U.S. News announces Best Airline Rewards Programs
No loyalty program is ideal for everyone, but choosing one that best matches your lifestyle can help you maximize your chances of earning and redeeming meaningful rewards. To help you weigh your options, U.S. News evaluated 10 leading frequent flier programs using an unbiased methodology that takes into account each program’s earning and redemption values, benefits, network coverage and award flight availability, among other data points. Here’s the ranking, starting at No. 10 and working up.
See the 2015-16 Best Travel Rewards Programs
10. FREE SPIRIT
Overall Score: 1.16
Pro: Mileage credit can be earned up to 30 days after flying with Spirit
Con: Miles expire after three months of account inactivity
See why FREE SPIRIT ranks No. 10
See the 2015-16 Best Travel Rewards Programs
9. Delta SkyMiles
Overall Score: 3.11
Pro: Miles do not expire
Con: Delta no longer has rewards charts, making it difficult to determine the number of points needed to cover a flight
See why Delta SkyMiles ranks No. 9
See the 2015-16 Best Travel Rewards Programs
8. United MileagePlus
Overall Score: 3.45
Pro: United and its partners fly to more than 1,100 destinations worldwide
Con: Miles expire after 18 months of account inactivity
See why United MileagePlus ranks No. 8
See the 2015-16 Best Travel Rewards Programs
7. Frontier EarlyReturns
Overall Score: 3.55
Pro: Airline flies to wider selection of smaller airports
Con: Frontier has fewer daily flights than major carriers
See why Frontier EarlyReturns ranks No. 7
See the 2015-16 Best Travel Rewards Programs
6. Virgin America Elevate
Overall Score: 3.61
Pro: Points can be earned on hotel stays, car rentals, cruises and retail purchases
Con: There are a limited number of seats available for rewards travel on partner airlines
See why Virgin America Elevate ranks No. 6
See the 2015-16 Best Travel Rewards Programs
5. HawaiianMiles
Overall Score: 3.88
Pro: Numerous award flight fare classes to choose from
Con: Elite status cannot be earned by booking flights with partner airlines
See why HawaiianMiles ranks No. 5
See the 2015-16 Best Travel Rewards Programs
4. JetBlue TrueBlue
Overall Score: 3.95
Pro: Points can be earned on multiple airlines
Con: Program only offers one elite membership tier
See why JetBlue TrueBlue ranks No. 4
See the 2015-16 Best Travel Rewards Programs
3. Southwest Rapid Rewards
Overall Score: 3.99
Pro: Rapid Rewards Points can be earned on flights and hotel stays
Con: Southwest’s only flights outside the U.S. are to Mexico and the Caribbean
See why Southwest Rapid Rewards ranks No. 3
See the 2015-16 Best Travel Rewards Programs
2. American Airlines AAdvantage
Overall Score: 4.04
Pro: Can earn miles with more than 1,000 partner companies
Con: Mileage credit for American and AAdvantage-affiliated partners will be forfeited if your account is inactive for 18 months
See why American Airlines AAdvantage ranks No. 2
See the 2015-16 Best Travel Rewards Programs
1. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
Overall Score: 4.39
Pro: Can earn and redeem miles with Alaska Airlines or 15 partner airlines
Con: Blackout dates apply on reward travel
See why Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan ranks No. 1
See the 2015-16 Best Travel Rewards Programs
More from U.S. News
How to Pick the Right Travel Rewards Program for You
Best Travel Rewards Programs of 2015-16
2015-16 Best Airline Rewards Programs originally appeared on usnews.com
