Asiana Leaves Star Alliance: Every Mileage Deadline That Matters
Asiana Airlines will leave Star Alliance at 23:59 Korea time on 16 December 2026, one day before its planned integration with Korean Air. That single date hides several earlier deadlines: crediting Asiana flights to other programmes stops in October, partner-award ticketing closes in three waves, and only four airlines currently permit travel into late 2027. Existing elite members are promised a no-gap move to SkyTeam, while the mileage-integration proposal still awaits final approval.
The first deadline is 15 October
Asiana says flights it operates can earn mileage in other Star Alliance programmes only when departing on or before 15 October 2026. Missing-credit requests are accepted through 31 October, subject to the chosen partner programme's own rules. This is different from earning Asiana Club miles on Star Alliance flights.
Asiana Club members can still earn their own miles on Star Alliance-operated flights through 16 December. For flights through 15 October, the number can be entered normally or claimed later by 31 October. For departures from 16 October through 16 December, Asiana says credit will require a separate post-flight process that it has not yet fully announced.
Three partner-award ticketing waves
Using Asiana miles for Star Alliance awards or upgrades follows the operating carrier. Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Copa and Air New Zealand must currently be ticketed by 31 October 2026. ANA, Air India, Ethiopian, LOT and EgyptAir follow on 30 November.
Air Canada, EVA Air, Air China, South African, Singapore Airlines, Thai, TAP, United and Shenzhen can be ticketed through 16 December. Aegean, Avianca, Croatia Airlines and Turkish also have a 16 December ticketing deadline and uniquely show a travel deadline of 16 December 2027. Asiana requires Star Alliance awards to be booked and ticketed at least three days before first departure.
For the other groups, Asiana's notice does not give the same 2027 travel allowance. It explicitly warns that already ticketed travel outside the permitted period may become invalid and can be refunded with miles reinstated without penalty. Treat the exact operating carrier and departure date as hard fields, not footnotes.
What happens to status
Asiana says Star Alliance benefits remain valid on departures through 16 December 2026. Members whose Asiana Diamond or higher status currently confers Star Alliance Gold are promised conversion to SkyTeam Elite Plus without a gap. Korean Air's proposed status mapping includes new Morning Calm Select for certain Asiana Diamond and Diamond Plus members, while lifetime tiers map separately.
What happens to the miles
Korean Air's published integration proposal keeps legacy Asiana miles in a separate balance for ten years after the merger, subject to their original expiry. Members could use that balance under legacy Asiana redemption standards on Korean Air-operated routes or elect to convert the entire balance to SKYPASS.
The proposed conversion is 1:1 for flight-earned Asiana miles and 1:0.82 for partner-earned miles. Korean Air also states that the plan requires review and final approval by the Korea Fair Trade Commission and may change. It is therefore a proposal with practical detail, not an irreversible promise.
Your action list
- Export balances, expiry dates, elite validity and existing award records now.
- For planned Star Alliance awards, identify the operating carrier and use its October, November or December ticketing deadline.
- For Asiana flights credited elsewhere after 15 October, choose a different earning strategy; the existing Star route will not work.
- Do not convert legacy miles based only on the 0.82 headline. Compare the awards available from the separate balance with SKYPASS options once final terms are approved.
- Recheck every future award close to departure because Asiana reserves carrier-specific schedule changes.
Verdict
This is not one cliff but a staircase. The most urgent users are those planning Lufthansa-group or Air New Zealand awards, followed by ANA and the November group. Status holders have a published transition path; mileage holders have time, but not final certainty. Preserve evidence and act by the operating carrier's deadline.
Sources (official, checked 19 August 2026): Asiana Airlines — end of Star Alliance mileage partnership and benefits, Korean Air — proposed mileage and status integration. Korean Air explicitly says the integration proposal still requires final competition approval and details may change.