LAN celebrated its tenth anniversary as a member of the oneworld alliance, the global airline alliance that encompasses the best companies in the world.

Oneworld was founded in 1999 and in June of 2000 LAN joined the ranks of this prestigious group of airlines, providing its clients with a broader range of benefits and services including a broad network of approximately 800 destinations in 150 countries, the possibility to earn mileage and redeem awards on all oneworld alliance member airline frequent flyer programs, access to 550 VIP international lounges, checked baggage and seat assignments through to the final destination, and easy connections for travel around the world.

For many years, LAN was the only airline in South America to join a global alliance. The company has played a key role in the establishment of oneworld as the leading alliance in South America.

In addition to LAN, oneworld member airlines include American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malev, Mexicana, Qantas and Royal Jordanian. There are also close to 20 affiliate airline members, including American Eagle (U.S.A.), Dragon Air (China) and LAN affiliates LAN Argentina, LAN Peru and LAN Ecuador.

Russia’s leading domestic carrier S7 Airlines is on track to join oneworld later this year.and will add 54 new destinations to the alliance network, with India’s Kingfisher Airlines to follow. The indian company will add 56 more cities onto the oneworld map.

The oneworld member airlines perform 9,000 daily departures, and carry some 340 million passengers a year. They operate a combined fleet of almost 2,500 aircraft, and altogether generate more than US$100 billion annual revenues in total.

“LAN is proud to be a part of the alliance that encompasses the best airlines in the world. Being a member of oneworld has allowed LAN to provide our clients with large advantages for international travel, and form a truly global coverage network operated by companies that provide the highest quality standards,” said Enrique Cueto, LAN’s Chief Executive Officer.

oneworld Managing Partner John McCulloch added: “oneworld’s focus has always been on the quality of our members, rather than the quantity, while offering our customers the best service to the places they really want to travel, on the highest quality collection of airlines. LAN has played a critical role in enabling oneworld to achieve its position of leadership, not just in its Latin American home region, but throughout the world. It’s a leadership position we intend together to guard very jealously.”