Finding the right airline reward program can be a complicated and troublesome task. A ranking or survey of such reward programs can save a lot of time when it comes to making choices.
Point.me is a platform that searches for points and travel reward programs. It has ranked 62 global airline reward programs based on 9 criteria, with the difficulty of accumulating miles, redemption rates, availability of partner airlines, and ease of booking being the most important factors.
According to a report by CNN, the loyalty program Flying Blue of Air France and KLM tops the global ranking of airline reward programs. Air Canada’s Aeroplan program ranks second globally, while United Airlines MileagePlus comes in third.
This year marks the first ranking of airline reward programs by Point.me, aiming to help customers maximize the value of their points.
Flying Blue by Air France and KLM leads the ranking with a score of 93.06 out of 100, which is 15 points ahead of the second-place program. Point.me believes that the strength of this program lies in its ease of earning points from numerous partners and substantial redemption value. Aeroplan by Air Canada scored high due to its wide range of partner airlines and extensive routes for award seats.
In recent years, United Airlines has drawn some negative feedback for reducing its focus on the flying experience for frequent flyers. Tiffany Funk, President and Co-founder of Point.me, acknowledged that United Airlines performs well on many indicators and is particularly good for infrequent flyers.
Virgin Atlantic and British Airways rank jointly at fourth place globally. American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and JetBlue Airways also made it to the top 10 in the global ranking.
Here are the top 10 global programs and their percentage scores according to Point.me’s analysis:
1. Air France and KLM Flying Blue: 93.06
2. Air Canada Aeroplan: 77.43
3. United Airlines MileagePlus: 72.22
4. British Airways Executive Club: 69.10 (tied)
4. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: 69.10 (tied)
6. American Airlines AAdvantage: 68.06
7. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan: 65.97
8. Qatar Airways Privilege Club: 62.85
9. JetBlue TrueBlue: 61.81
10. Avianca LifeMiles: 59.72
According to Point.me’s analysis, the top 10 North American reward programs and their percentage scores are as follows:
1. Air Canada Aeroplan: 77.43
2. United Airlines MileagePlus: 72.22
3. American Airlines AAdvantage: 68.06
4. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan: 65.97
5. JetBlue TrueBlue: 61.81
6. Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards: 57.64
7. Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles: 52.43
8. Delta SkyMiles: 49.31
9. Allegiant myAllegiant: 33.33
10. Spirit Airlines Free Spirit: 22.22
Top in North America: Air Canada Aeroplan
Top in Europe: Air France and KLM Flying Blue
Top in Latin America: Avianca LifeMiles
Top in Middle East/Africa: Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Top in Asia/Oceania: A three-way tie for first place – Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, and ANA Mileage Club.