Traveler’s guide to the best frequent flyer programs

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Ariana Arghandewal,

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Published on June 07, 2024 | 3 min read

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Key takeaways

Frequent flyer programs offer rewards to encourage customer loyalty.
Rewards are issued in the form of miles or points, and you can also earn elite status to qualify for upgrades and other perks.
Although all frequent flyer programs are free to join, you should focus on one primary program for earning rewards and status.

Since they were introduced three decades ago, savvy travel hackers have figured out how to leverage frequent flyer programs for heavily discounted (and upgraded) travel. But you don’t have to be a seasoned pro to get started with these programs. All it takes is a quick sign-up process, a bit of research into the different ways to earn miles and remembering to credit your flights to your account.

While frequent flyer programs are free to join — and you can certainly sign up for all of them — you should focus on one primary program to earn status with. But with so many options, how do you choose? Here’s a look at some of the best airline rewards programs and how to choose one that suits your needs..

What is the best frequent flyer program?

The best frequent flyer program depends on your hub city, travel habits and goals. As hub cities go, if you’re based in Houston, United MileagePlus might be a good fit, while American AAdvantage is better suited to those living in Dallas. If your goals involve using miles to travel abroad, the allure of Southwest Rapid Rewards might be lost on you.

All that aside, some frequent flyer programs are more rewarding than others. They make earning miles and elite status easy while offering reasonable redemption rates, especially when a program’s airline is partnered with popular travel rewards credit cards.

While some of the best programs are affiliated with foreign carriers, you don’t have to fly with them to earn status or miles. You can travel on U.S. airlines in the same network as those foreign carriers and credit your flight to the foreign rewards program for better value.

Here’s a look at the best frequent flyer programs within Oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance.

Best overall

Alaska Mileage Plan

4.7

Part of the Oneworld Alliance, the Alaska Mileage Plan is the best overall frequent flyer program. The program has reasonable elite status requirements and is one of the few still publishing an award chart. This makes it easy for members to figure out how many miles they need for a flight. Award flights start at just 5,000 miles and the free stopover allowance on one-way awards allows you to stretch your miles further by working multiple trips into one award redemption.

One of the best ways to redeem Alaska miles is for long-haul business-class flights with partner airlines. Examples include 50,000 miles one-way for a business class seat to Asia on Japan Airlines or Cathay Pacific. It’s worth noting that award charts were revamped in March 2024 to become distance-based. Even so, the rates are reasonable compared to other loyalty programs. Flying from the West Coast to Japan, for example, will still cost just 50,000 miles each way in business class.

Network coverage: 5/5

Alaska Airlines may be a domestic carrier but thanks to its vast partnerships, it has a large route network spanning 1,000 destinations worldwide.

Co-brand and transfer partnerships: 3/5

Alaska Airlines has two credit cards: The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card and Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card*, providing opportunities to boost your Mileage Plan balance via credit card welcome bonuses and rewards on everyday spending. The Alaska Mileage Plan is also a 1:1 transfer partner of Bilt Rewards, the only loyalty program that lets you earn points on fee-free rent payments. Bilt also runs periodic transfer bonuses, making it easy to stock up on Alaska miles quickly.

Ease of redeeming miles: 5/5

Alaska Airlines makes earning and redeeming miles easy by publishing an award chart that clearly states redemption rates (which start at 5,000 miles each way). Best of all, you can redeem most partner awards online, which is convenient when trying to research multiple partner flights on the same route.

Elite status requirements and benefits: 5/5

The Alaska Mileage Plan has one of the lowest elite status requirements of any frequent flyer program. It takes just 20,000 miles to earn baseline MVP status, which entitles you to useful perks like 50 percent elite bonus miles in 2024 (dropping to 25 percent in 2025), first and premium class upgrades up to 48 hours before departure, priority check-in, up to two free checked bags, an Alaska Lounge membership discount and priority security lines at participating airports.

Mileage expiration: 5/5

Alaska miles don’t expire, which means you don’t have to worry about losing out on your hard-earned miles because you didn’t get to redeem them before a specific date.

Airline reliability: 5/5

Alaska Airlines ranks above-average when it comes to on-time performance. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Alaska’s on-time performance in 2023 was 79.48 percent, while it dropped to 77.37 percent between January and July 2024. These numbers are right at or slightly above-average, giving Alaska flyers peace of mind and reason to keep working towards their elite status goals.

Best for earning elite status without flying

American Airlines

3.3

The American Airlines AAdvantage program has several things going for it. For starters, the program still publishes an award chart for partner flights, so you can know exactly how many miles you’ll need for a flight. American Airlines is part of the Oneworld Alliance, meaning you can use AAdvantage miles on partner carriers like Iberia, Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways and Finnair, to name a few.

