The Best Frequent Flyer Programs to Join in 2025 and Beyond, Ranked

For most travelers, getting to a top tier of an airline loyalty program isn’t about flying the most: it’s about having an airline-approved credit card you use everywhere from the grocery store to online shopping. And if you’re thinking about joining an airline loyalty program to start earning upgrades (or at least priority boarding) in 2026, you’ll want to pick the program that gives you the most bang for your buck.

For some, choosing which airline to start flying with on a regular basis may be as simple as what airline flies most frequently from your local airport. But travelers who live near major airports will probably find that most of the major US airlines offer enough options to get them wherever they want to go. According to an analysis from Point.me, which helps travelers maximize their frequent flyer point redemptions, there’s a clear winner on which airline loyalty program is the best of the best.

The new “World’s Best Airline Rewards Programs 2025” analyzed more than 22 million searchers from actual users, scoring loyalty programs across eight factors. It ranked ease of earning, redemption rates, and partner opportunities most heavily, then considered award availability, redemption experience, customer service, change/cancel policies, and whether seats are held for award flyers/banned for award flyers. Over the course of 11 months, the data proved a clear winner when it comes to the best frequent flyer program, and it went to an airline that tries to make it easy to earn miles.

The best frequent flyer program of 2025

Photo: tenora/Shutterstock

Air France/KLM’s “Flying Blue” program won the top spot, scoring a rating of 92.38. It’s primarily through Air France and KLM (both of whom fly to major cities in the US), but is part of the SkyTeam alliance with Delta Air Lines. It won mostly because it plays well with major banking institutions (Amex, Chase, Citi, Capital One, and Wells Fargo), allowing users to earn miles across a wide spectrum of banking institutions. It also works with 18 non-alliance airline partners, like China Southern and Copa Airlines, allowing users to redeem their points across a huge network.

The main ding was due to the change/cancel fees of roughly $75-$100, causing it to get a slightly lower ranking than last year, though it also took the top spot in 2024. However, Point.me praised its “excellent customer service” and “easy-to-use website and app.”

The rest of the list

Photo: Point.me

The runner-up and third best airline frequent flyer programs are both based in the US: American Airlines AAdvantage, which came in second, and Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan (now merged with Hawaiian and called “Atmos Rewards.”) It scored points for its Citi transfer partnership, ability to “hold” seats online while you transfer points as needed, and solid availability of reward seats. It jumped from number six last year, though it has fewer overall transfer partners (four), giving it thinner flight options across the Asia-Pacific region.

Alaska’s Mileage Plan took the third spot for its point redemption value and flexibility, including free one-way stopovers on award travel and a partner network that extends far beyond the US West Coast. However, points from other activities (like using branded credit cards) are harder to earn, and experts say the customer service can be “inconsistent.”

The rest of the top frequent flyer programs for 2025 reflected a mix of national and international alliances:

#4: Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
#5: United MileagePlus
#6: British Airways Executive Club
#7: Air Canada Aeroplan
#8: JetBlue TrueBlue
#9: Emirates Skywards
#10: Qatar Privilege Club

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