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

In this post, I’d like to share an updated list of what I consider to be the most useful frequent flyer programs for redeeming miles, as my picks have changed a bit. Essentially, if you could only ever redeem miles through a limited number of frequent flyer programs again, which would they be? I’m curious to hear how OMAAT community members feel…

What makes a frequent flyer program useful?

Admittedly this question is entirely theoretical. For those of us in the United States with access to credit cards, the reality is that you never really have to commit to just several frequent flyer programs, as the major transferable points currencies give you access to dozens of partners. That kind of flexibility is invaluable. Furthermore, lots of loyalty programs sell miles at a discount, in a way where it can make sense to outright purchase miles and then immediately redeem.

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But still, if you had to commit yourself to only redeeming points through a limited number of airline frequent flyer programs, how would you go about picking them? Essentially I’d try to find the programs that offer the best balance between good redemption rates, a lot of airlines and routes you can potentially redeem on, access to as much award availability as possible, and an easy booking process.

Furthermore, I’d want to consider which routes I frequently fly and want to redeem on, rather than just the general value of a program. However, I wouldn’t base my choice on whether a program has a particular sweet spot, but rather would base it on the overall value and flexibility offered.

Admittedly a major issue with making a choice is acknowledging that programs change over time. I’m not sure I’d want to be locked into any program for a lifetime, so I’m basing my choices on the current realities of redemption options.

I think the other major issue is that we’re increasingly seeing discrepancies in award availability between airlines. In other words, many airlines don’t make most of their award space available to partner programs, and that makes it really hard to commit to any programs. We’re increasingly getting to the point where if you want to redeem for premium cabin travel on a particular airline, you often have to actually collect miles with that program.

The frequent flyer programs I find to be most valuable

With the above out of the way, let me share what I’d currently consider to be the most valuable programs for award redemption opportunities. If I could only redeem through these eight programs again, I actually wouldn’t feel like I’m losing out that much (at least based on current conditions).

With that in mind, below are my picks, roughly in order, starting with my favorite. If you wanted to make this a list of the top five programs for redeeming miles (as I see it), then just ignore the last three programs on the list. Separately, also consider airline points expiration policies, and award ticket change and cancelation fees.

Air Canada Aeroplan

I consider Air Canada Aeroplan to be one of the most useful frequent flyer programs. Aeroplan has reasonable redemption rates, an amazing array of airline partners, and allows stopovers for 5,000 points. Simply put, I think Aeroplan leaves one best positioned for aspirational redemptions. On top of that, there are no fuel surcharges through Aeroplan.

I book a ton of awards through Aeroplan, ranging from “simple” long haul business class awards, to more complicated round the world journeys with stopovers.

Unfortunately the biggest challenge for the value of Aeroplan points is airlines increasingly limiting award space to members of their own programs, which makes it tough to build complex awards. For that matter, Lufthansa first class awards no longer being bookable with partner points is perhaps the biggest loss to the value of Aeroplan points, since that was my most frequent redemptions with Aeroplan.

Air France-KLM Flying Blue

Air France-KLM Flying Blue is the most useful SkyTeam frequent flyer program, in my opinion. A lot of us like to fly across the Atlantic, and Flying Blue has access to more Air France and KLM business class award space than partner programs.

Air France and KLM release a fair amount of saver level business class award space on long haul flights. Even better is that Flying Blue Platinum members and above receive access to more award space, so there’s lots of value to having that status. This is my most common way of redeeming to Europe, and I also love how the program allows free stopovers, even on one-way awards.

Flying Blue transatlantic business class awards start at 60,000 miles one-way. While these are nowadays “Light” fares that don’t offer flexibility, you’ll otherwise pay 75,000 miles for the added flexibility. Alternatively, Flying Blue Platinum members can still book “Light” fares with fewer restrictions.

Flying Blue also in many cases has attractive award pricing on partner airlines, so it’s also a program I use for SkyTeam partner redemptions. It’s also important to keep in mind the frequency with which Flying Blue has transfer bonuses from other currencies.

American AAdvantage

American AAdvantage continues to be the best frequent flyer program of the “big three” US carriers, in my opinion.