One of the best “sweet spot” awards includes off-peak economy tickets to Europe for just 22,500 miles each way. Even luxury travel is reasonably priced, with the famous Qatar Airways Qsuites pricing out at 70,000 miles each way to the Middle East.

American Airlines is also one of the only frequent flyer programs that counts nearly all rewards earned toward elite status. This includes purchases made through credit card spending, shopping portals and dining rewards. In other words, with AAdvantage, you could earn top-tier elite status without ever stepping on a plane.

Network coverage: 4/5

American Airlines is one of the largest airlines in North America by passengers carried and serves over 365 airports in 61 countries. The airline is also part of the Oneworld Alliance, which serves over 900 destinations in 170 countries. This wide network provides members plenty of opportunities to earn and redeem miles.

Co-brand and transfer partnerships: 3/5

American Airlines has five credit cards that let you earn miles via generous welcome bonuses and everyday spending. Unfortunately, American AAdvantage has discontinued its transfer partnership with Bilt Rewards, so there is no longer a 1:1 transfer option for topping up your account balance. However, you can still transfer points from Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 20,000 points transferred.

Ease of redeeming miles: 4/5

American Airlines utilizes dynamic pricing for its own flights but still publishes a partner award chart. Free flights start at just 7,500 miles and the program even has a handy tool to help you figure out how many miles you need for a partner flight. With 21 partner airlines bookable online, the AAdvantage program makes it easy to redeem miles for flights.

Elite status requirements and benefits: 4/5

American AAdvantage uses Loyalty Points to calculate elite status progress. Loyalty Points are earned via flights as well as credit card spending and other qualifying partnership activity. This makes status much more attainable, even if it does take 40,000 Loyalty Points to reach Gold status and 200,000 to achieve top-tier Executive Platinum.

Point expiration: 2/5

AAdvantage miles expire after 24 months of inactivity, which is less time than most other frequent flyer programs impose. However, since AAdvantage miles are fairly easy to earn via credit card spending and other activities, it may not be an issue for most members.

Airline reliability: 3/5

Airline reliability is important if you’re traveling frequently with one airline. American Airlines performs below-average on on-time performance compared to other carriers. BTS reports 70.91 percent on-time performance between January and July 2024 (vs. 75.36 percent average for all airlines) and 75.94 percent in 2023 (vs. 78.22 percent). This may be a hindrance for frequent fliers who want to minimize delays while traveling for work or leisure.

Best for cheap domestic flights

Turkish Miles&Smiles

4.1

The Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles is a member of Star Alliance and offers some incredible sweet spot awards that are significantly cheaper than most other loyalty programs. Miles&Smiles also offers one of the easiest ways to earn Star Alliance’s elite status. It takes just 25,000 miles to earn Classic Plus status, equivalent to Star Alliance Silver. There’s no revenue requirement, making earning status from cheaper flights possible.

Network coverage: 5/5

Turkish Airlines flies to 349 destinations in 130 countries, providing plenty of opportunities to redeem your miles for travel. In addition, Turkish Airlines is a Star Alliance member, a network that provides coverage in over 1,150 destinations in 189 countries worldwide.

Co-brand and transfer partnerships: 4/5

While Turkish Airlines doesn’t have any co-branded credit cards in the U.S., it makes up for it with numerous transfer partnerships. You can get Turkish miles easily through 1:1 transfers from Bilt Rewards, Capital One and the Citi ThankYou program. This makes Turkish Miles&Smiles incredibly accessible, so you can save up for your dream vacation faster.

Ease of redeeming miles: 5/5

Turkish Miles&Smiles still publishes an award chart, which makes it easy to determine how many miles you’ll need for an award flight (and save up accordingly). Award flights start at just 4,500 miles each way and sweet spots include 20,000-mile round-trip flights within the U.S. on United Airlines.

Turkish airlines even allows online redemptions for these United flights, which is incredibly convenient if you don’t want to deal with long hold times. The only downside? Turkish Airlines’ website is notoriously glitchy.

Elite status requirements and benefits: 5/5

Turkish Airlines makes it fairly easy to earn elite status, requiring just 25,000 miles for Classic Plus status and 80,000 for top-tier Elite Plus. Status is valid for two years and Classic Plus members receive practical perks like extra baggage, complimentary lounge access and business class check-in for domestic flights. Top-tier elites are spoiled with luxury perks like access to a special terminal entrance and passport counter at Istanbul International Airport (IST), seat upgrades, elite card gifting privileges and more.

