After months of speculation, Continental Airlines is poised to announce the date in which it leaves the current SkyTeam global alliance and forges ahead with its entry into the Star Alliance which included unspecified new relations with United Airlines. Among the benefits are reciprocal frequent flyer program benefits with both United Airlines, US Airways, Air Canada and Lufthansa as well as SAS.
With the merger of Delta and Northwest, Continental was no longer feeling the love and liked their chances with the new alliance which tends to outperform the SkyTeam alliance and is seen as a real coup for the Star Alliance to have gotten Continental.
Continental will end its relationship with the SkyTeam Alliance after the last scheduled flight on Oct. 24, 2009. This means changes for frequent flyers and I’ll be bringing you what you need to do and know over the next nine months.