Aerolíneas Argentinas, the flag carrier of Argentina, will become the first South American airline to join the SkyTeam alliance.
The carrier is expected to start the process of signing up at the end of October, with a view to becoming a full member of the alliance by 2012.
Passengers will benefit from greater access to South America, said a spokesman for SkyTeam, which is aiming to increase its global reach.
"SkyTeam is actively working to strengthen its presence in Latin America, a region with strong growth figures and a positive outlook for the future," he said.
"Aerolíneas Argentinas, which is expected to join SkyTeam in 2012, fits perfectly in SkyTeam's growth strategy."
Vietnam Airlines and TAROM joined SkyTeam in June and China Eastern and China Airlines will join in 2011.
SkyTeam said it was actively seeking more members in Southeast Asia, India and Latin America.
