Airline Alliance API

Help travelers find airlines in their preferred alliance. Retrieve alliance membership alongside airline names and codes to add alliance labels, filters and airline comparisons to your travel application.

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  • Airline alliance membership
  • Lookup by code or name
  • JSON, XML and CSV

Look up an airline’s alliance

Look up United Airlines using its IATA code UA and read alliance. This example returns Star Alliance. Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your assigned key.

Request · cURL

curl --get 'https://content.airhex.com/api/v3.7.10/airlines/' \
  --data-urlencode 'apikey=YOUR_API_KEY' \
  --data-urlencode 'iata=UA'

Response · JSON excerpt

[
  {
    "iata": "UA",
    "icao": "UAL",
    "marketing_name": "United Airlines",
    "alliance": "Star Alliance",
    ...
  }
]

Abbreviated response. The ellipsis (…) represents additional airline fields omitted here and is not part of the actual JSON response.

View the full Airline Database API reference →

Request parameters

Look up an airline or export the directory, then read alliance from the returned records. The documented endpoint has no alliance query parameter; group or filter the records in your application.

ParameterRequiredDefaultDescription
apikey YesNoneYour assigned API key. Get a free test API key.
iata ConditionalNoneLook up an airline by its two-character IATA code, such as UA.
icao ConditionalNoneLook up an airline by its three-letter ICAO code, such as UAL.
name ConditionalNoneFind airline codes by airline name or partial name.
dump Conditional0Set to 1 to export the complete dataset, subject to the onlyscheduled filter.
response_type NoJSONResponse format: JSON, XML or CSV. CSV triggers a file download.
onlyscheduled No1Set to 1 for scheduled airlines only, or 0 for all airline types.

Provide at least one of iata, icao, name, or dump=1. Setting dump=1 overrides the other lookup parameters.

View all request parameters →

Available data

Use alliance to display membership alongside the airline identity. Keep status when building a directory of active members, and airhex_id when refreshing your local records.

FieldTypeExampleDescription
airhex_id String965Permanent Airhex record identifier. Use it to associate future updates with the same record.
iata StringUATwo-character IATA airline designator. Codes can contain letters and digits; store them as text.
icao StringUALThree-letter ICAO airline designator, useful for mapping between code systems.
marketing_name StringUnited AirlinesCommonly used airline name for display in your application.
status Integer1Operational status: 1 = active, 0 = defunct, 2 = start-up.
alliance StringStar AllianceAirline alliance membership, where applicable.

View all available data →

Common implementation tasks

Download the directory and group airlines by alliance

Export the directory as CSV, then group records by the alliance field in your application. Filter for the returned alliance name to build a member list and check status if you want active airlines only. onlyscheduled=0 expands carrier-type coverage; inspect type_code to select the records your product needs.

curl --get 'https://content.airhex.com/api/v3.7.10/airlines/' \
  --data-urlencode 'apikey=YOUR_API_KEY' \
  --data-urlencode 'dump=1' \
  --data-urlencode 'onlyscheduled=0' \
  --data-urlencode 'response_type=CSV' \
  --output airline-alliances.csv

Find alliance membership by airline name

Search with name, select the intended airline and read alliance. Partial name matching can return multiple records, so confirm the airline identity before displaying its membership.

curl --get 'https://content.airhex.com/api/v3.7.10/airlines/' \
  --data-urlencode 'apikey=YOUR_API_KEY' \
  --data-urlencode 'name=United'

Retrieve alliance membership using an ICAO code

Use icao when your source supplies a three-letter ICAO airline code. This example retrieves United Airlines using UAL and reads alliance from the same airline record.

curl --get 'https://content.airhex.com/api/v3.7.10/airlines/' \
  --data-urlencode 'apikey=YOUR_API_KEY' \
  --data-urlencode 'icao=UAL'

What you can build

Alliance filters in flight search

Match supplier airline codes to your directory and let travelers narrow results by airline alliance, with clear treatment of marketing and operating carriers.

Airline comparison pages

Display the listed alliance next to each airline’s name to help travelers compare carriers.

Alliance member directories

Group airline records by membership to build browsable lists and internal reports.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Airline Alliance API return?

The alliance field identifies an airline’s listed alliance membership, where applicable. It is part of the Airlines API record alongside airline names, IATA codes, ICAO codes and other reference data.

Can I retrieve all airlines in a particular alliance?

Export the directory with dump=1 and filter the returned alliance values in your application. The documented endpoint does not provide an alliance request parameter. Check status if your member list should include only active airlines. Build groups from populated alliance values and keep airline names and codes with each record to match carriers in search results.

Can I look up membership by IATA code, ICAO code or name?

Yes. Use iata, icao or name to retrieve airline records, then read alliance. Name matching supports partial searches, so select the intended airline before using the result.

What should I show when alliance is empty?

Omit the alliance label or show “No alliance listed” according to your product’s design. Do not infer membership from a parent airline, a codeshare partner or a similar airline name.

Does an alliance match mean a passenger earns miles or gets lounge access?

No. This field describes airline membership and does not determine benefits for a particular passenger or ticket. Use the applicable loyalty-program rules and booking details to establish eligibility.

How should alliance filters handle codeshares?

Decide whether your filter applies to the marketing carrier, operating carrier or both, and explain that choice to travelers. Look up each carrier supplied with the itinerary separately; the alliance field does not establish a flight’s codeshare relationships.

Can I store alliance membership in my own database?

Yes, with an appropriate Airline Database license. Export in JSON, XML or CSV and retain the airline identity with its alliance value. Refresh your directory periodically; Airhex reviews and updates airline data daily. Store airhex_id and the updated timestamp from the full response to pick up membership and airline-status changes.

Does this API return historical alliance membership?

The documented alliance field gives the membership listed on the airline record. It does not provide membership date ranges or an as-of-date lookup. Keep your own dated snapshots if your reporting requires historical comparisons.

Help travelers find airlines in their preferred alliance

Add alliance filters and membership labels to your travel product without maintaining airline membership lists yourself.

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Airline Database API →

Explore the complete airline dataset, including IATA and ICAO codes, names, operational status, carrier types, alliances, frequent flyer programs, check-in and baggage policy links, logos and brand colors. View all request parameters and response fields, with individual lookups and bulk exports in JSON, XML and CSV.

Airline Baggage Policy API →

Retrieve airline baggage policy links by IATA code, ICAO code or airline name. Add official baggage information to booking flows and itineraries with Airhex.

Airline Brand Colors API →

Retrieve airline brand colors as hex and RGB values by IATA code, ICAO code or name. Add airline color accents to travel interfaces with the Airhex API.

Airline Frequent Flyer Programs API →

Look up airline frequent flyer program names by IATA code, ICAO code or airline name. Build loyalty program directories and enrich airline profiles with Airhex.

Airline IATA Codes API →

Look up airline IATA codes, match codes to airline names and ICAO codes, or export the airline coding directory with the Airhex API.

Airline ICAO Codes API →

Look up three-letter ICAO airline codes, match them to airline names and IATA codes, and download the airline directory with the Airhex API.

Airline Metadata API →

Retrieve low-cost carrier flags and airline types, including scheduled, charter, cargo and ACMI. Look up airline metadata by code or name with Airhex.

Airline Online Check-in API →

Retrieve airline online check-in links by IATA code, ICAO code or name. Add online check-in links to itineraries and pre-trip messages with Airhex.

Airline Status API →

Look up airline operational status: active, defunct or start-up. Retrieve status by airline code or name and filter your local airline directory with Airhex.