For travel purposes and for reference I have prepared a quick reference guide for usuage for those with several itinaries or connections. This information may also be useful for frequent flier milage concerns.
Airlines:
Star Alliance (19 airlines plus 3 regionals)
Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Brni, LOT, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Spanair, Swiss, TAP Portugal, Thai, United, US Airways
Regional members: Adria,Blue1, Croatia Airlines

Skyteam (11 airlines and 3 associates)
Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Air France/KLM, Alitalia, China Southern Airlines, Continental, Czech Airlines, Delta, Korean Air, Northwest
Associates: Air Europa, Copa Airlines, Keyna Airways

Oneworld (10 airlines)
American Airlines,British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN Airlines, Malev Hungarian Airlines, Quantas, Royal Jordanian

So what's da buzz at CO? Iz you hookin up whit UA? Gonna play the field? Pissin and Moanin about DL and NW?

Smitopher,

mum's the word. I know the two pilot unions have had meetings [just in case], and mgnt has been in closed door talks. It's a matter of running out of dance partners. Only five legacy carriers left, someone's gonna be the odd man out if mergers are triggered by a single one, as they surely would be.
I think ultimately at some point in the future there will be that final round, it's a matter of when. Personally I feel it best for the employee groups at their various carriers and the flying public if there was never another merger. We shall see.
Hey, to quote thee:
To Do

Peru, Chile, Argentina, China, Russia, South Africa. When you gonna come to Peru? Several of the guys are going in May. Latinalover and Blissman are going with me next week. It's a great place to visit and explore.

CFK

It may also be of interest to some that TAM, which used to be a partner of American Airlines, is now partnered with United. That means you can earn United miles by flying TAM, and cash in United miles for TAM flights (I'm pretty sure), but the miles accumulated on TAM do not count towards United elite status. Some have speculated that TAM will eventually join the Star Alliance, although I haven't seen anything concrete on this yet.

TAM remains one of my favorite airlines for international business class, although their flights into the U.S. are limited to JFK and MIA, at least for now.

Laguy,
how did I manage to miss that one!

OH, Smitty, talking about NW, that would be like selecting the biggest, ugliest, fat assed garota there is! [makes me sick to even think about]
Don't even think it.........

Technically, the United IAD flights are codeshared with TAM. Also, TAM will start flights to GIG direct from MIA and JFK in June or July. Also Korean Airlines will be starting Seoul-LAX-GRU in June but the schedule might be goofy.

Mitch.... are you sure TAM will do non-stop from JFK to gig? where did you get this info? i am interested because i have been hording all my points for delta. by the way, if anyone has to choose between NYC and Rio runs....go with delta. the stop in Atlanta is a breeze . continental has the stop in sao paulo, and as we all know , that is one fucked up airport. i had to go to another airport in SP to take some smaller jet to get to gig because they could not get my continental flight off the ground. anyway, the point is it is easier to transfer in the states than in Brazil

JR,
two positives for the DL flt: they don't go thru SP, and they arrive early in the morning in Rio.

To clarify the CO situation at SP: You don't change planes [when things are ok, and no mechanical problem exists] so your statement regarding the hassel and airport problems at SP really don't apply under NORMAL conditions. Secondly, CO arrives mid-day at Rio. You're right about the other airport, it is located out West of town and not convenient. It is for the domestic flts mostly. Of course this is also the airport where the TAM crash occured last fall; short runway, overshoot, etc...........
CFK

One good reason to fly Delta is definitely the easy connection in Atlanta. Plus, flying directly into GIG without going to sampas is great.

Good reson to fly Continental: CFK retired a while back.

Whew, for a minute there I thought you were going to say the skies are safer.....when in fact only the flight attendants are.

TAM had a press release last year about the MIA-GIG and JFK-GIG flights. It's also on wikipedia and airliners.net. Varig is supposed to start flying to New York soon but it looks like they have canceled plans to service Miami, which blows.

Continental's Star Alliance update.......[should be implemented in August '09]

News Release: CO receives tentative DOT approval to join antitrust immunized alliance with Star carriers.

Contact: Corporate Communications
Houston: 713.324.5080
Email: corpcomm@coair.com
News archive: continental.com/company/news/ Address: P.O. Box 4607, Houston, TX 77210-4607
CONTINENTAL AIRLINES RECEIVES TENTATIVE DOT APPROVAL
TO JOIN ANTITRUST IMMUNIZED ALLIANCE WITH STAR CARRIERS
WASHINGTON, D.C., April 7, 2009 – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today
tentatively approved the application for Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) to join the existing antitrust
immunized alliance between United Airlines and eight other Star Alliance member carriers, and for
Continental to enter into an integrated worldwide alliance.
“Continental’s entrance into Star Alliance will provide substantial benefits for consumers
worldwide while preserving domestic competition and jobs,” said Larry Kellner, Continental’s chairman
and CEO. “In addition, a timely final approval will allow Continental to provide a seamless transition for
its customers from the SkyTeam alliance to Star Alliance this fall.”
The tentative DOT decision not only benefits consumers, but also ensures global competition
with other antitrust immunized alliances and encourages the retention and growth of open skies
between the U.S. and other nations.

In addition to Continental and United, the eight Star Alliance members receiving tentative DOT
approval for antitrust immunity are Air Canada, Austrian, bmi, Lufthansa, LOT Polish Airlines,
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), SWISS and TAP Air Portugal.

(Message edited by copperfieldkid on April 09, 2009)