Frequent Flyer Programs - Which ones are the best
TRAVELLERS are embracing frequent flyer programs like never before, enticed by the chance to earn points that they can put towards free flights, upgrades, lounge access and other benefits.
But not all programs are created equal, with membership fees, expiry for points and how they can be redeemed differing from carrier to carrier. We've compiled the following summary of the programs of the biggest international airlines serving Australia.
- Qantas Program: Qantas Frequent Flyer.
- Alliance: Oneworld
- Points: Members earn one point per mile they fly but can also earn points shopping with their credit card and/or buying products and services through partners. The program has more than 500 partners, including 34 airlines, Woolworths, Optus, rental companies Avis and Budget, 200 restaurants and 100 hotel groups.
- Membership fee: $82.50 in Australia, $50 in New Zealand, rest of world free.
- Expiry: As long as you earn or redeem points in the program at least once every 18 months, points do not expire.
- British Airways Program: Doesn't have a frequent flyer program but passengers can earn and redeem points through Qantas.
- Virgin Atlantic Program: Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
- Partners: 14 airline partners, including Virgin Australia, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand and Malaysia Airlines.
- Alliance: Nil.
- Points: Earned by flying with Virgin Atlantic or its partners.
Membership cost: Free.
- Expiry: Points are valid for three years and will expire if no activity has been allocated to a Flying Club account, whether it be by spending or earning. If a member has earned points or spent their points, the validity of the remaining miles will be extended for three years.
- Singapore Airlines Program: KrisFlyer.
- Alliance: Star Alliance. There are 26 member carriers, including Air New Zealand, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai, United and US Airways. Other Singapore Airlines partners include Virgin Australia, Virgin Atlantic and Air India.
- Points: Accrual levels vary depending on which airline you use. You can also earn miles through more than 120 non-airline partners, including Westpac, hotel groups such as Accor, Hilton, Hyatt and InterContinental, and major car rental companies.
- Membership fee: Free.
- Expiry: Valid for three years. Members are notified via their account statement before they are due to expire and can extend their miles for six months for a fee. KrisFlyer Elite Silver, Elite Gold and PPS Club Members can extend miles for a year.
- Etihad Airways Program: Etihad Guest.
- Partners: More than 70 partners, ranging from hotels and car rental companies to retailers and partner airlines.
- Alliance: None. Etihad has commercial partnerships with 34 airlines, many of which offer reciprocal loyalty program benefits.
- Points: Members earn miles when they fly with Etihad (or a codeshare partner flight with an Etihad Airways flight number) and when they shop at more than 400 online retailers. The earning ratio depends on the type of fare a member has purchased.
- Membership fee: Free.
- Expiry: Etihad Guest is two years from the date of activity. Etihad Gold Elite is three years from the date of activity.
- AirAsia Program: BIG Loyalty Program.
- Partners: 1000 online merchants from the global BIG Shop, including Marks & Spencer, Apple Store and eBay. You can also earn points from BIG partners including AirAsiago.com, Tune Hotels and Hard Rock Hotels.
- Alliance: The program is a joint venture between AirAsia and Tune Money and does not belong to any alliance.
- Points: One BIG Point for every $1.20 spent on AirAsia flights-only purchase (with no add-ons) and one BIG Point for every 60 spent on AirAsia flights with any pre-booked add-on, such as choosing a seat, a meal or comfort kit.
- Membership fee: Costs MYR 10 (Malaysian ringgit) or about $3.25 to join plus an annual fee of MYR 5, or about $1.62.
- Expiry: Valid for three years from the date it is credited to your account.
- Virgin Australia Program: Velocity Frequent Flyer.
- Partners: More than 400 program partners across a wide range of categories, including Westfield Online, HotelClub, Foxtel, Europcar, Virgin Money, Virgin Mobile, American Express, Singapore Airlines, Etihad Airways, Delta Air Lines and Air New Zealand.
- Alliance: Velocity has separate alliance agreements with several airlines, including Singapore Airlines, Etihad Airlines, Air New Zealand, Delta and other Virgin airlines. These agreements also entitle Gold and Platinum members to benefits when travelling around the world.
- Points: When flying domestically, members will earn points per dollar spent. Internationally, the higher the fare class, the further the distance and the higher the level of membership, the more points members can earn.
Velocity was voted as having the best Reward Seat availability in the Asia Pacific region (ezRez Reward Seat Availability Survey 2011). Members can automatically pool the points and status credits of their family members, enabling them to be rewarded sooner.
- Membership fee: Free.
- Expiry: Can earn or redeem points within a three-year period.
- Philippine Airlines Program: Mabuhay Miles.
- Partners: Six. Cathay Pacific, Etihad, Gulf Air, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Malaysia Airlines.
- Alliance: None.
- Points: One point per mile. Non-flight partners are located in the Philippines and include businesses in telecommunications, banking, travel insurance, accommodation, credit card, car rental and lifestyle sectors.
- Membership fee: Free.
- Expiry: You must redeem points within three years from the time that you earned the points from a particular ticket.
- United Airlines Program: MileagePlus.
- Partners: 35.
- Alliance: Star Alliance, which includes Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Thai and US Airways.
