US Airways Oneworld Alliance Update

US Airways sent out a reminder that looked more like an email from American about the coming changes on 30^th and 31^st of this month.

US Airways will exit Star Alliance on March 30^th and will enter Oneworld alliance on March 31, 2014. US Airways frequent fliers are no longer eligible for Star Alliance benefits after march 30, but can enjoy Oneworld Alliance ones.

Here’s the text from the email:

You can access US Airways web page for these changes here.

You can continue earning (no elite qualifying ones) and using Dividend Miles with the following partner airlines even after the Star Alliance exit:

Aegean, Air China, Air New Zealand, Avianca, Eva Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, Jet Airways, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, TAP Portugal and Turkish Airlines.

The following current partners are Oneworld alliance airlines and you can earn both award and elite qualifying miles as continue using miles on them:

Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian Airlines, TAM Airlines.

What is STILL unclear?

1. When reciprocal upgrade benefits start?
2. Is the award chart on March 31, 2014, same as on March 30^th?
3. When Dividend Miles account is merged to AAdvantage one?

Conclusion

I am really surprised that American and US Airways have not yet introduced elite mapping on each others programs just as United and Continental did or the ability to move miles between Dividend Miles and AAdvantage accounts.

These both would be very easy to implement and would make it easier for elites from both airlines to fly on each others metal.

Let’s hope that there are no nasty surprised with the US Airways Dividend Miles award chart come March 31, 2014.

I doubt that the US Airways partnership with all the former Star Alliance partner airlines listed above will last. Expect most of them become non-partners sooner rather than later.

Get ready to say hello to oneworld®

On March 31, 2014, we’ll take the next step in our merger with American Airlines by joining oneworld, an award-winning global alliance that can take you to nearly 1,000 destinations around the world.

A few things to keep in mind:

All miles you’ve earned are safe, and you’ll continue to enjoy any Star Alliance benefits until our exit

Any existing reservations with a Star Alliance partner airline are safe; however, you’ll no longer earn miles for flights with Star Alliance partners after March 30, 2014

We’ll continue relationships with several airlines even after our exit from Star Alliance, which means you can still earn and redeem miles on these select partners

You can look forward to benefits of the oneworld alliance, including:

Seamless service to nearly 1,000 destinations in more than 150 countries

Earning and redeeming miles for travel on any oneworld member airline

Access to nearly 600 airport lounges worldwide when flying First or Business Class on anyoneworld member airline