Oneworld growth: Oman Air, more lounges and alliance-wide upgrades
The Oneworld alliance plans to welcome its newest member, Oman Air, as soon as the end of the month.
The Muscat-based airline and the alliance are due to sign the final paperwork by the end of the month, ending the carrier's yearslong membership process, Oneworld CEO Nathaniel Pieper said at the aviation trade group International Air Transport Association’s annual meeting in New Delhi at the beginning of June.
That means any Oneworld flyer will have easy access to Oman Air’s route map, and loyalty members can expect reciprocal tier benefits.
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Oman Air adds a second Gulf hub, Muscat International Airport (MCT), to the alliance after Qatar Airways’ hub at Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Doha. That means additional travel options for flyers in the rapidly growing Middle East region. The airline also adds two new destinations to Oneworld: Khasab Airport (KHS) in Oman, and Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (LKO) in Lucknow, India, schedule data from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows.
With Oman Air, Oneworld will boast 15 member airlines, including Fiji Airways, which fully joined in March.
More Oneworld lounges coming
Oneworld opened its first two alliance lounges in 2024 at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) and Incheon International Airport (ICN) near Seoul, South Korea.
Pieper described the lounges, both of which opened before he took the helm of the alliance in April 2024, as something of a proof-of-concept to Oneworld’s member airlines, each of which has its own standards.
Now, with the grades in, Oneworld’s members want more lounges.
“The goal is to have another five, six, 10 [lounges] over the next three to five years,” said Pieper.
Oneworld's competitors already operate global portfolios of lounges. The SkyTeam alliance operates four lounges, with locations in Dubai; Sydney; Vancouver, British Columbia; and Santiago, Chile. Star Alliance has six lounges: Amsterdam; Buenos Aires; Guangzhou, China; Los Angeles; Paris; and Rio de Janeiro.
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Oneworld is looking at markets where there is a critical mass of member airlines but no one dominant carrier, said Pieper. Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) in New Delhi; Kempegowda International Airport (BLR) in Bengaluru, India; and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) in Mumbai, India, are three potential candidates, though each poses its own challenge as Indian airport operators prefer to manage lounges themselves.
And the lounges do more than just cater to Oneworld’s existing customers.
“A lounge is a great way to kind of get the word out [about] this group of airlines ... and raise awareness,” said Pieper.
Alliance-wide upgrades by year-end
Oneworld’s long-teased alliance-wide upgrade program might finally be nearing completion by the end of the year. In the works since at least 2020, the initiative would allow flyers to use miles from any member loyalty program to upgrade flights on any other member airline.
For example, a member of American Airlines’ AAdvantage program could use their miles to upgrade a flight on Qantas Airways and vice versa.
Seven of Oneworld’s 15 members already participate in the upgrade program, with the remaining eight expected to come online in the coming months, said Pieper.
“This is important, we need to get it done,” he said, citing the struggle to secure resources at each airline member to implement the technology behind alliance-wide upgrades.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.