Are you a Delta loyalist? Fly only American Airlines or United? It’s time to switch.
With the news last week that, like Delta, United will start pricing award tickets dynamically (i.e., more expensively) later this year, flyers were left wondering whether investing the time and effort to rack up miles with U.S. frequent-flyer programs is even worth it anymore. Even more so since this is only the latest airline to devalue its loyalty program.
In the past few years, the major U.S. airline frequent-flyer programs have changed not only how flyers can earn and redeem award miles but also the requirements for earning elite status. Earning any status now means spending from $3,000 to $15,000 per year on airfare in addition to flying between 25,000 and 125,000 miles. And accruing miles is more difficult, too—especially painful when the price of some single one-way business class awards can reach an astronomical 465,000 miles.
For flyers tired of jumping through so many constantly moving hoops, there’s a new game in town: pledging loyalty to an international carrier. Thanks to extensive partner networks, it’s a viable strategy even for those who travel predominantly within the U.S.
How It Works
American, Delta, and United all have dozens of airline partners thanks to alliances such as Oneworld and SkyTeam. (So does Alaska Airlines, even though it’s not in an alliance.) That means flyers can credit flights on these domestic airlines to foreign partners’ mileage programs and then redeem miles from those same programs for award flights on U.S. carriers. It may sound cumbersome, but it’s no more time-consuming than any other method—and it offers far better earning and redemption rates than U.S. mileage programs.
You can also convert credit card points earned on everyday spending—or even hotel stays—into miles thanks to transfer agreements between many international airlines and major credit card points programs in the U.S. For instance, you can transfer points from American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Venture Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy to either Air France/KLM or Singapore Airlines.
And then there are extra perks. Get gold status with United, and you’ll have access only to United’s own lounges when you’re traveling on an international Star Alliance flight. Earn gold status with a partner airline like ANA or Air Canada, though, and you can use United’s clubs (as well as those of other Star Alliance airlines) when traveling in any class on any Star Alliance airline, including domestic United flights.
Best in Class
Sold on the strategy? Here are six international mileage programs that might fit your needs.
Air Canada Aeroplan
Air Canada’s loyalty program has had a dramatic couple of years, with rumors that the airline would ditch it altogether. But a new deal, signed in January, assuaged those fears, and consumers can feel safe about banking miles here again.