Point.me recently released a report ranking 62 of the world’s airlines based on their rewards programmes, with Air France and KLM’s Flying Blue taking the top spot. Flying Blue offers easy booking, low redemption costs, and the ability to book on partner airlines within the SkyTeam alliance, making it a standout programme. The majority of reward points are earned through credit card partnerships, making it possible for non-frequent flyers to accumulate points for travel. Other top-ranking European programmes include Air Canada’s Aeroplan and United MileagePlus, offering solid availability and generous routing rules, as well as British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, which have made recent improvements to their programmes.
European airlines fared well in Point.me’s assessment of airline rewards programmes, with companies like Aer Lingus’ AerClub and Finnair Plus ranking highly. Aegean Miles+Bonus was praised for expanded availability on its own airline, while Scandinavian SAS Eurobonus and Lufthansa Group’s Miles & More also received positive feedback for their programmes. Iberia Plus and Tap Miles&Go were noted for making it easy to redeem points on flight bookings. Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles and Air Europa Suma were found to offer average rewards programmes on a global scale but still ranked in the top 12 in Europe, providing unique perks for travellers.
Flying Blue scored exceptionally well across the board, offering extensive partnerships and flexible routing rules that make it easy to earn and redeem miles. Air Canada’s Aeroplan and United MileagePlus were also highlighted for their ease of earning miles through various credit card partnerships and alliances. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic’s programmes both saw improvements, with British Airways expanding its reward flight options and Virgin Atlantic offering economy redemption rates and availability on all flights. While some European programmes faced challenges with online bookings and high fuel surcharges, overall, the region performed well in delivering competitive rewards programmes for travellers.
Point.me analysed various aspects of airline rewards programmes, including earning methods, redemption rates, ease of booking, routing rules, and customer service quality. European airlines were praised for their commitment to offering valuable benefits to their customers, with programmes like Flying Blue, Aeroplan, and MileagePlus standing out for their strong performance. By partnering with credit card issuers and other loyalty programmes, airlines can offer travellers the opportunity to earn points through a wide range of spending activities. With airlines constantly making adjustments to their loyalty strategies, travellers can benefit from improved redemption options and enhanced benefits by choosing the right rewards programme for their needs.
