Eurostar is becoming SkyTeam's first non-airline partner — a historic move for both rail and aviation. Here's what's confirmed, what's rumoured, and what it means for you.
In September 2024, Eurostar and SkyTeam signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to make Eurostar the airline alliance's first ever non-airline partner. The goal: let travellers book flights and train journeys in a single reservation, earn frequent flyer miles on rail, and enjoy airline-style status benefits at train stations.
It's a significant moment. SkyTeam's member airlines — including Air France, KLM, Delta, Virgin Atlantic, Korean Air, and SAS — collectively serve hundreds of millions of passengers. Plugging Eurostar's high-speed rail network into that ecosystem could fundamentally change how people plan cross-Channel trips.
The partnership was originally scheduled to launch in the first half of 2025. That didn't happen. In January 2026, SkyTeam confirmed the MOU had been extended to 30 June 2026. The current expectation is a launch by mid-2026, though no firm date has been announced.
The delay isn't unusual — the Star Alliance partnership with Deutsche Bahn (Germany's rail operator) took over a year to fully implement after announcement, and even now only Lufthansa actively uses it for integrated bookings.
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SkyTeam has 19 member airlines. The ones most relevant to Eurostar travellers are:
Other SkyTeam members include Aeromexico, Aerolineas Argentinas, China Eastern, Czech Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, ITA Airways, Kenya Airways, Middle East Airlines, Saudia, TAROM, Vietnam Airlines, and XiamenAir.
This is potentially the biggest win. If you fly Delta or Virgin Atlantic into London, Paris, or Amsterdam, you could add a Eurostar leg to your booking — say, New York → London Heathrow (flight) then London → Paris (Eurostar) — all on one ticket. If the flight is delayed and you miss the train, you're protected. Today, those are separate bookings and a missed connection is your problem.
If you hold SkyTeam Elite or Elite Plus status (through Flying Blue, SkyMiles, or another programme), you may get Eurostar lounge access and fast-track check-in — benefits that currently require a Business Premier ticket or an Amex Platinum card. That's a meaningful perk for frequent flyers on Standard or Standard Premier tickets.
If Eurostar journeys earn airline miles, it adds a new dimension to the value equation. A London–Paris return currently earns Club Eurostar points. If it also earns Flying Blue miles or Delta SkyMiles, the same journey becomes doubly rewarding — especially for travellers who already hold airline elite status.
For one-off holiday trips, the impact is likely modest. The main benefit will be easier booking if you're combining a flight with a Eurostar journey, plus disruption protection if things go wrong. Don't expect to earn meaningful airline miles from a single leisure trip.
SkyTeam isn't the first alliance to go intermodal. Star Alliance signed Deutsche Bahn (DB) as its first non-airline partner in 2022. The reality has been underwhelming — as of 2026, Lufthansa is essentially the only airline actively using the integration, and benefits for passengers remain limited. Industry commentators expect the SkyTeam-Eurostar deal to go further, partly because Eurostar's network is inherently international (crossing borders) whereas DB primarily operates domestic German routes.
The Trenitalia deal, signed just weeks after Eurostar, is also more detailed — explicitly confirming earn/redeem of miles on rail and SkyPriority services at stations. That suggests SkyTeam has learned from the DB experience and is pushing for deeper integration this time.
Several new rail operators are planning to launch cross-Channel services in competition with Eurostar, including Evolyn (formerly Getlink) and others. If SkyTeam integration gives Eurostar a booking and loyalty advantage that competitors can't match, it becomes a significant competitive moat — especially for the business travel segment where loyalty programme benefits drive booking decisions.
Last updated: 12 April 2026. We'll update this page as new details emerge.