Mileage expiration: 3/5

Turkish miles expire after three years of inactivity. It’s worth noting that point transfers usually aren’t considered qualifying activity. However, if you earn or redeem miles during that period, your miles typically won’t expire. Furthermore, if you fly a Star Alliance carrier like United and credit your miles to Turkish Miles&Smiles, you’ll earn miles and qualifying activity that will keep them from expiring.

Airline reliability: 3/5

According to OAG, a company that publishes aviation statistics, Turkish Airlines is one of the top 20 airlines around the world in terms of on-time performance. In 2022, the airline ranked 16th, with 64.08 percent on-time performance. Despite the high ranking, the number is still on the low end, especially compared to the 88.79 percent achieved by the #1 airline, All Nippon Airways.

Best for cheap international flights

Air France/KLM Flying Blue

3.7

Air France and KLM’s joint Flying Blue program is part of the SkyTeam alliance and offers some of the cheapest international flights using miles. The program partners with five transferable rewards programs, making it easy to save up miles for an award flight.

Not only are Flying Blue miles easy to earn, but they’ll go a long way thanks to generous sweet spot awards. Flying Blue’s monthly Promo Rewards offer value beyond its standard award chart, with discounts of up to 50 percent.

Network coverage: 5/5

Flying Blue has a strong route network, thanks to its SkyTeam membership. SkyTeam serves over 1,000 destinations in over 160 countries worldwide. With Flying Blue miles, you’re not just earning and redeeming miles on KLM and Flying Blue: You can also fly Delta Air Lines, ITA Airways, Korean Air and Virgin Atlantic, to name a few.

Co-brand and transfer partnerships: 5/5

Flying Blue is one of the best loyalty programs when it comes to earning miles via co-branded cards and transfer partnerships. While the program offers just one co-branded credit card in the U.S. (the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard®*), it offers a generous welcome bonus and benefits at a reasonable $89 annual fee.

But where Flying Blue shines is in its transfer partnerships: The program is a 1:1 transfer partner of every major rewards program: Amex Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards and Wells Fargo Rewards. These partnerships make Flying Blue miles incredibly accessible and easy to earn.

Ease of redeeming miles: 2/5

While earning Flying Blue miles is easy, redeeming them can be challenging. Not all transfer partner flights are bookable online, so you may have to call the airline for some bookings. But Flying Blue does have an award calculator (based on this award chart) that can help you figure out how many miles you’ll need for a flight.

The program also offers deep discounts on award flights through monthly Promo Rewards. Considering long-haul flights between the U.S. and Europe start at just 30,000 miles round-trip, this is an excellent program for stretching your rewards further.

Elite status requirements and benefits: 4/5

FlyingBlue has four elite status levels, starting with Silver and going up to Ultimate. Members have to earn Experience Points (XP) for status, which is calculated based on flight distance, cabin and elite status. Members can earn between two and 60 XP, depending on these factors.

Furthermore, you can earn XPs by buying carbon credits, donating to charity or via the Flying Blue credit card, which offers 20 XP on every account anniversary and an additional 40 XP after you spend $15,000 or more on purchases within the anniversary year – that’s 60 percent of the way to Silver status.

Silver status requires earning 100 XP and provides benefits like free checked bags and seat selection, priority check-in, complimentary free checked bag on SkyTeam flights and 6 miles per Euro spent on flights.

Top-Tier Ultimate status requires earning 900 UXP (Ultimate Experience Points) in a year, earned entirely from Air France or KLM flights. These elites receive ultra-luxury perks like a dedicated Platinum Service Line, 8 miles per Euro spent on flights, Sky Priority access at airports, lounge access with guest privileges and more.

Point expiration: 2/5

Unfortunately, simply earning and redeeming miles won’t keep your Flying Blue miles from expiring after two years. You have to travel at least once every two years on Air France, KLM or a partner airline flight. Mileage expiration is waived if you’re a Flying Blue Silver, Gold or Platinum member during this period. You can also avoid mileage expiration by making a purchase with a co-branded credit card once every two years.

Airline reliability: 4/5

According to OAG, KLM and Air France rank 11th and 12th, respectively in terms of on-time performance in 2022. Air France achieved 72.10 percent on-time performance while KLM reached 73.06 percent. While this isn’t going to be a priority for U.S.-based travelers, it’s useful information to have when traveling abroad.

Best for families

Southwest Rapid Rewards

3.5

The Southwest Rapid Rewards program is great for families and domestic travelers who want a straightforward loyalty program that offers practical rewards. Members earn points based on the fare type and cost. In addition to making their way toward higher status, members can qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass after earning 135,000 points. Families who can manage to earn two or more of these Companion Fares can cut the cost of family travel in half. Points earned from Southwest credit card sign-up bonuses also qualify toward the Companion Pass, making it incredibly attainable.

