Korean Air and Asiana Airlines Merger: New Rules for Asiana Club Miles Explained
The Korean Air – Asiana Airlines merger is entering its most important phase for frequent flyers. Korean Air and Asiana have now finalized the framework for integrating their mileage programs, giving Asiana Club members a much clearer picture of what will happen to their accumulated miles.
The key date is December 17, 2026. From that date, the integrated mileage system will take effect. However, Asiana miles will not simply disappear or immediately become identical to Korean Air SKYPASS miles. Instead, the approved plan provides for a 10-year separate-management period, during which existing Asiana Airlines miles can continue to be used under specific rules.
What Happens to Asiana Club Miles After the Korean Air Merger?
The most important point is that existing Asiana Club miles will remain separately identifiable after the merger rather than being immediately converted into SKYPASS miles.
Under the approved plan, Asiana miles will be managed for 10 years from the December 17, 2026 integration date. Members can use those miles through designated Korean Air channels, subject to the applicable Asiana-mileage rules.
Quick Answer
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Merger/integration date | December 17, 2026 |
| Will Asiana miles disappear? | No |
| Will they immediately become SKYPASS miles? | No |
| Separate Asiana-mileage management | 10 years |
| Can members voluntarily convert miles? | Yes, subject to the approved conversion rules |
| Can only part of the balance be voluntarily converted? | No; voluntary conversion applies to the entire Asiana balance |
| Flight-earned miles conversion | 1 Asiana mile → 1 SKYPASS mile |
| Partner-earned miles conversion | 1 Asiana mile → 0.82 SKYPASS mile |
| What happens after the 10-year period? | Remaining Asiana miles are automatically converted under the applicable ratio |
| Can already-expired miles be restored? | No |
| Alliance transition | Asiana leaves Star Alliance and transitions into the SkyTeam environment |
The conversion framework was approved by South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission on September 14, 2026.
The Two Asiana Mileage Conversion Rates You Need to Know
One of the biggest details in the new policy is that not all Asiana miles have the same conversion ratio.
The approved plan distinguishes between miles earned from flying and miles earned through partners such as credit-card programs.
| Type of Asiana miles | Conversion to SKYPASS |
|---|---|
| Miles earned through eligible airline travel | 1:1 |
| Miles earned through partners | 1:0.82 |
For example:
| Existing Asiana Balance | If Flight-Earned | If Partner-Earned |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000 miles | 10,000 SKYPASS | 8,200 SKYPASS |
| 50,000 miles | 50,000 SKYPASS | 41,000 SKYPASS |
| 100,000 miles | 100,000 SKYPASS | 82,000 SKYPASS |
The distinction is specifically set out in the approved mileage integration plan.
Important: Members should not assume that their entire Asiana balance will receive a 1:1 conversion. The origin of the miles matters.
You Do Not Have to Convert Your Asiana Miles Immediately
A significant feature of the integration plan is the 10-year separate-management period.
After the merger, existing Asiana miles can remain under the dedicated Asiana-mileage framework for that period. Members can subsequently request conversion into SKYPASS.
The Asiana mileage rules state that voluntary conversion must cover the entire Asiana mileage balance. Partial conversion is not permitted, and a conversion already completed cannot be reversed back into Asiana miles.
This means travelers should understand their mileage balance and intended redemption before requesting conversion.
Where Can You Use Asiana Miles After the Merger?
After integration, the approved rules provide for Asiana miles to be used through a dedicated mileage area on Korean Air’s website.
Permitted uses include:
- Korean Air award tickets
- Korean Air award upgrades
- Cash & Miles
- Certain non-airline rewards and shopping options
- Other redemption opportunities designated by Korean Air
The exact availability of awards will depend on the applicable program rules and inventory.
What Happens to Expiring Asiana Miles?
This is another important point for existing Asiana Club members.
The merger does not reset the expiration clock on existing Asiana miles.
The approved rules state that Asiana miles retain their existing validity periods. Miles that have already expired cannot be used, and their validity cannot simply be extended because of the merger.
Therefore, travelers with older Asiana balances should check their individual expiration dates rather than assuming that the merger gives all miles a new 10-year life.
In simple terms:
Merger date ≠ new mileage expiration date.
What Happens to Asiana Miles Earned Before the Merger?
There are limited circumstances in which mileage can still be credited after December 17, 2026.
The approved rules provide exceptions including:
- A flight or partner transaction that occurred before the merger but is credited afterward.
- A previously purchased Asiana award ticket that is refunded after the merger.
- Other situations that Korean Air specifically announces.
Outside those circumstances, new Asiana-mileage accrual generally ends after the integration.
What Happens to Asiana Club Elite Status?
The merger also addresses existing Asiana Club elite members.
At integration, Asiana members receive a corresponding Korean Air membership level. The approved rules also provide for a later reassessment when the member’s Asiana mileage is converted or the separate-management period ends.
