Last updated: November 2026
Quick answer: Korean Air and Asiana Airlines are scheduled to become one airline, a unified Korean Air, on December 17, 2026. Asiana is due to leave Star Alliance at the end of December 16 and join SkyTeam, Korean Air’s alliance. If you hold Asiana miles, a ticket on an Asiana flight number, or Star Alliance lounge or award plans for Korea, check your bookings and mileage balance now, before the switch.
What Is Changing on December 17, 2026?
After a review process that lasted about five and a half years, the two carriers’ merger is set to take final effect in mid-December. The reported plan is that Asiana exits Star Alliance at 24:00 on December 16 and the combined airline operates under SkyTeam from December 17, as covered by Korean business wire reports. Reports differ slightly on whether the “official” date is the 16th or the 17th, so treat the night of December 16–17 as the changeover and confirm details on the airline’s own announcements.
Which Alliance Will Your Flight Belong To?
Until the switch, Korean Air flies under SkyTeam and Asiana under Star Alliance, so the answer depends on your travel date. Flights on or before December 16 stay in the old alliance system; flights from December 17 are expected to follow the new one. In practice that affects three things: where you earn miles, which lounges you can enter, and which partner airlines you can use for award tickets. Always check the alliance logo on your booking, and do not assume a December itinerary will follow the old rules.
What Should You Do With Asiana Miles?
Asiana’s Club miles are planned to convert into Korean Air SKYPASS miles after the merger. The exact conversion ratios and deadlines are set by the airlines, so read their official notices rather than relying on blog summaries. Two simple habits help: check your balance and its expiry date this month, and if you were saving miles for a Star Alliance partner flight such as a Lufthansa or ANA award trip, book it before the transition rather than after, since Star Alliance partners will no longer be reachable through Asiana miles.
Will Existing Tickets Still Work?
Tickets already issued are normally honored, but flight numbers, terminals and airline codes may change as the two operations are merged over time. If you have an itinerary that straddles December 16–17, check that your connections and baggage rules still make sense. Take a screenshot of your confirmation and look for emails from the airline in the weeks before departure. For arrivals in Seoul, our Incheon Airport to Seoul guide covers the trip into the city, and the Incheon new routes roundup tracks the other airlines changing their schedules this season.
How Do You Book a Flight to Korea Around the Switch?
Because Asiana’s schedule has been moving, it is worth comparing flights into Seoul✈️ across several airlines and dates rather than locking in one carrier early. Remember that entry rules are unchanged by an airline merger; see our Korea entry requirements guide before you fly. Other Korean airline consolidation is happening too: read about the Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul merger, or see how Asiana’s Incheon–Kobe route is placed.
Quick Summary: Korean Air–Asiana Merger
- Unified Korean Air: scheduled for December 17, 2026
- Alliance change: Asiana leaves Star Alliance at the end of December 16 and joins SkyTeam
- Asiana miles: planned conversion into Korean Air SKYPASS; confirm ratios on official notices
- Before December: use or book any Star Alliance award trips first
- Tickets: issued tickets are normally honored, but check flight numbers and terminals
Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This does not influence which news we cover.