- Points: Earn points by flying with United or its partners or staying at one of United's partner hotels or car rental companies. You can also earn points by shopping with about 600 retailers online and in-store, restaurants and financial partners. One United MileagePlus mile per dollar.
- Membership fee: Free.
- Expiry: 18 months after the last account activity in the member's account.
- Cathay Pacific Program: Marco Polo Club.
- Partners: The program is part of the Asia Miles program the most powerful airline loyalty club in Asia. Partners include American Airlines, British Airways, Gulf Air, Japan Airlines, LAN and Qantas.
- Alliance: Oneworld.
- Points: Eligible economy-class tickets enable you to earn 50 to 100 per cent of your actual miles flown and 0.5 or 1 Club sector for every sector flown. A return business-class airfare from Sydney to Hong Kong would provide a total of 11,480 miles, and you would need 45,000 miles accrued for a return economy flight from Sydney to Hong Kong
- Membership: $US50 ($48).
- Expiry: Valid for three years from the month mileage is credited.
- Air Canada Program: Aeroplan.
- Partners: More than 300 financial, flight, hotel, holiday, package, car rental, retail and online retailer partners.
- Alliance: Star Alliance.
- Points: Earned by shopping or flying with 150 partner brands and 150 online retailers. Depending on the partner airline, members can earn 100-150 per cent of the miles they fly.
For example, an economy-class fare from Sydney to Vancouver will earn about 15,538 miles one point for each mile flown. An executive class fare from Sydney to Vancouver will earn about 23,307 miles 1.5 points for each mile flown.
- Membership: Free.
- Expiry: Points expire after one year if an account has been inactive. Otherwise, points can be redeemed for up to seven years on an active account from the date they were earned.
- Hawaiian Airlines Program: HawaiianMiles.
- Partners: Eight. All Nippon, American Airlines, Delta, Korean Air, US Airways, United, Virgin Atlantic.
- Alliance: None.
- Points: Flying and purchases online on emarket earn one point per mile.
- Membership: Free.
- Expiry: 18 months.
But not all programs are created equal, with membership fees, expiry for points and how they can be redeemed differing from carrier to carrier. We've compiled the following summary of the programs of the biggest international airlines serving Australia.
- Qantas Program: Qantas Frequent Flyer.
- Alliance: Oneworld
- Points: Members earn one point per mile they fly but can also earn points shopping with their credit card and/or buying products and services through partners. The program has more than 500 partners, including 34 airlines, Woolworths, Optus, rental companies Avis and Budget, 200 restaurants and 100 hotel groups.
- Membership fee: $82.50 in Australia, $50 in New Zealand, rest of world free.
- Expiry: As long as you earn or redeem points in the program at least once every 18 months, points do not expire.
- British Airways Program: Doesn't have a frequent flyer program but passengers can earn and redeem points through Qantas.
- Virgin Atlantic Program: Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
- Partners: 14 airline partners, including Virgin Australia, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand and Malaysia Airlines.
- Alliance: Nil.
- Points: Earned by flying with Virgin Atlantic or its partners.
Membership cost: Free.
- Expiry: Points are valid for three years and will expire if no activity has been allocated to a Flying Club account, whether it be by spending or earning. If a member has earned points or spent their points, the validity of the remaining miles will be extended for three years.
- Singapore Airlines Program: KrisFlyer.
- Alliance: Star Alliance. There are 26 member carriers, including Air New Zealand, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai, United and US Airways. Other Singapore Airlines partners include Virgin Australia, Virgin Atlantic and Air India.
- Points: Accrual levels vary depending on which airline you use. You can also earn miles through more than 120 non-airline partners, including Westpac, hotel groups such as Accor, Hilton, Hyatt and InterContinental, and major car rental companies.
- Membership fee: Free.
- Expiry: Valid for three years. Members are notified via their account statement before they are due to expire and can extend their miles for six months for a fee. KrisFlyer Elite Silver, Elite Gold and PPS Club Members can extend miles for a year.
- Etihad Airways Program: Etihad Guest.
- Partners: More than 70 partners, ranging from hotels and car rental companies to retailers and partner airlines.
- Alliance: None. Etihad has commercial partnerships with 34 airlines, many of which offer reciprocal loyalty program benefits.
- Points: Members earn miles when they fly with Etihad (or a codeshare partner flight with an Etihad Airways flight number) and when they shop at more than 400 online retailers. The earning ratio depends on the type of fare a member has purchased.
- Membership fee: Free.
- Expiry: Etihad Guest is two years from the date of activity. Etihad Gold Elite is three years from the date of activity.
- AirAsia Program: BIG Loyalty Program.
- Partners: 1000 online merchants from the global BIG Shop, including Marks & Spencer, Apple Store and eBay. You can also earn points from BIG partners including AirAsiago.com, Tune Hotels and Hard Rock Hotels.
- Alliance: The program is a joint venture between AirAsia and Tune Money and does not belong to any alliance.
- Points: One BIG Point for every $1.20 spent on AirAsia flights-only purchase (with no add-ons) and one BIG Point for every 60 spent on AirAsia flights with any pre-booked add-on, such as choosing a seat, a meal or comfort kit.
