Virgin Atlantic announced, with confirmation from SkyTeam, that it is expected to join the alliance in early 2023, becoming the only SkyTeam member airline based in the UK.
This news is not especially surprising. Virgin Atlantic already has a transatlantic joint venture with Delta and KLM/Air France, and Delta owns a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic. Virgin Atlantic has been closely aligned with these SkyTeam airlines for quite some time, and now that relationship will finally become official.
SkyTeam’s CEO said their goal is to complete the integration by January 2023.
Once it becomes a member, we can expect reciprocal award redemptions, mileage earning, lounge access, and elite-status recognition between Virgin Atlantic and other SkyTeam member airlines, along with priority benefits when flying other SkyTeam carriers.
Of course, joining SkyTeam could also bring some downsides. Right now, there are still some sweet spots when redeeming Virgin Atlantic Club miles for ANA and Air New Zealand awards, but after joining the alliance, whether Virgin’s partnerships with these Star Alliance airlines will continue remains to be confirmed. Virgin may also introduce a new award chart (devaluation?). We’ll just have to wait and see.