8 Best Frequent Flyer Programs For Redeeming Miles: Here Are My Top Picks

This may be niche, but you can also use Atmos Rewards to book Porter into Toronto. Great use of miles for quick hops to Toronto from Newark. Not particularly aspirational, but a nice thing to have for last-minute hockey trips 🙂

This is the way.

Oh, and please note, Delta SkyMiles, aka, SkyPesos, is not on here.

500K for one-way TATL DeltaOne for a 7-hour flight is absurd. So is 1-2 million for ATL-JNB.

Super useful. I know that Cathay Pacific Asia Miles used to offer lower surcharges for all ex-U.S. BA flights, though on a recent snoop I found that BA surcharges have gone down significantly, sometimes as low as just £250 – is that new? That would significantly add to BA's value if so.

Given the increasing restrictions on partner availability across most programs, I'd be really interested to see a ranking of programs based on redemptions/benefits on their own metal.

The $150 CAD Aeroplan change/cancelation fee can really burn and add up. I like being able to lock in a seat with United and flexibility to change it. For example, I'm going to Germany and know I will have to show a return ticket to legally enter but I also know that the award seat I'll likely fly home on hasn't opened up yet. Easy to do with United, can be a bit more costly and clunky with Aeroplan.

Ben, I find the use of the word 'restricted', regarding American Airlines and award availability on Qatar and Eithiad flights originating/arriving in the US (or North America in general) an interesting (deliberate?) verbiage choice. Would very much like your take on this.

I'd like to suggest the FF program from downunder. It's true that Qantas doesn't have the best rates for redeeming, but they're not that bad either. What makes this program interesting is the fact that you can move your miles freely and free of charge between family and friends. So if you don't fly Oneworld a lot, you can still collect a meaningful amount of miles by snatching your kids' miles...

How can you make any opinion on MileagePlus since you can not use them? At least tell new readers why there is a void in your choices. I’m sorry but let’s be honest here. All of your readers on the MileagePlus hamster reel are saying what about me.

AsiaMiles is also a solid way to redeem JAL, Qatar, and--of course--Cathay itself. I get at least as much value out of it as Avios.

It’s certainly not my favorite program, but SkyMiles have their uses. Domestic US bookings are often very attractively priced, they have occasional promotional deals, and once in a rare while I have seen good TATL fares on point.me.

Of all the airlines I’ve dealt with, Delta is the most pronounced in terms of having much better prices for roundtrip compared to one-way, something you can’t learn with a point.me search.

You can just book Aeroplan Flexible for a ticket you're almost always gonna cancel

Anything on Delta metal will cost an arm and a leg but there are some sweet spots for partner awards. I just booked DXB-LHR-CDG on VS Upper Class (second leg on AF Europe Business) for 42,500 skypesos. Not too bad for 8 hours in business class.

Interesting. I would definitely have Finnair on my list, simply for the awesome JAL availability and ease of booking.

Agree. But it’s still a smallish cost on a business award. I changed my flight from Japan to Sydney last month by a day and didn’t overly worry about the $150. Was hoping lifemiles would show the space but they never did (on that specific day). 36k lifemiles v 45k aero plan. Both still good for ten hours in ANA biz

United has a good app and I used to use them A LOT for redemptions but I zeroed my account there and never use them. It’s just so much cheaper to use lifemiles or aero plan to fly. So I don’t think it’s necessarily bias on Ben’s behalf.

Skymiles can offer good value for partner premium cabin redemptions for itineraries outside North America.

Unfortunately out of LAX have gone down the tubes for me. Plenty of availability but triple the mileage needed compared to a couple of years back. Unfortunately learned from Delta.

So United MileagePlus doesn't make the list, even though this blogger is a US-based traveler, and the UA program provides access to the biggest alliance, offers family pooling of miles, has no surcharges, has no redeposit fees, and its miles don't expire?

I'm turning my attention more to programs that will give me improved availability on their own metal: EVA, AsiaMiles, ANA.

AAdvantage is great for JL F, for AA J YYZ-CUN/TQO/MEX.
Aeroplan is becoming deeply frustrating, for those of us without SuperElite. AF/KLM is solid, neither a bargain, nor a nuisance.
VS is a disappointment: unavailability on SkyTeam partners and bad IT/search. Alaska Atmos is great for Lingus, PorterReserve, Condor, Starlux.

One more Avios airline is Loganair. They are most famous for their Twin Otter flight from Glasgow to Barra where the local beach is the runway. Very cool.

I don’t know why you’re like lifemiles so much. I’ve been using them on and off for 10 years and every time I use them I regret it just canceled two award tickets cost me $450 and took over five business days to get the miles credited. Always regret using these guys and I’m not sure why you still recommend them?!?

I don’t know why you’re like lifemiles so much. I’ve been using them on and off for 10 years and every time I use them I regret it just canceled two award tickets cost me $450 and took over five business days to get the miles credited. Always regret using these guys and I’m not sure why you still recommend them?!?

When a single redemption cost a bizillione miles, no amount of pooling together makes sense mate…

I had kind of given up on United miles, since they charged 200K+ transatlantic. But then I found a flight MUC to Maui via DEN for 80K. First leg 'J' on LH, second leg UA Premium, meh. But I keep checking. It would not be the first time I find a better flight within 24 hours of departure. Apart from that, I have miles/points with a handful of alliances, so for long trips like RTW's I have a nice buffet to chose from.

United has the best App At least you can see the seat map at any time.

If you suscribe you get more miles and no cancel fees. They serve a purpose. A very solid purpose. I used them more in the past but still use them a lot now. I mean $1000 Sydney to Europe in biz. That’s why they are recommended. Not sure how many provisos need to go with it but such is life.

