EMan

Received this email from CO yesterday:


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Continental Airlines, Inc.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
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Dear Mr. XXXXXXX,

In June 2008, Continental announced plans for extensive commercial cooperation with United Airlines and Star Alliance, linking our networks and services worldwide to deliver new benefits to our customers. On April 7, 2009 the U.S. Department of Transportation tentatively approved the application for Continental to join the existing antitrust immunized alliance between United and eight other Star Alliance member carriers on international routes.

Regarding SkyTeam, as previously announced, Continental intends to end its participation in the SkyTeam Alliance after the last scheduled flight on Oct. 24, 2009.

OnePass Members:

-Will continue to earn OnePass miles on Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines for all qualifying flights through Oct. 24, 2009.
-May book and ticket reward travel using OnePass miles for travel on Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines through Oct. 24, 2009.
-Must complete all reward travel on or before Oct. 24, 2010.
-Will continue to receive Elite upgrade privileges on Northwest through Oct. 24, 2009, or the date of the Delta SkyMiles and Northwest WorldPerks loyalty program integration, whichever comes earlier.

Presidents Club Members:

-May continue to access Delta Crown Room and Northwest WorldClub airport lounges through Oct. 24, 2009.

We continue to work through the details of our exit from SkyTeam and planned entry into Star Alliance, but anticipate our participation in Star Alliance will begin promptly after we leave SkyTeam.

Our focus is on making the transition from SkyTeam to Star Alliance as smooth as possible for our customers. We are excited to begin bringing you the benefits of an alliance that offers truly global coverage including 24 airlines.

Algonquin

Does anyone have an update on Continental joining the Star Alliance? While is was announced last June I believe they are due to join in November but would definitely like to see this happen earlier as I will be dramatically increasing travel to CALA and PacRim (mainly GUM) where if I want UAL I am SOL.

ual744777sta

The earliest date is Oct 25, 2009. The latest is unknown. Oct 24 is the last date they are particpating in SkyTeam. They have not announced an official date yet which means Continental might actually be alliance less for a few days/weeks.

PHL

I hope the ANA or AC award booking engines can see CO flights!

cloudcuckooland

I have been eagerly anticipating this since I got the OnePass e-mail months ago. Not only do I have family who work for CO, but I am tired of having to fly NW to get out of YWG if I want to book on CO. I have more than enough OnePass miles to go to northern South America (cheaper at 35,000 miles than the 50,000 on AC) on CO, and I hope they can honour a code-share routing of YWG-YYZ-IAH-LIM (or Quito or wherever), although I have heard that YYZ-IAH on CO is all RJ so I would prefer that leg on AC!

In any case, it should allow my family to visit more cheaply!

Welcome, my favourite U.S.-based legacy carrier. . . .

obiwanfong

So...I may already know the answer to this but, if I've earned ST Elite status on CO through this year, does that immediately end on October 24, 2009 or do I just stop earning new ST miles?

Have a flight coming up in December on Air France and want to know if my ST status is still going to be useful then if I got it through CO and not DL.

If not, do I can start booking all my CO trips on DL to "regain" ST Elite status?

obiwanfong

One more question: Is there any reason to start acquiring miles on UA if I can get to Platinum status on CO? Will it redundant to have Premier status on UA and Platinum status on CO after October 25?

28isGreat

Not entirely redundant; one key benefit that UA gives to its elites, and not extended to *A elites, is Economy Plus seating access.

Conversely, as an AC *G, I get access to the RCC (though many would quibble about the benefit of that!), but if I were UA 1K/1P, I wouldn't. I don't know whether CO would be lumped in with the US/UA rule that you need to qualify by methods other than *G status to get into the RCC.

mrl

I'm currently Northwest Gold however recently I've earned most of those miles flying Continental. With Continental leaving Sky Team for Star Alliance, I'm not sure how and when to make the move and to what main frequent flyer program, Continental or United? As of right now, I've qualified for Silver on Northwest for next year, but won't re-qualify for Gold until after the change in October. Also I used to be premier on United if that counts for anything

What I do know if that at some point I have to make the move to either Continental or United, I'm just not sure which one, and when to do so, in order to maintain Gold Status for next year when I'm sure flying a combination of Continental and United in the following year will re-qualify me for gold in 2011

As of right now, my main concerns are seats, both exit row and upgrades

Kiwi Flyer

Have you contacted Continental to see if they will comp you based on your previous loyalty to Continental (the airline rather than the FFP)?

SuperFlyBoy

Apologies for replying to older posts, but...

AA still has this in F - fantastic fare!

Yes, you could have flown TG to BKK (as a feeder, like you did with IC, but this time earning *A (EQM's) miles), then picked up the UA flight from there, if you wished to fly on a US carrier.

k374

Will we have to wait until Oct. when all the Continental routes will be available for booking on RTW tickets or will that be possible earlier for travel post October?

aacharya

With CO Gold giving you *A Gold status at only 50K EQMs, it was a very easy choice for me. Skyteam Elite Plus only kicked in at CO Plat.

JALlover

Doesnt United give *G at 50K as well?

JTPictureman

Yes, as a United 1P I am *A Gold as well.