The reassessment can take into account eligible Korean Air and Asiana flight activity, with a higher resulting status potentially being awarded under the applicable rules.
| Asiana Club member situation | What the approved framework provides |
|---|---|
| Existing Asiana member | Receives a corresponding Korean Air status |
| Existing qualifying elite member | Matching Korean Air status applies |
| Later mileage conversion | Eligibility can be reassessed |
| Combined qualifying activity | May be considered in subsequent status assessment |
| Star Alliance elite benefits | Transition as Asiana exits Star Alliance |
Asiana Is Leaving Star Alliance
The mileage merger is also connected to a broader alliance transition.
Asiana has announced that it will officially leave Star Alliance at 11:59 p.m. KST on December 16, 2026, immediately before the Korean Air–Asiana integration.
Asiana Club mileage earning on Star Alliance flights, Star Alliance mileage redemptions and associated elite benefits are therefore being phased out according to the published timetable.
After integration, the combined airline’s loyalty environment will be aligned with SkyTeam, reflecting Korean Air’s alliance membership.
What Happens to Existing Star Alliance Miles?
Existing accumulated Asiana miles do not simply vanish when Asiana leaves Star Alliance.
Asiana states that accrued Star Alliance-related mileage balances and their existing expiration dates remain unchanged after the partnership ends. However, the ability to earn or redeem miles through Star Alliance partners ends according to the relevant transition dates.
This distinction is important:
The end of the Star Alliance partnership is not the same thing as the cancellation of your existing mileage balance.
Do Asiana Club Members Need to Link Their Accounts?
Members should pay attention to Korean Air’s account-integration and consent requirements.
Asiana says that personal information will be transferred to Korean Air as part of the integration process. Members who do not consent to the applicable information transfer can face restrictions on certain mileage accrual, redemption and elite-benefit services after December 17, 2026. Existing SKYPASS members who are already Asiana Club members do not need to provide separate consent in the circumstances specified by Asiana.
What Should Asiana Club Members Do Before December 17, 2026?
There are several practical steps frequent flyers can take.
| Step | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Check your Asiana Club balance | Establish your current mileage position |
| Check expiration dates | Existing expiration rules continue to matter |
| Identify how miles were earned | Flight and partner miles have different conversion ratios |
| Review upcoming travel | Star Alliance earning/redemption deadlines are changing |
| Check your SKYPASS account | Useful for the integration process |
| Review Korean Air’s integration notices | Rules and procedures can be updated |
| Consider upcoming award travel | Availability and redemption rules matter |
| Keep account information current | Helps avoid problems during account migration |
Is It Better to Use Asiana Miles Before the Merger?
There is no single answer for every traveler because the value of an award depends on the destination, cabin, availability, expiration date, and the applicable redemption rules.
However, members with expiring miles should not assume that the merger automatically protects those miles. Asiana’s published rules explicitly preserve existing expiration dates.
For members considering conversion, the most important question is whether their balance consists primarily of flight-earned miles or partner-earned miles, because the approved conversion ratios differ.
Asiana Miles vs. SKYPASS Miles After Integration
| Feature | Asiana miles under separate management | SKYPASS miles |
|---|---|---|
| Program environment | Integrated Korean Air system with dedicated Asiana-mileage rules | Korean Air SKYPASS |
| Separate treatment | Yes, for 10 years | No |
| Voluntary conversion | Available | Receives converted balance |
| Flight-mile conversion | 1:1 | — |
| Partner-mile conversion | 1:0.82 | — |
| Existing expiration | Retained | SKYPASS rules apply to SKYPASS balances |
| Partial voluntary conversion | Not allowed | — |
| Reversal after conversion | Not allowed | — |
| Post-10-year treatment | Automatic conversion under applicable ratio | Converted balance joins SKYPASS |
Frequently Asked Questions
The integrated mileage program takes effect on December 17, 2026, according to Asiana’s latest official notice.
No. The approved framework provides for existing Asiana miles to remain separately managed for 10 years after the integration date, subject to the applicable rules and existing expiration dates.
Not immediately. Members can request conversion during the separate-management period. Any remaining Asiana mileage at the end of that period is automatically converted according to the approved ratio.
Eligible flight-earned Asiana miles convert at 1:1, while partner-earned miles convert at 1:0.82.
No. Under the published rules, voluntary conversion applies to the entire Asiana mileage balance, not a selected portion.
No. Once the Asiana miles have been converted, the conversion cannot be reversed.
No automatic reset is provided. Existing Asiana-mileage validity periods remain applicable. Already-expired miles cannot be restored through the merger.
Asiana has announced its Star Alliance membership will end at 11:59 p.m. KST on December 16, 2026.
The approved plan provides corresponding Korean Air membership levels for Asiana members, with additional status assessment provisions when the Asiana mileage balance is eventually converted or the separate-management period ends.
Asiana states that members who reject the applicable transfer can have certain services restricted after the merger, and that members who do not consent to the required transfer may proceed through the relevant membership withdrawal process.