Fiji Airways to Transition Into Full Oneworld Member

Fiji Airways, the flag carrier of the Pacific nation of Fiji, will join the oneworld alliance as its 15th full member. The carrier, already a oneworld connect partner, announced the move during the IATA Annual General Meeting.

Fiji Airways will become a full oneworld member (Photo: Fiji Airways)

Previously, as a oneworld connect partner, travellers with oneworld status enjoyed limited benefits when traveling on Fiji Airways, and vice versa, and Fiji Airways had some collaborations with other oneworld carriers, such as the codeshare agreement with Finnair.

The full accession of Fiji Airways will mean that oneworld frequent fliers will be able to enjoy priority benefits and lounge access when flying the airline. It also means easier mileage and status earning for elite fliers when flying on the airline.

oneworld carriers will also benefit from its network, which can not only give access to the touristic island of Fiji but also link North America to various destinations in the Pacific. The latest member of oneworld can complement the networks of American Airlines and Qantas in the transpacific market.

Strengthening Oneworld in the Pacific

With the move, the alliance will secure its position as the dominant airline group in the Pacific region. Qantas, one of the alliance’s founding members, is the biggest airline in Australia, while its other members, including American, Cathay Pacific, Malaysia Airlines, British Airways, and Qatar Airways all boast considerable networks to the Pacific region.

A Qantas A330 in Auckland. (Photo: Auckland Airport)

It was recently revealed that Hawaiian Airlines would also join the alliance if the proposed merger with Alaska Airlines goes through. The airline would be the third for the alliance in the region.

About Fiji Airways

The airline has a considerable network from Nadi going to Australia and the surrounding islands, including New Zealand. It has also expanded its connections to North America in the recent decade, flying nonstop to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Vancouver. In Asia, the carrier flies to Singapore, Hong Kong, and Tokyo.

The carrier has a fleet of Boeing 737s for medium-haul operations and a fleet of A330s and A350s for its long-haul network. The airline has a fleet of 14 aircraft, according to planespotters.com.

Growing Oneworld

The alliance will welcome Oman Air later this year, a new member announced at the IATA General Meeting in 2022. Since 2020, the alliance also saw the entrance of Alaska Airlines and Royal Air Maroc. The growth of the airline alliance has been focused on the Arab and Pacific region, where the alliance holds more dominant positions.

The alliance could also see Hawaiian Airlines joining its rank, becoming its third member in the United States, as early as the end of 2024. Several other carriers, including China Southern and MIAT Mongolian, have been rumored to become either full members or connect partners.

The alliance has also opened its first oneworld-branded lounges in Amsterdam and Seoul, where a shared alliance identity is used to better customer experiences.

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Anthony Bang An

Anthony is an aviation enthusiast who grew up around the world from St. Louis to Singapore, and now lives in Amsterdam. He loves long-haul flying and finds peace in the sound of engine cruising. He aspires to share his passion for the sky though writing and providing another angle on the stories.

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