AA and Qantas just received tentative, “first step” approval to their proposed JV on Monday June 3. (It was their second attempt.) They filed this second try back in February 2018.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/aa-qan...tive-approval/

WS and DL submitted their JV application in July 2018 ... 6 months later.

https://news.delta.com/delta-and-wes...-joint-venture

This still could be many, many months away. (I hope I’m wrong.)

If they’ve all decided that JV approval is required before joining SkyTeam (it isn’t) or offering reciprocal FF benefits (ditto ... it’s not required), we’re still in for a frustrating wait.

I find it bloody annoying, as I’m now splitting my CB travel between WS and UA. DL is a distant third. AS and AA pick up the remainder. (I’m trying to build and grow status on WS, but their current cross-border offering makes it difficult. I have status on UA, thanks to Marriott. So I’m really loyal to nobody and end up booking mostly on schedule and price — splitting up my spend.)

Together, WS and DL would own my travel spend if they had this in place today (and/or if WS offered more codeshares on more DL routes, or had feasible pricing on all of their DL codeshares.)

And it’s also frustrating because I already have DL and AM flights booked for upcoming work trips — where I’ll get zero benefit.