Air France-KLM and SAS Join Forces for Stronger Transatlantic Ties

Air France-KLM and SAS Scandinavian Airlines have unveiled plans to significantly enhance their current commercial partnership. This initiative aims to improve connectivity and elevate the travel experience for passengers journeying between Scandinavia and the United States.

On September 23, 2025, Air France announced it would apply its code to SAS-operated non-stop transatlantic flights. As highlighted in a statement from the Air-France KLM Group, “This new codeshare agreement will offer customers seamless access to a broader range of destinations across the United States via key Scandinavian hubs.”

“This strategic initiative underscores both partners’ commitment to providing greater convenience and improved loyalty benefits for their respective passengers,” the statement further noted.

The Air France-KLM Group currently holds a 19.9% stake in SAS, a position acquired following SAS’s emergence from Chapter 11 restructuring in late 2024. Air France-KLM has also expressed ambition to secure a majority share by the second half of 2026, paving the way for SAS to become a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group.

The new codeshare routes will include direct flights from Copenhagen International Airport (CPH) to cities like Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), New York-Newark (EWR), New York-JFK (JFK), San Francisco (SFO), Seattle (SEA), and Washington, DC (IAD), all bearing the AF flight number prefix.

Additionally, routes from Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) to New York-Newark (EWR) and Miami (MIA) will be part of this partnership, along with flights from Oslo Airport (OSL) to New York-Newark (EWR) and New York-JFK (JFK).

This expanded codeshare collaboration builds upon the successful commercial cooperation launched in 2024. It also strengthens the relationship between Air France and SAS, both partners in the SkyTeam alliance, which SAS joined in September 2024—of which Air France-KLM is a founding member.

The momentum from this partnership continued earlier this year when SAS added its code to several long-haul international flights operated by Air France and KLM from their hubs at Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Amsterdam Schiphol airports (AMS). This also included reciprocal codeshares on their European networks, initiated in 2024.

Travelers on these codeshare routes can earn miles and experience points (known as ‘XPs’) towards their Flying Blue status.

“This ongoing deepening of the commercial partnership highlights the airlines’ shared vision to offer passengers a wider array of choices and greater flexibility,” stated the airline partners.

More about the Partners and SkyTeam

Air France-KLM stands as a prominent airline group concerning international traffic originating from Europe. It provides travelers access to a vast network, covering over 320 destinations through Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, and Transavia, primarily from its bases at Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Paris-Orly (ORY), and Amsterdam-Schiphol.

Alongside partners like Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic, Air France-KLM manages the largest transatlantic joint venture, boasting over 340 daily flights. SkyTeam comprises 19 member airlines that collaborate across an extensive global network.

SAS, Scandinavia’s leading airline since 1946, operates a global hub at Copenhagen Airport (CPH), supplemented by hubs in Oslo (OSL) and Stockholm (ARN). Annually, SAS serves over 25 million passengers and transports around 60,000 tons of cargo, reaching 135 destinations across Europe, the USA, and Asia.

Acknowledged as the most punctual airline in Europe and worldwide, SAS employs over 10,000 staff and is dedicated to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. “To move from the old to what is about to come is the only tradition worth keeping,” states the SAS website.