South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has unveiled a revised mileage integration plan as part of the upcoming merger between Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, ensuring that Asiana’s frequent flyer members can continue to use their existing miles for the next decade.
According to the FTC’s announcement on September 30, Asiana customers will be able to maintain their current mileage accounts for 10 years after the merger or convert them into Korean Air’s SkyPass miles at any point. Conversions must be made in full, with different ratios applied: 1:1 for flight miles and 1:0.82 for partner miles. After the 10-year period, all remaining Asiana miles will be automatically converted into Korean Air miles.
Redemption and Usage Rules
Mileage redemption will continue to follow Asiana’s current award chart. This means customers can redeem Asiana miles for Korean Air economy and business class award tickets or upgrades based on Asiana’s mileage deduction standards. However, first-class awards and upgrades, which are not part of Asiana’s redemption chart, will be excluded.
While Asiana miles will no longer be valid on the Star Alliance network, members will gain access to a wider range of routes, as Korean Air’s 59 exclusive routes will be added to Asiana’s existing 69 destinations. In addition, Korean Air’s Cash & Miles program will be introduced to Asiana, allowing up to 30% of airfare to be paid with miles, not only for award seats but also for regular ticket purchases.
Mileage expiration policies will remain unchanged, with each member’s remaining validity preserved. The supply of award seats will also be maintained at or above levels offered before the merger approval date of December 12, 2024.
Elite Membership Integration
Asiana’s five-tier elite membership system will be absorbed into Korean Air’s loyalty structure, which will expand from three to four tiers after the merger to accommodate the transition. Under this realignment, Asiana’s highest-ranking members—Platinum and lifetime Diamond Plus—will automatically move into Korean Air’s Million Miler and Morning Calm Premium programs, both of which carry lifetime status. Members holding two-year Diamond Plus or Diamond designations will be reassigned to a newly created Morning Calm Select tier, while Gold members will be transferred into the Morning Calm category with a two-year validity.
One of the most notable changes is the introduction of the Morning Calm Select tier, which, unlike before, will carry SkyTeam Elite Plus privileges. These benefits were previously reserved only for higher Korean Air statuses, signaling an upgrade in recognition for many Asiana frequent flyers.
For customers who decide to convert their Asiana miles into Korean Air’s SkyPass, their elite status will be recalculated by combining both mileage accounts. In this process, partner miles will be counted on a one-to-one basis to ensure fairness in the reassessment of tier status.
The integration plan also includes protections related to the cost of partner miles. For the next ten years, Korean Air will not be permitted to increase the supply price of these miles beyond the rate of inflation compared to 2019 levels. At the same time, the airline has pledged to maintain multiple credit card partnerships, a move designed to safeguard customer choice and prevent exclusivity arrangements that could disadvantage frequent flyers.
Regulatory Review and Next Steps
The FTC’s plan stems from its conditional approval of the Korean Air–Asiana merger in May 2022, which prohibited any “unfavorable integration” of mileage programs. Korean Air initially submitted a draft plan in June 2025 but was asked to revise it before resubmitting on September 25.
The commission will collect public feedback until October 13, after which the final plan will be confirmed. Once finalized, the integration will take effect on the official merger date.
BY EUNYOUNG LEE [lee.eunyoung6@koreadaily.com]