Interesting re EVA. I really like them and used to use mileage plus until they skyrocket the redemptions. I’ll have to take a look. Any egs of good value uses? Thanks mate.

And its program costs 3x the others?

100%. 90k Oceanía to Europe is very good.

And stupidly high redemption rates for long haul UA flights and non-existant availability of *A flights for points or cash (compared to even two years ago).
btw I've been a MP member for 40 years and am lifetime Gold. The program is now a bait scam operation for US credit card holders.

I am surprised how Aeroplan is in this list. It used to be one of the best ones, but no longer. Recently, I checked availability to Boston from Dubai, and it gives me 700k as business class, but discreetly mentions that only 5% is business. And that isn't a one off price as it is all over the routes from the Middle East. Wodnerful deal!!

Only someone who hasn't tried redeeming Aeroplan for years would put it on anything but a scam list.

It appears the writer likely wrote the article before learning about Emirates new “basic business” class fare. Sadly, this will probably spread throughout the industry. As it assures more profits for carriers.

@Ben,
Why not do a list of some of the worst+why.

Like Skymiles and Krisflyer.

Hey Mick. Can you expand on the AU to Europe in biz. This would be very helpful to my situation living in Aus with family in Europe -

The last redemption I did was syd to London via sfo! All on United and it priced out at about 80k (from memory). Otherwise it’s just hope for Thai airways via Bangkok mostly. I look mostly very close in (so not good if you’re looking months in advance). Try lots of city pairs. Syd-muc, syd to Rome etc. seat aero for individual legs and then try to piece them together for a complete journey. It can be exhausting but if it works it saves a LOT of money. Then I just buy the points and press go.

I canceled a ticket about 1 week ago. I did it on-line (do you know it can be done on-line now?). Miles were credited immediately and the taxes took a few days. You can even choose to convert the value of your taxes into more miles that can be deposited immediately (although the $/mile rate is not good).

Aeroplan is good if you can find award space, which has become a major problem lately. Turkish used to be the best option between Boston and Asia - nothing available now. Nothing on ANA either. Thai plus LH/LX shows up only close to departure, not ideal when flights are needed on specific dates. The only way back to the US with good availability is SQ/AI to Delhi, then AI to the US. LH/LX between Boston and Europe is still wide open close to departure, though.

Same story with AA - CGK to BOS on JL used to be available when the schedule opened, but not anymore. Tokyo to the US now has ridiculous dynamic pricing, so have to originate elsewhere in Japan. And AA domestic connection also have ridiculous pricing the first day the schedule opens. Fares come back to normal on the second day, but by then the long haul JL awards are gone.

So a lot of these programs are fine for spur of the moment fun/review trips, not so good when you need to get somewhere on a specific date, even when you plan a year in advance.

United MileagePlus is garbage that's why it's not on the list.

Aeroplan is still blocking lots of partners.
On top of that their algorithm will not come up with partner combos where overpriced AC alternatives exist (it wont for example show LO beyond WAW to Europe forcing sh!tty AC metal at dynamic pricing.

And the per person punitive cancel fees.

And the endless call center wait times.

And the increasing inability to put together itineraries that dont come up online (although thats the case with most programs)

I'm in a United hub. MileagePlus is a garbage program. Outside of some business travelers, in most cases onlly a fool puts spend on a United card when cards with transferable currencies such as offerings from Chase, Citi and Amex exist.

Current MP is a scam, period. No availability, redemption rates exorbitant.

(United flyer for twenty-some years; United Club card, MP 1K, Platinum, Gold, phased out in 2025). United had been the least bad option for corporate travel. Now that I don't travel for work, I mostly switched to non-US carriers for personal travel. Will cancel the card next year.

For long haul economy UA redemption rates are not bad and I find their miles are easier to obtain using numerous credit cards.
Llifemiles are too much of a pain. I used miles earlier this year to fly from Poland to Mexico and it took hours on the phone to get the ticket. And then I had to dispute the Mexican tourist tax through my credit card as Lifemiles was totally incompetent at removing it.

As noted by others, Aeoplan's dynamic award pricing, beyond the limited availability on partner airlines, makes it unattractive most of the time even on its own flights: 250,000+ to Europe, Asia or Latin America are frequent examples. Well below 8th in a comparison ranking with others on your list.

I’ve been using Aeroplan for six years. In February I flew Lufthansa first class from the East Coast to Prague for 90k miles. In August I did the same, but flying through Munich on the A-380 it was 100k. Those were released days before departure, but I’d already booked the same flights in business for 60k and 70k respectively, months in advance. There is still value there, but I would agree that availability is worse than it used to be.

Mileage plus sucks hard

Programs are increasingly selective adding new layers to obtain and keep a good membership level. I am currently Flying Blue Platinum and I will certainly remain for another year. Since it's money based you accrue miles based on the money spent. So if you spend €10,000 a year, you can log in about 75,000 miles in the AF-KLM program but if you fly a Skyteam partner it's still based on flown miles regardless of the amount money spent as long as you buy premium economy or business. In the AF-KLM program you need XPs that are based on distance and class of service, adding an extra layer. Only XPs are counted to your membership level. 100XPs leads to Silver, 180XPS to Gold and 300 to Platinum. Ultimate car be reached with 800 XPS but only with AF-KLM flights. So if you fly AF-KLM premium economy non stop you gain fewer miles than if you fly a partner airline in the same class of service but you will hget the same amount of XPS. Passengers who don't have gold will pay for almost everything from seats to luggage making the airline more costly than other competitors. I must admit that I would certainly fly other airlines if I was not a member. As for trading miles for updrages, it's not all easy and sometimes it's more costly than the ticket itself. As for food, it's average in premium economy and only fair in economy. Qatar, Emirates, JAL, Turkish ANA etc... really offer grreat food and not only in business or premium economy...