Oman Air will now join Oneworld in 2025

Oman Air will now join the Oneworld alliance in 2025, pushing back from an expected “late 2024” timeline, although the Gulf airline is already working with Qantas to make reward seats available using Qantas Points.

The Muscat-based airline will take its seat at the Oneworld table alongside near-neighbours Qatar Airways and Royal Jordanian, plus of course the likes of American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, JAL, Malaysia Airlines and Qantas.

“As we look towards our highly anticipated Oneworld membership next year, we look forward to providing more rewards and seamless travel across all member airlines,” notes Oman Air CEO, Con Korfiatis.

Oneworld VP Gerhard Girkinger says Oman AIr will add “a really unique destination to the alliance.”

“As a tourism destination, Oman is really one of those secrets that I think a lot of people haven’t discovered yet,” Girkinger told Executive Traveller on the sidelines of the opening of the Oneworld Seoul Lounge.

Girkinger said the process of bringing an airline into the Oneworld family “usually can take anything from 12 to 24 months”.

And it’s a process Oneworld is also spooling up for Fiji Airways, which is tipped to join Oneworld in late 2025, while Hawaiian Airlines and even Taiwan’s Starlux have been tipped as future Oneworld members.

A spokesperson for Oneworld tells Executive Traveller the alliance will soon provide an update “on new member airline activity.”

For now, Qantas Frequent Flyer members have an early advantage in snaring reward seats in Oman Air business and economy across Oman’s network of more than 40 destinations including London, Paris, Frankfurt, Milan and Dubai.

Oman Air's 787 business class can now be booked using Qantas Points.

The upmarket 787 Business Studio suites, which were previously sold as first class, will be available for points-based bookings in early 2025, Qantas says.

“The partnership with Oman Air is an exciting expansion to the program and will unlock tens of thousands of reward seats to places like London, Paris, Frankfurt and Milan each year,” says Qantas Loyalty CEO, Andrew Glance.

The spacious Business Studio suites will be bookable using Qantas Points from early 2025.

Qantas and Jetstar passengers can hop directly onto an Oman Air flight at Bangkok, Bangalore, Delhi, Manila, Jakarta and Phuket, while there’s also the option of connecting at Kuala Lumpur through Malaysia Airlines.

A one-way Oman Air business class flight from Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur to Muscat booked as at low reward seat rates costs 61,200 Qantas Points (plus taxes, fees and carrier charges), with Jakarta-Muscat sitting at 75,000 Qantas Points.

An onwards leg on Oman Air from its Muscat hub to London is set at 75,000 Qantas Points, while Paris and Milan come in at 61,200 Qantas Points.

The Oman Air + Oneworld proposition

When Oman Air is flying under the Oneworld banner from early 2025 that will unlock earn-and-burn potential for frequent flyers across all Oneworld member airlines, plus reciprocal status benefits aligned to Oman Air’s Sinbad loyalty program.

Sinbad has three membership tiers, with Sinbad Blue serving as the entry level for new members.

Sinbad Silver is expected to align with either Oneworld Ruby or Oneworld Sapphire: qualifying travellers for a more generous baggage allowance, check-in at the business class counter and priority baggage, and grants access to Oman Air’s business class lounges ahead of international flights,

Sinbad Gold is likely to line up against Oneworld Sapphire or Oneworld Emerald, and adds guesting privileges at Oman Air business class lounges along with complimentary upgrade vouchers from economy to business class.

Oman Air offers Business Studio suites on its long-range Boeing 787s.

From its hub at Muscat International Airport, Oman Air flies to five Oneworld member airline hubs – Amman, Colombo, Doha, Kuala Lumpur and London Heathrow – and already codeshares with Oneworld members Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian and SriLankan Airlines.

As a member of Oneworld, Oman Air flights will also become available for planning round-the-world trips with Oneworld, whether using cash or as part of a multi-city award booking made with frequent flyer points.

Oman Air's 787 business class.

Although relatively unknown to Australian travellers, Oman Air counts a fleet of more than 40 aircraft among its stable, including Airbus A330s and Boeing 787s equipped with private suites in first class.

Those Dreamliners also provide fully-flat beds in business class, mirroring the design of Japan Airlines’ Sky Suites and Korean Air’s better Prestige Class cabins.