- Membership fee: Costs MYR 10 (Malaysian ringgit) or about $3.25 to join plus an annual fee of MYR 5, or about $1.62.
- Expiry: Valid for three years from the date it is credited to your account.
- Virgin Australia Program: Velocity Frequent Flyer.
- Partners: More than 400 program partners across a wide range of categories, including Westfield Online, HotelClub, Foxtel, Europcar, Virgin Money, Virgin Mobile, American Express, Singapore Airlines, Etihad Airways, Delta Air Lines and Air New Zealand.
- Alliance: Velocity has separate alliance agreements with several airlines, including Singapore Airlines, Etihad Airlines, Air New Zealand, Delta and other Virgin airlines. These agreements also entitle Gold and Platinum members to benefits when travelling around the world.
- Points: When flying domestically, members will earn points per dollar spent. Internationally, the higher the fare class, the further the distance and the higher the level of membership, the more points members can earn.
Velocity was voted as having the best Reward Seat availability in the Asia Pacific region (ezRez Reward Seat Availability Survey 2011). Members can automatically pool the points and status credits of their family members, enabling them to be rewarded sooner.
- Membership fee: Free.
- Expiry: Can earn or redeem points within a three-year period.
- Philippine Airlines Program: Mabuhay Miles.
- Partners: Six. Cathay Pacific, Etihad, Gulf Air, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Malaysia Airlines.
- Alliance: None.
- Points: One point per mile. Non-flight partners are located in the Philippines and include businesses in telecommunications, banking, travel insurance, accommodation, credit card, car rental and lifestyle sectors.
- Membership fee: Free.
- Expiry: You must redeem points within three years from the time that you earned the points from a particular ticket.
- United Airlines Program: MileagePlus.
- Partners: 35.
- Alliance: Star Alliance, which includes Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Thai and US Airways.
- Points: Earn points by flying with United or its partners or staying at one of United's partner hotels or car rental companies. You can also earn points by shopping with about 600 retailers online and in-store, restaurants and financial partners. One United MileagePlus mile per dollar.
- Membership fee: Free.
- Expiry: 18 months after the last account activity in the member's account.
- Cathay Pacific Program: Marco Polo Club.
- Partners: The program is part of the Asia Miles program the most powerful airline loyalty club in Asia. Partners include American Airlines, British Airways, Gulf Air, Japan Airlines, LAN and Qantas.
- Alliance: Oneworld.
- Points: Eligible economy-class tickets enable you to earn 50 to 100 per cent of your actual miles flown and 0.5 or 1 Club sector for every sector flown. A return business-class airfare from Sydney to Hong Kong would provide a total of 11,480 miles, and you would need 45,000 miles accrued for a return economy flight from Sydney to Hong Kong
- Membership: $US50 ($48).
- Expiry: Valid for three years from the month mileage is credited.
- Air Canada Program: Aeroplan.
- Partners: More than 300 financial, flight, hotel, holiday, package, car rental, retail and online retailer partners.
- Alliance: Star Alliance.
- Points: Earned by shopping or flying with 150 partner brands and 150 online retailers. Depending on the partner airline, members can earn 100-150 per cent of the miles they fly.
For example, an economy-class fare from Sydney to Vancouver will earn about 15,538 miles one point for each mile flown. An executive class fare from Sydney to Vancouver will earn about 23,307 miles 1.5 points for each mile flown.
- Membership: Free.
- Expiry: Points expire after one year if an account has been inactive. Otherwise, points can be redeemed for up to seven years on an active account from the date they were earned.
- Hawaiian Airlines Program: HawaiianMiles.
- Partners: Eight. All Nippon, American Airlines, Delta, Korean Air, US Airways, United, Virgin Atlantic.
- Alliance: None.
- Points: Flying and purchases online on emarket earn one point per mile.
- Membership: Free.
- Expiry: 18 months.
- Emirates Program: Skywards.
- Partners: Seven. Alaska Airlines, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways, JetBlue, Kingfisher Airlines, Korean Air and South African Airways.
- Alliance: None.
- Points: Skywards Miles earned are based on the route flown, fare purchased and the class of cabin flown on Emirates or one of its partner airlines. Depending on the country, members can also earn miles with Emirates leisure and lifestyle partners, partner hotels, car rental companies, financial institutions and credit card partners.
There are two types of fare available from Emirates. Flex fares earn 100 per cent of the base Miles for that route and Saver fares earn 50 per cent of the base Miles.
- Membership: Free.
- Expiry: Valid for three years.
- Partners: Seven. Alaska Airlines, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways, JetBlue, Kingfisher Airlines, Korean Air and South African Airways.
- Alliance: None.
- Points: Skywards Miles earned are based on the route flown, fare purchased and the class of cabin flown on Emirates or one of its partner airlines. Depending on the country, members can also earn miles with Emirates leisure and lifestyle partners, partner hotels, car rental companies, financial institutions and credit card partners.
There are two types of fare available from Emirates. Flex fares earn 100 per cent of the base Miles for that route and Saver fares earn 50 per cent of the base Miles.
- Membership: Free.
- Expiry: Valid for three years.