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Oman Air has announced that it will officially become a member of the Oneworld alliance on June 30, 2025, a delay from the previously anticipated late 2024 timeline. Additionally, the airline is exploring possibly introducing a new premium tier to its Sindbad rewards program to align with the benefits of Oneworld Emerald status.
Oman Air’s CEO, Con Korfiatis, announced the updated schedule, expressing optimism about its growth as it adds more aircraft to its fleet. Two new Boeing 787s are expected in early 2025, and six more will be delivered starting in 2027.
However, Korfiatis ensures they will be moderate about pursuing growth. He aims to steer the airline back to a break-even point by the end of 2026 or early 2027.
We plan to take a practical approach, leveraging the strong relationships we’re developing through Oneworld and other vital partnerships to create a global platform through our alliances.
Korfiatis announced that Oman Air intends to reinstate its double-daily flights to London Heathrow in late 2026. This will be possible as the airline will reclaim two critical take-off and landing slots at Heathrow, which have been leased to another carrier for several years.
Two new Boeing 787 aircraft are expected to arrive in the first half of 2025. One will feature a unique Oneworld livery to commemorate Oman Air’s membership in the alliance starting June 30. This data is essential for the airline as it aligns with various elements of its ongoing transformation program.
Oman Air Chief Commercial Officer Mick Rutter explains that the airline will introduce new fare categories starting December 3. The new options will feature
- Super Saver,
- Comfort,
- Flex,
For the economy and business-class travellers.
The face class realignment serves as the initial step towards joining an alliance, requiring each partner to map their fare classes to another airline’s. This is the reason we opted for June 30 rather than January 1. Operating from its hub at Muscat International Airport, Oman Air connects to five hubs of Oneworld member airlines, including Amman, Colombo, Doha, Kuala Lumpur, and London Heathrow. Additionally, it already has codeshare agreements with Oneworld partners such as Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, and Sri Lankan Airlines.
Starting June 30, 2025, Oman Air will join Oneworld, allowing frequent flyers to earn and redeem miles across all Oneworld member airlines. Additionally, travellers will benefit from reciprocal status perks linked to Oman Air’s Sindbad loyalty program.
Oman Air is contemplating introducing a third elite status level in its Sindbad loyalty program. This level would sit above Sindbad Silver and Sindbad Gold and be comparable to Oneworld Emerald status.
As an Oman Air representative said, “We are considering a two-tier membership structure. We’re in the process of deciding if our Gold tier will correspond to Emerald or Sapphire. Additionally, we plan to introduce a third tier next year, aligning with Emerald. While mapping Gold to Emerald could be an option, it may lead to some members needing to be downgraded.
Considering the customer’s viewpoint, mapping Gold to Sapphire may be more advantageous initially. Then, when we establish a third tier, we can promote some members who fulfill the criteria to Emerald.”
The key advantages of the new highest tier, Sindbad, would include access to Oman Air’s flagship first-class lounge in Muscat and additional discounts when purchasing other Oman Air products or services.
Following Oman Air, Fiji Airways will likely become a part of Oneworld by late 2025. Furthermore, Hawaiian Airlines and Taiwan’s Starlux are also seen as potential future members of Oneworld.
