Frequent flyer programs are the loyalty cards of the air travel industry. If you fly with the same airline, or an alternative airline in the same alliance, then you can earn points. You can use those points toward the price of your flight, upgrades, hotel stays, car rentals or even shopping. The programs are cost nothing to join them, so you are not losing anything by signing up and can save some more cash.

There are too many frequent flyer programs, so explore a few of the best frequent flyer programs for 2018. If you’re angling for free airfare this year, make sure to explore these programs and the various ways you can rack up miles in a hurry.

How To Frequent Flyer Programs Work?

Traditionally, frequent flyer programs offer air miles rewards. The longer or more miles you save for your flight, the more mileage points you accumulated. Airlines’ air miles reward points to loyal passengers. Some airline loyalty programs now work on a “get points for the amount you spend” basis. Nowadays, airlines reward points on the basis of how much money you spend on your flight or how much money your flight cost instead of how far you travel. This trend is apparently set to continue over the next few years, so bare that in mind when you research your frequent flyer options.

How To choose Best Frequent Flyer Program?

The best thing about the majority of frequent flyer programs is that they literally allow you the opportunity to get something for nothing. If you are a frequent traveler, then you should definitely spend some time, which airline rewards program is the best for you. Different frequent flyer programs prioritise different rewards. It might be easier to be upgraded with one loyalty program, but you may need fewer points to get money off your flight purchases with another. Whether you’re after lounge access, cash-back, or upgrades, you can try and find an airline loyalty program that offers the best value points schemes for the rewards you’re interested in.

Airline Rewards Programs 2018

These are some of the most popular in the world right now and can help you get a feel for what frequent flyer program best suits you.

SkyMiles

• Airline: Delta
• Airline alliance: SkyTeam
• Cost to join: Free
• Minimum elite status requirement: 25,000 qualifying miles or 30 qualifying flight segments per calendar year.
• Special bonus: Top-tier elite members get upgrade certificates and 25,000 bonus miles. Your miles never expire!

SkyMiles is one of the longest-running and most successful loyalty programs in air travel. In fact, this is the third year; program has received the title of Best rewards program. Delta offers more ways to redeem frequent flyer miles than another airline, including airline tickets, mileage upgrades, car rentals, hotel accommodation and Delta Sky Club membership.

Skywards

• Airline: Emirates
• Airline alliance: None
• Cost to join: Free
• Minimum elite status requirement: Blue 0 miles, Silver 25,000 miles in a given calendar year, Gold 50,000 miles in a given calendar year, and Platinum 100,000 miles in a given calendar year.
• Special bonus: You can redeem your points when you buy EasyJet flights at 7,500 miles.

You can join the Emirates’ frequent flyer program without any cost and quickly rack up all those miles in various ways. Emirates do not belong to any airline alliance. But, membership gives you the chance to earn and spend miles with Emirates and other its partners like Alaska Airlines and Flydubai. You can enhance your travel experience with benefits and services. According to Emirates, you can earn miles for an upgrade after just 1 long-distance trip and your miles are valid for 3 years.

AAdvantage

• Airline: American Airlines
• Airline alliance: Oneworld
• Cost to join: Free
• Minimum elite status requirement: 25,000 miles or 30 flight segments per calendar year on minimum annual spend.
• Special bonus: American Airlines doesn’t have airline partners with its alliance. It has many others you can earn and spend points with Etihad Airways, Fiji Airways, Air Tahiti Nui, Alaska Airlines, Westjet, Hawaiian Airlines

American Airlines boast over 1000 ways to earn miles with their loyalty program, AAdvantage. American Airlines has a fantastic reputation for international and domestic travelers. However, miles are awarded based on dollars spent rather than number of miles flown. Also, your mileage credit will be forfeited if your account is inactive for 18 months.

Miles&More

• Airline: Lufthansa group (Lufthansa, SWISS, Brussels Airlines, Austrian Airlines, and Eurowings)
• Airline alliance: Star Alliance
• Cost to join: Free
• Minimum elite status requirement: Frequent Traveler 35,000 status miles or 30 flights in 1 calendar year. Senator 100,000 status miles in a given calendar year HON Circle Member 600,000 HON Circle miles in two consecutive calendar years
• Special bonus: Miles&More regularly launch good-value promotions where you can get more for your miles

Miles&More is the largest frequent flyer loyalty program in Europe with over 40 airline partners and 30 million members. The program has different tiers for their member. For standard Miles & More members, you only need 1 mile to join and your miles retain validity for 36 months. The other tiers in ascending order are For Frequent Travelers, Senators and HON Circle Card holders. These miles have no expiration date.

MILES&SMILES

• Airline: Turkish Airlines
• Airline alliance: Star Alliance
• Cost to join: Free
• Minimum elite status requirement: 25,000 level miles every 12 months
• Special bonus: This frequent flyer program is the easiest to work out and may help you to become Star Alliance Gold status. They also have an epic MILES&SMILES explanation video with an unbelievably dramatic soundtrack. If that doesn’t win you over, I don’t know what will.

MILES&SMILES allows members of the Turkish Airlines loyalty program special services. These include award tickets, upgrades, lounge access, extra baggage allowance, the use of business class counters and reservation priority. As long as you choose to fly with Turkish Airlines or a member of star alliance, you can take advantage of the many opportunities offered by the MILES&SMILES.

LifeMiles

• Airline: Avianca
• Airline alliance: Star Alliance
• Cost to join: Free
• Minimum elite status requirement: 22,000 qualifying miles on Avianca and/or Star Alliance airline partners in a calendar year.
• Special bonus: It has one of the lowest requirements of elite status of all the airline rewards programs.

Avianca is the largest airline in Colombia and second largest in Latin America, so if you’re a frequent traveler prone to jet-setting around the America. LifeMiles members earn miles every time they fly with Star Alliance carriers and Avianca subsidiaries or use services in certain hotels and retail outlets.

Flying Blue

• Airline: KLM and Air France
• Airline alliance: SkyTeam
• Cost to join: Free
• Minimum elite status requirement: 25,000 level miles (30,000 in France and Monaco) or 15 qualifying flights.
• Special bonus: Flying Blue launch new offers each month; usually discounted loyalty tickets that save you up to 50% on Award Miles.

Flying Blue is the airline rewards scheme for both KLM and Air France. Most airlines within the Air France-KLM family now use Flying Blue, including Kenya Airways, Aircalin and Tarom. Flying Blue is growing rapidly, which a surprise isn’t given that Air France operates 15,000 daily departures to 191 destinations. More than 100,000 new members sign up for Flying Blue each month and its slogan is “explorer le monde”.

Executive Club

• Airline: British Airways
• Airline alliance: Oneworld
• Cost to join: Free
• Minimum elite status requirement: 300 tier points in a calendar year.
• Special bonus: The elite lounge access allows you to bring in a guest and you can pool your points, or Avios, with up to six people who live with you.

British Airways liken their rewards scheme to a holiday fund. Their tiered loyalty program sees people earn Avios and spend their well-earned points on any British Airways or partner carrier flights. Their Executive Club program has a distinct reward currency, Avios. Avios offers to members of the frequent flyer programs of British Airways, Iberia, FlyBe and AIR ITALY thousands of ways to earn and redeem Avios for flights, hotels, and even travel experiences.

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