Happy New Year! Or not. 😬
It would appear Asiana Airlines is finally leaving Star Alliance at the end of this year, and will disappear into the ethers as the Korean-Asiana Airlines alliance merger finally completes.
Recently, in the last few weeks, Asiana Airlines announced on its website that it will no longer be possible to book Star Alliance for flights departing on or after December 1, 2026.
(Quick note: This is not a book by date! Meaning flights must be taken before December 1.)
Update: Flight availability has been extended through December 16. There is no official integration date with Korean Air as of yet. Travelers on award bookings that occur after the integration will be notified. Read the full updated announcement below.
Asiana is retiring Star Alliance flight availability. (Courtesy of Asiana Airlines)
At the current moment, it is only possible to book Star Alliance flights through the Korean version of the website (using it in English is totally ok!).
Meaning, the once-great hack to get to Star Alliance Gold quickly is finally gone. Tis' 2026 may be the final year to use up all of those airline points (lest, you're totally okay with going SkyTeam) or doing a status match to preserve Star Alliance Gold status.
Asiana has been my frequent flyer program of choice for years for this reason alone.
For those that have played the game, it is currently unclear whether Gold status will transfer into SkyTeam status-though this is quite likely-or more importantly, whether Star Alliance Gold status can be matched to other airlines.
During the pandemic, the South Korean government announced the merger of both Korean Air and Asiana Airlines in November 2020, which was later completed in December 2024.
Last year, in March 2025, Korean Air announced it would be the Asiana Airlines brand being sunsetted. 😔(There is new branding on the way, by the way.)
So, either way, book all of those Star Alliance flights for this year, or be prepared to make a bunch of SkyTeam bookings for flights starting in 2027.
Looks like I've got a full 31,000 miles to burn through.
Read below for the original and updated announcement.
Here is the original announcement:
Restriction on Star Alliance Award Ticket Bookings
Due to the Airline Merger Asiana Airlines is preparing for a merger with Korean Air in late 2026. Consequently, Asiana Airlines' alliance membership is scheduled to change from Star Alliance to SkyTeam. Please be advised that the Star Alliance partnership will be terminated upon the completion of the merger, and booking Star Alliance award flights will no longer be available. To prevent any inconvenience resulting from this change, we are temporarily suspending reservations for Star Alliance award tickets for flights departing on or after December 1, 2026, as outlined below: 1. Restriction Details Subject: Star Alliance Award Tickets (Mileage Tickets) Effective Date: Flights departing on or after December 1, 2026 (Tue) Reason: Preparation for the termination of Star Alliance partnerships due to the airline merger and alliance change
Here is the updated announcement:
Update on Star Alliance Award Ticket Availability & Important Information
Following our previous announcement regarding the temporary suspension of Star Alliance award ticket bookings for travel on or after December 1, 2026,we are pleased to announce that additional booking dates will be opened for your convenience.
However, please be advised that the official integration date with Korean Air has not yet been finalized.
As such, future changes may affect your Star Alliance award travel. We strictly ask that you review the important information below.1. Extended Booking Window
Applicable Tickets: Star Alliance Award Tickets (Mileage Tickets)
Extended Travel Dates: December 1, 2026 (Tue) - December 16, 2026 (Wed)
Booking Opens: January 20, 2026, at 9:30 AM
(Tickets will be released sequentially)2. Important Notice
Travel Completion Requirement: Regardless of the ticketing date, all segments of your itinerary must be completed before the integration date.
Potential Cancellations: Even if your booking and ticketing are confirmed, if your actual travel date falls on or after the official integration date with Korean Air, boarding may be denied or reservations cancelled due to changes in alliance membership and operating carrier policies.
Reconfirmation Required: We strongly recommend that you verify flight status and boarding eligibility directly with the operating carrier prior to departure.
Notification of Changes: Once the integration date is confirmed, passengers holding tickets for dates on which travel is no longer possible will be notified of refund procedures via the Asiana Airlines website, email, and SMS.
3. Refund Policy
For Star Alliance award tickets scheduled between the confirmed integration date and December 16, 2026:
If a member requests a refund, or if the flight is restricted/cancelled by the operating carrier due to the integration, we will fully refund the mileage for unused segments without any penalty or cancellation fees.
We remain committed to keeping you informed and will notify you as soon as the integration date with Korean Air is finalized to minimize any inconvenience.
