World’s Best Airline Rewards Programs Of 2024, According To New Report

Joining the best airline rewards programs can be a game-changer for travelers looking to unlock extraordinary experiences, score elusive first-class upgrades, and make the most of every trip. But figuring out which program to focus on can be tricky. Each one has its own set of complicated rules and perks, leaving travelers to question whether it’s worth the hassle. How do you know which airline rewards program will make it easy to stack up and redeem your hard-earned miles?

A new report on the world’s best airline rewards programs from Point.me, a search and booking engine that helps travelers use their points and miles, can point you in the right direction.

Its research team partnered with 55 top points and miles experts to analyze extensive data on 62 global airline rewards programs easily accessible to U.S. travelers. Each one could earn a maximum of 100 points based on nine criteria, including the ease of earning miles, redemption rates, and rewards availability on partner airlines.

Here’s what the analysis of the world’s best airline rewards program from Point.me revealed.

What’s the World’s Best Airline Rewards Program?

Air France and KLM’s Flying Blue is the world’s best airline rewards program of 2024, according to Point.me. It earned a whopping 93.06 out of 100 possible points. To put that into perspective, that’s 16 points higher than the score of the second-best airline rewards program, Air Canada’s Aeroplan.

Point.me noted that Flying Blue had exceptional performance across the board, earning top marks in nearly every category and offering great redemption rates. The program also allows travelers to transfer points from all of the major credit card points currencies, which makes it easy to earn enough for a reward flight on Air France, KLM, or more than 40 other airline partners.

Other Top Airline Rewards Programs

Air Canada Aeroplan also performed well in the report on the world’s best airline rewards programs, earning enough points to clinch second place. While it missed out on some points due to difficulty booking reward flights online and long customer service hold times, the report gave Aeroplan kudos for having wide availability on partner airlines, generous routing rules to make it easy for travelers to use miles outside of Air Canada’s hub cities, and lots of points transfer partners.

“Of all the frequent flyer programs in the world, I think Air Canada Aeroplan is the single most valuable for redeeming points,” said Ben Schlappig, airline loyalty program expert and founder of One Mile at a Time, in the report. “The pricing is fair and consistent across the board, and the passion of the people running Aeroplan shows in how well-designed and balanced the program is.”

With a score of 72.22 points, United MileagePlus took third place in the ranking of the world’s best airline rewards program. Point.me acknowledged that the program has recently received negative attention for devaluing its mileage and increasing the number of miles required to book award flights to certain destinations. However, its overall structure still proved to be among the best for those who aren’t loyal to United or don’t travel very frequently. It accepts transfer points from Bilt, Chase, and Marriott Bonvoy and makes it easy to earn miles through a variety of partner and co-branded credit cards.

“With the recent introduction of miles pooling, United has made it easier than ever before for families and friends to create priceless memories together. If there is anywhere in the world you wish to visit, chances are strong that your United miles can take you there,” said Matthew Klint, frequent flyer program expert and founder of Live and Let’s Fly, in the report.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and British Airways Executive Club tied for fourth place with 69.10 points each. Virgin’s airline rewards program had some of the best economy redemption rates of all the programs the researchers evaluated, but had extremely high carrier-imposed fuel surcharges in premium cabins. British Airways Executive Club offers attractive rates on some long-haul flights and offers a very compelling airline-specific credit card, per the report. However, the program was less competitive when booking itineraries that included a connection.

Ranked: World’s Best Airline Rewards Programs of 2024

Here’s a look at the world’s best airline rewards programs of 2024, according to Point.me.

1. Air France and KLM’s Flying Blue

2. Air Canada Aeroplan

3. United MileagePlus

4. British Airways Executive Club (tied)

4. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (tied)

6. American Airlines AAdvantage

7. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

8. Qatar Airways Privilege Club

9. JetBlue TrueBlue

10. Avianca LifeMiles

11. Emirates Skywards

12. Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards

13. Aer Lingus AerClub

14. Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles

15. ANA Mileage Club

16. Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

17. Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

18. Finnair Plus

19. Delta SkyMiles

20. Aegean Miles + Bonus

What’s the Best Airline Rewards Program for You?

Just because Flying Blue (or any other program) was named one of the best airline rewards programs doesn’t necessarily mean it will provide the most value for you. Every traveler’s situation and preferences are different—and your miles may vary.

Here are some factors to consider when choosing the right airline rewards program for you:

• Travel frequency: If you’re a frequent flyer, look for airline rewards programs that offer generous earning rates for miles and clear, easy access to elite status. For occasional travelers, programs with flexible earning options through credit card partnerships or everyday spending might help you get to your next reward more quickly.
• Airline alliances: Consider which airlines are part of major alliances like Star Alliance, Oneworld, or SkyTeam. A rewards program affiliated with an airline that’s part of an alliance can give you more ways to redeem points across partner airlines, increasing the number of routes, destinations, and flight times you can choose from.
• Earning opportunities: Check out how easy it is to earn points or miles from non-flight activities, like hotel stays, dining, car rentals, or shopping. The more ways you can earn points through an airline rewards program, the faster you can work toward your next redemption.
• Ease of booking: Your points will feel useless if you need to jump through hoops to use them. Look for an airline rewards program that makes it simple and straightforward to book an award ticket.
• Customer service: Reliable customer service can make a big difference when managing your rewards and in your overall travel experience. If you’ve had a poor experience with an airline, you might not want to invest too heavily in its rewards program.

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