BUENOS AIRES, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Argentine airline Aerolineas Argentinas (AA) will join the SkyTeam alliance, which already has 13 members in the world, the company said on Tuesday.

The AA will sign an agreement on its SkyTeam membership at the end of October, the company said.

In a statement, SkyTeam said that "it is a meaningful step to welcome the first South American airline as a member of this network."

SkyTeam, formed 10 years ago, is the second alliance of airlines in the world, competing with the Oneworld and Star Alliance.

Skyteam currently has 13 members: Russian flag carrier Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Air Europa, Air France, Alitalia, China Southern, Czech Airlines, the United States' Delta Airlines, Kenya Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Korean Air, Romania's TAROM and Vietnam Airlines.

By joining the alliance, customers of its member airlines can gain access to a global network with more destination, more frequencies and more connectivity. Passengers can earn and redeem Frequent Flyer Miles throughout the SkyTeam network. (Xiong Tong)