Further, Southwest famously offers two free checked bags per passenger, making this a preferred airline for value travelers who want a no-frills travel experience with practical perks and easy redemptions.

Network coverage: 2/5

Southwest has a limited route network compared to other airlines, but it’s a solid option for domestic travelers. The airline flies to over 100 destinations in 42 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. While its route network is limited, it does serve key markets at competitive fares.

Co-brand and transfer partnerships: 4/5

There are five Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards to choose from, providing ample opportunity to rack up points. Southwest is also a 1:1 transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards, so members can transfer rewards earned from cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® to their Rapid Rewards account. Marriott points also transfer 3:1 to Southwest Rapid Rewards.

Ease of redeeming miles: 4/5

Southwest airlines makes it easy to redeem points for flights. There is no award chart, but points are worth around 1.5 cents each towards Wanna Get Away fares. While you can’t use these points for a first class flight (thus maximizing the value of your rewards), the simplicity makes up for it. You can redeem Rapid Rewards points toward any flight available for sale – no blackout dates or restrictions apply.

Elite status requirements and benefits: 3/5

Southwest Rapid Rewards has three elite status tiers and they’re fairly attainable. It’s worth noting that Southwest doesn’t have a premium cabin and offers two free checked bags per traveler (something that might change next year). So elite status with this frequent flyer program doesn’t offer the same level of perks and luxury.

However, the program has one major advantage that makes earning status worthwhile: The Southwest Companion Pass. Reserved for top-tier elites who complete 100 flights or earn 135,000 points in a calendar year, it allows you to designate a companion who then flies for just the cost of taxes and fees. The Companion Pass can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars on airfare, making it one of the best elite status perks out there. The best part? The welcome bonus from the Southwest credit cards actually counts towards the 135,000-point requirement.

Point expiration: 5/5

Southwest points do not expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing. That’s a significant feature, especially when you factor the ease of earning and redeeming points.

Airline reliability: 3/5

Southwest’s on-time record is just about average for both 2023 and 2024. According to BTS, the airline achieved 76.56 percent on-time arrival in 2024 (vs. 75.36 percent for all airlines) and 77.25 percent in 2023 (vs. 78.22 percent). This is worth noting for those who are looking for a frequent flyer program that has a fairly reliable airline attached to it.

Best for domestic frequent flyers

United MileagePlus

4.3

The United MileagePlus program is popular among domestic frequent flyers seeking valuable elite perks and a large partner network. United Airlines is part of the Star Alliance, which includes 25 airlines serving over 1,200 airports worldwide. While award flights are priced dynamically (i.e. based on demand and paid fares), the program can offer excellent value on short-haul and off-peak season travel. Unlike Star Alliance airlines like Lufthansa, United doesn’t impose fuel surcharges on award flights. So even if you end up redeeming more miles, you might save money by redeeming United miles.

Travelers also remain loyal to United for its attainable elite status requirements. United makes it possible to earn Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) through spending on select United credit cards. Once they’ve earned status, United elite members can enjoy perks like complimentary seat upgrades, free checked bags and access to better award availability.

Network coverage: 4/5

United has a large network, with hubs in major cities domestically and abroad. As of 2023, United served 348 destinations on its own and over 1,200 across 189 countries through the Star Alliance network.

Co-brand and transfer partnerships: 5/5

United MileagePlus has six co-branded credit cards issued by Chase, catering to different types of travelers. United is also a 1:1 transfer partner of Bilt Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards, providing plenty of opportunities to top off your balance quickly for an award flight. Plus, United is a 3:1 transfer partner of Marriott Bonvoy.

Ease of redeeming miles: 3/5

United no longer publishes an award chart. Instead it utilizes dynamic pricing, which makes redemption rates more unpredictable. That being said, the cheapest award flights start at around 5,900 miles and increase into six figures depending on the fare and cabin.

Partner programs like Turkish Miles&Smiles offer award charts and might have better redemption rates during peak travel season, especially on premium cabin flights.

Elite status requirements and benefits: 4/5

United MileagePlus has four elite status tiers, with numerous paths to get there. Base-level Premier Silver status requires 12 Premier Qualification Flights (PQF) and 4,000 Premier Qualification Points (PQP). Alternatively, you can earn this status level by earning 5,000 PQP instead.

Premier Silver elites get useful perks like free checked bags, upgrades to Economy Plus, priority boarding and 7X miles earned on every flight. Top-tier Premier 1K status can also be rewarding, with three checked bags, Economy Plus upgrades at booking for you and up to eight companions, 11X miles on every flight and more. MileagePlus Premier 1K status requires 54 PQF and 18,000 PQP or 24,000 PQP.

