Independent airlines outside the alliances
A large portion of airlines around the world are part of a global airline alliance – but which major airlines are for one reason or another still working independently? At Airlineinformation.com we have got the answer – check out the list of airlines here.
There are three dominant airline alliances in the world – Star Alliance, SkyTeam and Oneworld. The alliances have membering airlines that are both large and small, both international and regional.
But there are also many major airlines that are not part of either of the alliances, for a number of different reasons. Listed below we have gathered some of the largest airlines that are currently not a part of an airline alliance. Learn more about each operator and find links to all routes offered by that specific airline.
Emirates
One of the major airlines found working independently is Emirates, which is one of the flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates and the largest operator in the Middle East. The airline has chosen to remain independent since they claim it’s not beneficial for them to be part of an alliance.
- Learn more about Emirates and see all routes
Etihad Airways
The second largest airline from the United Arab Emirates has also made the decision to not be a part of any airline alliance, for a similar reason as Emirates. Etihad Airways has their main hub at Abu Dhabi International Airport and offers flights to most parts of the world.
- Learn more about Etihad Airways and see all routes
Hawaiian Airlines
American operator Hawaiian Airlines are not a member of either of the large airline alliances. With that said, the airline has a number of partner airlines and airlines that they codeshare with. By not being a part of an alliance, the airline remains open to a broader reach in airline partnerships.
- Learn more about Hawaiian Airlines and see all routes
Low cost carriers
Currently, you will not find any low cost carriers such as Ryanair, Easyjet or Spirit Airlines in the large international alliances. The reason for this is that the budget airlines don’t live up to the requirements set by the alliances. For example the alliances require award programmes, which the low cost airlines don’t offer.
Domestic airlines
In some cases, airlines that only offer domestic air traffic have found it beneficial to stay out of the alliances since they already have a strong position in their key market. A couple of domestic airlines that aren’t a part of any alliance are Virgin Australia and Bangkok Airways.