This study explores how strategic alliance activities are evolving and the factors that impact on the formation and development of airline alliances. Findings show the initiation of regional and more liberalized bilateral, or open skies, agreements have removed some of the impediments to structural changes in international aviation. Airlines in more liberal markets enter into greater numbers and more integrative forms of alliances. Also, airlines, on average, achieve better results of operation if the market is more liberal. Essentially, there is a positive relationship between the developments of alliances and the liberalization of air transport markets. It has been questioned that the US bilateral open skies agreements provide its carriers more access to the global market and countries that do not enter into such agreements with the US risk a loss of traffic. Consequently, open skies agreements may enable carriers who have the freedom to exercise market power to be dominant in the markets. This suggests that regulatory coordination and liberalization of international aviation reinforce each other and should therefore be pursued simultaneously.