Since you can earn PQPs from the United Quest℠ Card* and United Club℠ Infinite Card*, earning status with United MileagePlus is a lot easier.

Point expiration: 5/5

United MileagePlus miles don’t expire, making them ideal for folks who have trouble earning and redeeming miles rapidly.

Airline reliability: 5/5

United Airlines ranks slightly above average when it comes to airline reliability. Their on-time performance reached 78.36 percent in 2024 (vs 75.36 percent for all airlines) and 78.07 percent in 2023 vs. (78.22 percent).

How to choose the best frequent flyer program for you

Choosing the best frequent flyer program comes down to numerous personal factors that impact your travel habits and goals:

Which airlines service your home airport?
What do you plan on redeeming your miles for?
How often do you fly?
What are your status goals?
Is your travel mostly focused domestically or internationally?

The most important factors include which airlines service your area as well as your travel and status goals. If you live in an Alaska Airlines or American Airlines hub city, then either of those frequent flyer programs will be a great fit for you. You’ll have an easier time earning miles and elite status when paying for flights, along with ample opportunities to redeem those miles for travel.

If you fly United frequently and want to redeem miles for international business class, then you may want to consider crediting your flights to Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles. The program has lower redemption rates than United on many of the same flights, making it an excellent frequent flyer program for earning and burning miles.

If your goal is to fly international first class, then Southwest Rapid Rewards probably isn’t the best program for you since Southwest flies mostly domestic routes and has no first class equivalent. While you should claim your miles when flying Southwest, you can probably skip the co-branded credit card.

Ultimately, frequent flyer miles should be rewarding. Think about what that means to you and which program might best serve those needs.

The bottom line

Navigating frequent flyer programs can be overwhelming, but immensely rewarding for those who put in the work. By taking the time to do your research and find the most rewarding option, you’ll be on your way to earning more miles, elite status and (nearly) free travel. By understanding how the programs work, which co-branded credit cards are worth signing up for and how to take advantage of the best redemption rates, you can stay ahead of a game that’s designed to benefit the airlines.

Learn more: For more travel tips and tricks, check out Bankrate's travel toolkit.

We evaluated each airline on a scale of 1-5 (1 being lowest, 5 being highest) in the following categories: network coverage, co-brand and transfer partnerships, ease of redeeming miles, elite status requirements and benefits, point expiration, and reliability. The total scores were calculated based on the average score achieved in each category.

Scores in each category were awarded based on how well each airline ranked compared to other carriers.

Network coverage: The network coverage score was calculated based on the number of destinations served by each airline and its partners. Airlines serving both domestic and international destinations received a ranking of at least 2/5. Additional points were awarded to airlines serving over 1,000 destinations and those that are members of an airline alliance.

Co-brand and transfer partnerships: Scores were determined based on the number of options available. Airlines received one point for offering at least one personal card, one point for having at least one business card and one point for each transfer partner option.

Ease of redeeming miles: Determined by whether an airline publishes an award chart, allows online redemptions (including partner awards) and offers reasonably priced awards. Airlines that had low starting levels for awards scored higher and those that implemented dynamic pricing lost a point.

Elite status requirements and benefits: Scores were awarded based on the attainability of earning low-level and top-tier elite status. Additional points went to programs that allowed elite status to be earned via credit card welcome bonuses and spending. Lastly, elite status benefits were evaluated based on practicality and usability across more than one airline.

Point expiration: Frequent flyer miles that don’t expire received top scores, while those with long expiration policies scored slightly lower. The options for keeping points from expiring also factored into rankings, with programs like Flying Blue scoring low because of limited options for generating qualifying activity to keep accounts active.

Airline reliability: Airline reliability is determined based on how far each airline ranked above or below other carriers when it came to on-time performance as determined by BTS data.

*The information about the Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card, Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard®, United Quest℠ Card and United Club℠ Infinite has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.

Written by

Ariana Arghandewal

Contributor, Personal Finance

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Part of Travel Credit Card Tips and Tricks

Traveler’s guide to the best frequent flyer programs

Key takeaways

What is the best frequent flyer program?

Alaska Mileage Plan

Bankrate’s take

American Airlines

Bankrate’s take

Turkish Miles&Smiles

Bankrate’s take

Air France/KLM Flying Blue

Bankrate’s take

Southwest Rapid Rewards

Bankrate’s take

United MileagePlus

Bankrate’s take

How to choose the best frequent flyer program for you

The bottom line

Methodology

Article sources

Explore our top credit card picks

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