So wherever you’re going, finding OneWorld flights to get you there is easy. Domestically, the most popular routes include flights to Edmonton, Montreal flights, Toronto flights, and flights to Vancouver.
Internationally, British Airways has a prominent presence at both Gatwick and Heathrow Airports, making it simple to find flights to London within the OneWorld network. Paris flights are also popular amongst OneWorld’s international travellers.
When booking OneWorld flights, you can quickly increase your savings on those by bundling with recommended hotels near the airport, like the convenient hotels near SFO, hotels near Stanfield Airport, or these Leeds Bradford Airport Hotels. Booking on Expedia means you’re booking travel like a pro, because not only will you get more significant discounts on all your reservations, but you’ll also maximize rewards earned from OneWorld and Expedia Rewards.
Where does the OneWorld alliance fly from?
Due to the 13,000 flights that OneWorld operates daily, it’s not hard to find OneWorld flights from most airports. However, some airports are hubs for some airlines, while others won’t offer many choices.
When taking flights from Vancouver International Airport, you'll experience the Fast Track security lanes available in the international terminal, plus the choice of 3 premium lounges throughout this airport. If you fly into Calgary, you can get a great deal on hotels near Calgary International Airport before heading to your final destination in Alberta. American Airlines has a dominant hold at Los Angeles International Airport, with plenty of flights from LAX to choose from. British Airways makes finding OneWorld flights from Heathrow Airport simple, with them being one of the largest airlines operating there.
With OneWorld, you will also benefit from the many affiliate airlines available within the network. For example, Jetstar is the value-based wing of Qantas, so they have codeshare agreements with the OneWorld airlines, including American Airlines, Finnair, Japan Airlines, and of course, Qantas. What does this mean for you? OneWorld can offer flights to destinations that aren’t directly included in the 14 member airlines thanks to these partnerships.
What other deals can I book with Expedia?
If you’re on Expedia, you’re already a smart shopper, meaning you’ll love having one place to make all your business and personal travel bookings.
You can book your OneWorld flight, pay with a travel rewards credit card, and get points back with your alliance, the airline, your credit card, and Expedia Rewards. Look at you!
You’ll benefit from those travel hacking skills when you score first-class or business-class flights at a discounted rate. How? With bundling! Package those flights with accommodation or a car to save even more money. You can find incredible hotel deals and last-minute deals, perfect when you’re tight for time.