This story was originally published in September 2024 and was most recently updated on November 6, 2026, to include current information.
To help take some of the guesswork out of which airline loyalty programs offer the best value for travelers, Point.me, a points and travel reward search platform, released its third annual ranking of the world’s best airline rewards programs. The list analyzed 33 global airline loyalty programs and named Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines’ Flying Blue program as the winner.
Navigating the world of airline loyalty programs can be extremely challenging. Understanding mileage programs often involves confusing tables and complex math for how flights, status, and other perks are accessed. It gets even more complicated when carriers suddenly change how points are earned and redeemed, or devalue them. The result is that many travelers are left wondering whether airline loyalty is even worth it anymore.
“Travelers want to use their points without having to become an expert to do it,” said Adam Morvitz, CEO of Point.me in a press release announcing this year’s winners. “A great loyalty program isn’t the one with an incredible deal every once in a while. It’s one where you can find a seat, at a price that makes sense, book it easily, and change your plans if you need to. That’s what we measure, and the programs at the top of this list are the ones delivering on it.”
How does Point.me rank airline rewards programs?
The list is based on eight quantitative and qualitative factors determined by data from searches and the site’s airline experts. The most heavily weighted areas are ease of earning miles (20 percent), redemption rates (20 percent), partner opportunities (20 percent), redemption experience (10 percent), and award availability (10 percent). The company explicitly did not consider status benefits; it wanted the rankings to reflect the best program for casual fliers.
“Getting real value from airline loyalty points is often significantly harder for passengers than it needs to be,” said Morvitz when announcing the original ranking in 2024. Morvitz explained that the rankings resulted from “deep data-led insight from our reward search engine” combined with in-house knowledge and expertise.
What is the best airline loyalty program in 2026?
Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines’ Flying Blue program is the top-ranking program for the third year running. On Point.me’s 100-point scale, it scored 88.8, with nearly perfect scores in each category.
While the program is based in Europe, Flying Blue is on its way to becoming a household name among American travelers too. “Its extensive partnerships make it almost effortless to earn miles without ever boarding an Air France or KLM flight, as consumers can transfer points from all of the major credit card points currencies to Flying Blue, and it has its own cobranded card available to U.S. consumers,” the awards search platform reported in 2025.
The company also noted that points are easily transferable with Flying Blue: “The redemption experience is a great one, with excellent customer service from well-trained agents and an easy-to-use website and app.”
United Airlines MileagePlus was the highest-ranking U.S. airline loyalty program, taking second place, up from fifth in 2025. It was praised for its “free changes and cancellations, plus top marks for customer service when an award trip is disrupted.”
United Airlines’ loyalty program earned 85 points, with the experts highlighting its creative routings and partner airlines but docking the program because it offers few credit card transfer partners and because a United credit card is now required for the best prices and basic economy earning.
Point.me also shared its rankings for the best points programs by certain regions, calculated on a 100-point scale. See the lists below.
What are the best airline loyalty programs in the world?
- Flying Blue (Air France/KLM): 88.8 points
- United Airlines MileagePlus: 85 points
- Air Canda Aeroplan: 82.2 points
- Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan: 80.9 points
- American Airlines AAdvantage: 80.6 points
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club: 72.5 points
- JetBlue TrueBlue: 72.2 points
- The British Airways Club: 71.3 points
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: 70.0 points
- Emirates Skywards: 69.4 points
What are the best airline loyalty programs in North America?
- United MileagePlus
- Air Canada Aeroplan
- Atmos Rewards (Alaska/Hawaiian)
- American Airlines AAdvantage
- JetBlue TrueBlue
- Avianca lifemiles
- Delta Skymiles and Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards (tie)
- Aeromexico Rewards
What are the best airline rewards programs in Europe?
- Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)
- British Airways Executive Club
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- Aer Lingus AerClub, Iberia Club, and Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles (tie)
- Finnair Plus
- Aegean Miles+Bonus
- Miles & More (Lufthansa Group)
- TAP Miles&Go
- SAS Eurobonus
What are the best airline rewards programs in the Middle East?
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club
- Emirates Skywards
- Etihad Guest
What are the best airline rewards programs in Asia and Oceania?
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer and Japan Airlines JAL Mileage Bank (tie)
- ANA Mileage Club
- Qantas Frequent Flyer
- EVA Air Infinity MileageLands Virgin Australia Velocity
- Malaysia Airlines Enrich
- Korean Air SKYPASS
- Thai Airways Royal Orchard Plus