The reality is that AAdvantage has excellent partner redemption rates, especially on Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways. These are among the most useful for traveling to the Middle East, India, Africa, Central Asia, etc., and AAdvantage miles leave you best positioned for those redemptions. While many of those awards are now restricted on routes to and from the United States, availability is still quite good between other regions.

I also find that AAdvantage often has good redemption rates on its own metal, including for first and business class travel on long haul flights, which can be practical, though not particularly aspirational. The same is true for domestic flights, where pricing in all cabins tends to be the most attractive of the “big three” programs. I appreciate how AAdvantage has no change and cancelation fees, so you can speculatively lock in itineraries that work best for you.

Alaska Atmos Rewards

The Alaska Atmos Rewards program has evolved a lot over the years, both for better and worse. Nowadays Atmos Rewards has a zone and distance based award chart, which is particularly lucrative for short haul awards.

I redeem a ton of Atmos Rewards points for domestic flights on American, like being able to fly from Miami to Chicago or New York for 15,000 miles in first class. You can also redeem Atmos Rewards points across oneworld airlines, plus on some other unique partners, like Starlux. The truth is that Atmos Rewards is the program I use most for redemptions, particularly for short haul flights.

Atmos Rewards even awards status points for award travel, including on partner airlines, which sure gives a whole new meaning to “mileage running.” When you combine that with the ability to earn status points through credit card spending, going for status with Atmos Rewards is lucrative.

British Airways Club

British Airways Club has a unique distance based award chart, which is valuable in many markets where other points currencies aren’t. Personally I don’t use British Airways Club quite as often as others do, but there’s no denying that the program is very useful for short haul awards, especially between regions.

Perhaps what’s most valuable is that you can transfer Avios between all the programs that use Avios as their rewards currency, including Aer Lingus AerClub, Finnair Plus, Iberia Plus, and Qatar Airways Privilege Club. This unlocks so many opportunities, whether you want to take advantage of the award seat guarantee on Finnair, unlock extra award space on Qatar Airways, or redeem for JetBlue Mint.

Now, admittedly the point of this post is to select specific airline frequent flyer programs, though I think it’s fair to put these all under the same umbrella, given how the Avios ecosystem works.

United MileagePlus

I hate when frequent flyer programs get more lucrative by introducing punitive policies, but that’s exactly what we’re seeing at United MileagePlus… and it seems to be working! There’s no denying that United has a massive global route network, and travelers value being able to fly directly to their destination.

Nowadays United has limited a vast majority of its Polaris business class award space to members of its own frequent flyer program. Not only that, but if you have elite status and/or a credit card, you’ll get much better award redemption rates. Whether going to Asia or Europe, there’s huge value in having access to award space on United, so I think that makes MileagePlus an increasingly lucrative program.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

While Air France-KLM Flying Blue is my top SkyTeam frequent flyer program, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club offers some great redemptions as well. The program has extremely attractive redemption rates on Virgin Atlantic using dynamic award pricing, a lucrative distance based award chart on SkyTeam, and some niche redemption partners that represent a good value.

So whether you’re looking to redeem on Aeromexico, All Nippon Airways, or Air New Zealand, the program offers quite a few valuable opportunities. I also love how often we see transfer bonuses to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club from other programs.

Avianca Lifemiles

I’m going to include two Star Alliance programs on this list, since I use the programs in different ways. While I love Aeroplan for the ability to build complex awards with stopovers, I love Avianca Lifemiles for the ability to book simple Star Alliance first and business class awards.

Lifemiles has solid redemption rates in premium cabins on partners, assuming you can find award availability. What also makes lifemiles unique is how frequently we see transfer bonuses to the program (unlike with Aeroplan). So I acquire most of my miles with the program with a 20-25% bonus through a transferable points currency, getting me even more value.

Bottom line

Everyone has different frequent flyer programs that they value most based on their own redemption patterns. Personally the eight programs through which I value redemptions most are Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Alaska Atmos Rewards, American AAdvantage, Avianca Lifemiles, British Airways Club, United MileagePlus, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Between those programs, I’d say most kind of awards are pretty well covered, and certainly a vast majority of my redemptions are accounted for.

Fortunately most of us don’t have to limit ourselves to a limited number of programs, given the flexibility afforded by transferable points currencies.

I’m curious — what frequent flyer programs do you value most and/or redeem through most?