Continuing its commitment to enhanced global connectivity, Star Alliance, together with 25 member airlines, welcomed ÖBB as its newest intermodal partner. This partnership allows customers of ÖBB and Star Alliance member airlines to seamlessly begin or conclude their long-distance journey on ÖBB’s eco-friendly RailJet trains, connecting from or to Graz, Linz, Salzburg, and Innsbruck in Austria.

Peter Hanke (SPÖ), Austrian Federal Minister for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure said: “Cooperation between various providers is crucial if we want to overcome the current challenges in the area of mobility. The partnership between ÖBB, Austrian Airlines, and Star Alliance perfectly symbolises my understanding of a minister’s role as a bridge-builder between the various mobility options. Infrastructure is the foundation for a functioning location, but also for domestic economy, tourism, and society.”

Delighted at the expansion, Star Alliance Chief Executive Officer Theo Panagiotoulias stated: “Air and Rail have complemented each other as transport modes for several years around the world, and we are proud to welcome ÖBB, the Austrian Federal Railways, to the Star Alliance family. With a single ticket, customers can now reach from Singapore to Salzburg, switching from a flight to Railjet at the Vienna Airport. I am confident that not only will this partnership offer more choice, but it will also enhance the seamlessness in customer journeys.”

Andreas Matthä, CEO of ÖBB, said: “Traveling from the main train stations in Linz, Salzburg, Graz, or Innsbruck to destinations around the world will soon be even easier. We are very pleased to take a significant step in cooperation with Star Alliance to improve the integration of rail and air travel. This initiative allows us to offer our passengers an environmentally friendly way to travel to and from Vienna Airport – completely car-free – making the overall journey even more comfortable. This will make train journeys an even more flexible and seamless part of air travel – not just with one airline group, but across a global network of 25 airlines.”

The partnership is founded on ÖBB and Austrian Airlines’ long-standing cooperation to offer rail-to-air connectivity, known as AIRail, which was launched in 2014. It has allowed passengers to travel conveniently between major Austrian cities and Vienna Airport by train, with integrated ticketing and check-in services.

Introduced in August 2022 with Germany’s Deutsche Bahn, the Star Alliance Intermodal Partnership model makes it possible to intelligently combine alliance-wide airline network with railway, bus, ferry or any other transport ecosystem. It further links loyalty systems and facilitates seamless airport/station/port transit. Benefits to customers include:

• More booking convenience: in a single booking process, customers will receive a combined ticket for the flight and train journeys including seat reservation.
• More check-in convenience: customers can check in online or at one of the ÖBB Travel Centers in Graz, Linz, Salzburg and Innsbruck and receive boarding passes for both flight and train journeys.
• More choice: customers will have even more choice based on timings, duration and prices offered.
• More benefits: with a combined ticket, customers can earn points or miles for their train journey in the preferred frequent flyer program of a Star Alliance member airline.

March 2025 also marks Austrian Airlines’ 25 years of Star Alliance membership. At present, 16 Star Alliance member airlines operate at Vienna airport offering over 1300 weekly flights to 135 destinations.

Star Alliance

As of early 2025, Star Alliance is composed of 25 full member airlines, making it the world’s largest airline alliance by market share. The alliance was founded on 14 May 1997 by five carriers, Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines, and is headquartered in Frankfurt. 

While Scandinavian Airlines left the alliance in 2024 to join SkyTeam, the alliance continues to maintain a strong global presence, serving over 1,300 airports in 195 countries.

The current full members of Star Alliance include Aegean Airlines of Greece, Air Canada, and Air China. Air India represents the alliance in the Indian subcontinent, while Air New Zealand serves the Pacific region.

From Japan, All Nippon Airways (ANA) is a key member. Asiana Airlines, based in South Korea, remains a member for now but is set to exit the alliance following its merger with Korean Air. 

European representation includes Austrian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Croatia Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, and TAP Air Portugal. ITA Airways from Italy ‘replaces SAS as it’s leaving SkyTeam. 

In the Americas, Avianca of Colombia and Copa Airlines of Panama provide extensive coverage in Latin America, while United Airlines represents the United States. 

From the Middle East and Africa, Egyptair and Ethiopian Airlines contribute to the network, alongside South African Airways. 

In Asia, EVA Air of Taiwan, Shenzhen Airlines of China, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways International are key members. Turkish Airlines, with its extensive global network, further enhances the alliance’s connectivity.

In addition to these full members, Star Alliance also maintains a network of affiliate and regional carriers, including Air Canada Express, ANA Wings, Scoot, TAP Express and Edelweiss Air, among others. These affiliates extend the alliance’s reach without holding full membership status.