Asiana Airlines stops being a separate airline on 17 December 2026. On that day Korean Air takes over Asiana's planes, staff, routes and bookings, and the combined airline flies as Korean Air. Korean Air bought a majority of Asiana in December 2024; the boards approved the merger in May 2026 and Asiana's shareholders in August 2026.
If you have an Asiana ticket, Asiana Club miles or Asiana status, here is what changes and when. Dates are in Korean time (KST) where the airline gives one.
Key dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 14 Jan 2026 | Asiana moved all its Seoul Incheon flights to Terminal 2, where Korean Air already flies. |
| 15 Oct 2026 | Last Asiana flights that earn miles in other Star Alliance programmes (United MileagePlus, Aeroplan and so on). Missing-mile claims for these flights close on 31 October. |
| 2 Nov – 9 Dec 2026 | Asiana bookings for flights on or after 17 December move to Korean Air's system in batches: domestic flights on 2, 9 and 16 November, international flights in 17 batches from 4 November to 3 December, and jointly operated flights from 7 to 9 December. |
| 16 Dec 2026, 23:59 KST | Asiana leaves Star Alliance. Star Alliance lounge access and other elite benefits through Asiana end. |
| 17 Dec 2026 | The merged Korean Air starts flying. Asiana flights become KE flights, Asiana Club miles move into SKYPASS accounts as a separate balance, and the network is part of SkyTeam. |
What happens to my Asiana ticket?
It stays valid, and you don't need to rebook. If your flight is on or after 17 December, the booking is moved to Korean Air's system and the flight number changes from OZ to KE. The move happens in batches between 2 November and 9 December, depending on the route.
While your booking is being moved, some things are paused for a short time:
- Changes and new bookings: for 23 hours, from 6 pm the day before your flight's batch until 5 pm on the day itself.
- Special meals and assistance (infants, unaccompanied minors, pregnancy, reduced mobility, pets): for up to 47 hours, from 6 pm two days before the batch.
- Seat selection and seat changes during the same window.
Only the bookings in that batch are affected, not all Asiana bookings at once. After the move, check your booking on Korean Air's website or app and make sure your seat, meal and assistance requests came across.
What happens to my Asiana Club miles?
South Korea's Fair Trade Commission approved Korean Air's mileage plan in September 2026, after rejecting an earlier version in 2025. On 17 December your Asiana miles appear in a Korean Air SKYPASS account as a separate "Asiana Mileage" balance. Their expiry dates don't change.
| How you earned the miles | Conversion to SKYPASS | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Flying (Asiana or partner flights) | 1 : 1 | 10,000 miles become 10,000 |
| Credit cards, hotels and other partners | 1 : 0.82 | 10,000 miles become 8,200 |
You can keep the Asiana balance separate for up to 10 years. While it is separate, you can use it:
- for Economy and Prestige (business) award tickets on flights Korean Air operates, at Asiana's award prices;
- for upgrades from Economy to Prestige;
- to pay up to 40% of an eligible fare with miles.
You can't use the separate Asiana balance for SkyTeam or other partner awards, and you can't mix Asiana and SKYPASS miles on one award. To combine them you have to convert the Asiana miles, and that can't be undone. Whatever is left after 10 years converts automatically at the same rates.
Korean Air also has to keep award seats at or above pre-merger levels. On long-haul routes to the Americas, Europe and Oceania it must offer at least as many award seats as its best year of the past decade.
Should you convert now or wait? If most of your miles come from flying, converting costs you nothing and lets you use SkyTeam partner awards. If most come from a credit card, the separate balance keeps their full value for Korean Air flights, so there is no rush.
What happens to my Asiana status?
Asiana tiers are matched to SKYPASS tiers, and your current expiry date carries over:
| Asiana Club | Korean Air SKYPASS |
|---|---|
| Platinum | Million Miler Club |
| Diamond Plus | Morning Calm Premium Club |
| Diamond Plus (limited term) | Morning Calm Select Club |
| Diamond | Morning Calm Select Club |
| Gold | Morning Calm Club |
If you already have Korean Air status, you keep whichever tier is higher.
Star Alliance: what ends on 16 December
Asiana has been in Star Alliance since 2003 and leaves on 16 December 2026 at 23:59 KST. From 17 December the former Asiana flights are part of SkyTeam, Korean Air's alliance.
- Star Alliance Gold through Asiana (Diamond and above) ends, but Asiana says it converts to SkyTeam Elite Plus without a gap.
- Lounges, priority check-in and extra baggage on Star Alliance airlines with Asiana status: only on flights departing on or before 16 December.
- Earning Asiana miles on Star Alliance flights: possible until 16 December. For flights after 15 October you have to ask for the miles after you fly; Asiana will announce how.
- Award tickets on Star Alliance airlines with Asiana miles: the last travel date depends on the airline, from 31 October (for example Lufthansa and Swiss) to 16 December. Asiana says Star Alliance award tickets for travel on or after 17 December are no longer valid, even if already issued, and are refunded in full.
- Earning other Star Alliance miles on Asiana flights (for example United or Aeroplan): only on flights departing on or before 15 October 2026.
What doesn't change on 17 December
The low-cost airlines of the two groups, Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul, are not part of this merger. Combining them is a separate, later step. At Incheon nothing moves on 17 December: Asiana already flies from Terminal 2.
Asiana or Korean Air: which should I book now?
For flights on or after 17 December it is the same airline, so choose on schedule and price. Before that date, the main differences are the alliance and the frequent flyer programme: book Asiana if you want to earn or use Star Alliance miles before 16 December, and Korean Air if you collect SkyTeam miles. Our Asiana vs Korean Air comparison sets out fleet, cabins, baggage and lounges side by side, and the Korean Air and Asiana Airlines pages have the latest news on both.
Flying through Seoul? See Incheon International Airport.
Dates and rules can still change. For your own booking, check the notices on Asiana's and Korean Air's websites; the sources for this guide are listed below.
