AER Lingus is to tell the Irish government next week which global airline alliance it plans to join.
Ministers will then make their own recommendations in a report expected to be published next month.
Final details will be ironed out in the summer and a decision made in the autumn.
The state-owned carrier claims it has been approached by all the major airline alliances. It also revealed that it has held talks on creating new bilateral agreements.
Executive vice-president London and Europe Seamus Kearney said: “We must be part of an alliance to give us network benefits.”
Key criteria for the airline is a strong US partner to enable Aer Lingus to build on the success of its transatlantic services. These will be enhanced next month with the launch of flights to Los Angeles.
Kearney refused to be drawn on which global alliance Aer Lingus favours. “All options are being considered. We have talked to all the main protagonists in the alliance groupings,” he said.
The British Airways-led Oneworld is believed to be favourite as Aer Lingus would benefit from an alliance with American Airlines and a strong European network through BA.
An agreement would also benefit BA, which at the moment does not have any options to serve Ireland from Heathrow.
Aer Lingus currently codeshares with Delta Air Lines on New York flights, but Kearney said this would not have any bearing on the outcome of talks.
Similarly, the Irish carrier also codeshares with KLM.
This may be widened to include other KLMpartners including Continental Airlines which will give Aer Lingus an alliance with a US carrier that serves Dublin and ShannonAirports.
The Irish government has said a move by Aer Lingus to link up with a foreign airline could involve another carrier buying a stake in the Irish carrier.
No limit has yet been set for a share to be sold off.