Best airline program join

Also check the special offers on airline websites for award-redemption discounts. Start Slideshow. Credit: Getty Images. Alaska Airlines Loyalty Program. Minimum elite status requirements: Fly 20, qualifying miles or 30 segments Standout elite benefit: Earn 50, bonus miles when you hit MVP Gold 75K status. American Airlines Frequent Flyer Program. Credit: James D.

Delta Airlines Loyalty Program. JetBlue Loyalty Program. Southwest Airlines Loyalty Program. Minimum elite status requirements: 35, qualifying points or 25 segments Standout elite benefit: Earn a Companion Pass with , qualifying points or by flying segments. United Airlines Loyalty Program.

Alliance program: Oneworld Number of airline partners: 17 Primary U. Emirates Skyward Loyalty Program. Alliance program: None Number of airline partners: 16 Primary U. Standout elite benefit: Priority treatment and occasional lounge access. Minimum elite status requirements: Earn 25, elite miles within 12 months. Alliance program: None Number of airline partners: 6 Primary U.

Replay gallery. It's time to consider joining international frequent flier programs as an alternative—even if you still fly U. That's because American, Delta, and United all participate in major airline alliances Oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance, respectively with dozens of international partners.

Other carriers, including Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, and Hawaiian Airlines, also partner with several international airlines. Finally, the four major transferable credit-card points programs in the U. So even if you never fly those airlines, you can nearly instantly top up your account with tens of thousands of points you earn from everyday spending on your credit cards. Here are five international frequent flier programs that might fit your needs, as well as the major advantages and drawbacks to consider as you weigh your options.

Partners: British Airways is a member of Oneworld, so it partners with American Airlines and more than a dozen other carriers, including Cathay Pacific and Qantas, plus non-alliance member Alaska Airlines.

That means you can accrue Avios British Airways miles easily both on domestic flights as well as on travel in other parts of the world. Advantages: Executive Club, British Airways' frequent flier program, is especially useful for certain types of award tickets.

Redemption levels are based on distance, so short- and medium-haul flights are priced attractively. For example, you could book tickets on either American Airlines or Alaska Airlines from the West Coast to Hawaii for just 12, Avios each way instead of the 22, miles American would require, or the 15,, miles Alaska tends to charge. British Airways does not levy close-in booking fees an up-charge for awards booked 21 days or less in advance of travel , either. Some British Airways awards are payable with a mix of Avios and money, giving members an added level of flexibility when it comes to redemption options.

The program also makes it easy to pool your Avios with family members in your household. In terms of everyday earning, the airline fields a Chase credit card in the U.

Shortcomings : On the other hand, long-haul flights and those in premium cabins can cost hundreds of thousands of Avios, so you might want to avoid this program if you intend to stockpile your miles for an over-the-top experience like flying Cathay Pacific or Qantas first class.

Founded by five airlines, United, Scandinavian, Thai, Air Canada, and Lufthansa thus the five-point star logo , StarAlliance was the first major global airline alliance to takeoff in StarAlliance breaks down its elite status into two levels: Silver and Gold.

With the most extensive network of members, StarAlliance also boasts the most airport lounges amongst the three major alliances. Airport lounge access varies per airline and is dependent on which level of status you have within the program, so it's best to check in advance if you qualify for entry. Using United Airlines MileagePlus program and search feature on their website, it's effortless to view member airlines' award availability. Awards at the Saver Level will cost the same amount of mileage no matter which partner airline your flights are operated on.

Business and First Class awards will require extra mileage than flying on award flights solely operated by United. Air Canada is planning to overhaul its frequent flyer set-up by ditching current Aeroplan for a loyalty program of its own starting in June Oneworld was the second of the big three major airline alliances to form. Despite having the largest single carrier in the world American Airlines on its roster, Oneworld is a distant third when it comes to the number of member airlines and passenger volume.

Outside of the Americas, the thirteen-member alliance does provide streamlined connections for customers in Europe, East Asia, and Australia, but with no African-based member Royal Air Maroc set to join April 1, , the coalition relies heavily on Qatar's network for connections to reach many destinations in that region of the world.

While the alliance serves over 1, destinations in around countries, there are too many underserved spots on the map for Oneworld to compete globally with the other rival partnerships. The top being Emerald, followed by Sapphire, and the lowest tier membership is Ruby.

Similar to the other alliances, Oneworld elites receive lounge access and added benefits like free checked bags and occasional upgrades. Flyers that have elite status with any alliance member frequent flyer program will be granted the corresponding tier in the Oneworld program. Oneworld elite tiers are recognized on all flights ticketed by member airlines.

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