For even the occasional airline traveler, it makes sense to join a loyalty program.
But navigating the complexities of earning and redeeming airline reward miles can be a tough as getting through LAX or JFK when it’s a holiday.
It involves credit card choices, mileage accumulation strategies and finding the best way to spend miles.
But help is at hand. Point.me – a service that helps people plan and book their travel using air miles – has released a comprehensive global ranking of the 62 biggest airline rewards programs.
Clearly out in front was Air France-KLM, the sister airlines that merged in 2004. The top US airline was United in third, behind second-placed Air Canada.
Air France-KLM’s FLying Blue was rated the best airline loyalty. Passengers use the KLM lounge in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Lounge access is one of the best perks of airline loyalty programs. This is a Delta lounge
American was six – beaten by UK-based carriers British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.
Alaska Airlines – which is in merger talks with Hawaiian – Qatar Airways, JetBlue, and Avianca were highly ranked in the top ten.
The third of the big US airlines Delta was down in 19th place.
The report – using 55 of the site’s experts and years of data – considered factors such as redemption rates, booking ease, customer service, and change fees.
Scroll down for a the full list, which can be searched by the name of both the airline and the loyalty program.
‘Getting real value from airline loyalty points is often significantly harder for passengers than it needs to be,’ said Adam Morvitz, CEO of Point.me.
‘These rankings reflect our team’s extensive travel knowledge and in-depth data analysis.’
Air France and KLM’s Flying Blue rewards program, scoring 93 out of 100, was recognized for its straightforward booking process and low redemption costs.
Currently, Flying Blue is offering a 15,000-mile reward ticket from New York (EWR) to several European destinations.
The Chelsea Lounge at New York’s JFK, which is jointly run by American Airlines and British Airways
It was also rated highly for the ability to book flights on partner airlines within the SkyTeam alliance – the alliance that Delta belongs to, along with Virgin Atlantic and Korean Air.
But Delta – despite its loyal following – barely made it into the top third, and its SkyMiles scored a lowly 49.
Delta has a loyal fanbase and has risen to the US’s biggest carrier. But in the summer Delta warned it may have to cut some flights as many were leaving empty.
The lowest-rated US-based carrier reward programs were Spirit Airlines’ Free Spirit, Frontier Airlines’ Frontier Miles, and Sun Country Airlines’ Sun Country Rewards.
These programs were rated as being restrictive in redemption, or expensive to use.
The release of this report comes amid ongoing scrutiny by the Department of Transportation, which is investigating US airlines for potential unfair practices in their loyalty programs.