Wondering which Frequent Flyer Program (FFP) is best for earning airline miles? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but your choice depends on whether you want miles for cheap business class flights or elite status for perks like lounge access. Miles can come from flying, credit cards, hotel stays, car rentals, or airline shopping portals. This guide focuses on crediting flight miles, helping you maximize rewards with Premium-Flights’ free, no-signup deal platform.

Redeeming Miles for Business and First-Class Flights

Finding award seats for business or first-class flights is tough, especially for groups of 2, 4, or more. To snag premium award space:

• Subscribe to StraightToThePoints’ free newsletter for email alerts on business and first-class award availability.
• Check availability early and be flexible with dates or routes.

The Three Major Airline Alliances

Most airlines belong to Oneworld, Star Alliance, or SkyTeam. To maximize miles:

• Join one FFP per alliance (multiple for Oneworld for flexibility).
• Monitor mile expiration (typically 18-36 months of inactivity). Keep accounts active via airline shopping portals or small purchases.

Below, we outline the best programs for earning miles or mid-tier status, tailored to business class travelers.

1. Oneworld

Members: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian, SriLankan Airlines, Fiji Airways (connect partner), plus ~30 affiliates. (Note: S7 Airlines is suspended.)

Miles are called Avios, and you earn Tier Points for status.

a) Maximizing Avios for Award Flights

• Best Programs: British Airways Club (formerly Executive Club), Iberia Plus, AerClub (Aer Lingus).
• Why: Transfer Avios between these programs for flexibility. Iberia Plus and AerClub often have lower taxes/fees and different peak/off-peak calendars than BA. Register for all three to compare redemption options.
• Tool: Use WhereToCredit.com to check Avios earnings by airline and booking class.

b) Earning Mid-Tier Status (Oneworld Sapphire)

• Best Program: British Airways Club.
• Why: Easiest path to Sapphire status (lounge access, priority check-in, extra baggage on Oneworld flights). As of April 1, 2025, Tier Points are earned based on spend (1 TP per £1 on BA, American Airlines, or Iberia flights, including fare, surcharges, and add-ons like seats; excludes taxes).
• Requirements (April 1–March 31 annually):
  • Earn 7,500 Tier Points via eligible spend.
  • Alternative: Fly 50 BA-coded segments (no spend minimum).
• Example: A £3,500 Club World (business) round-trip from London to New York earns ~3,500 TPs. Two such trips (or one plus budget fares) can hit 7,500 TPs. Short-haul Club Europe flights (e.g., £200 each) add ~200 TPs per segment.
• Bonus: Register by Dec 31, 2025, for 400 bonus TPs per eligible Club World flight (booked by end-2025, travel up to 2026).
• Tip: North Americans should focus on transatlantic BA routes; Europeans can add Club Europe flights. Use BA’s flight calculator for TP estimates and find deals on Premium-Flights.

2. Star Alliance

Members: Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Air Portugal, THAI, Turkish Airlines, United.

Miles are called Miles or Points, depending on the program.

a) Maximizing Miles for Award Flights

• Best Program: Miles & More (Lufthansa-led).
• Why: Offers a family account for pooling miles. Taxes are reasonable, and award availability is decent across Star Alliance members.
• Earnings: Typically 4 Miles per € spent. Check WhereToCredit.com for airline-specific rates.

b) Earning Mid-Tier Status (Star Alliance Gold)

• Best Options:
  • Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles: 40,000 miles in a year with any Star Alliance member. (Note: No miles for Lufthansa’s cheapest business class, booking class P.)
  • Aegean Miles+Bonus: 36,000 miles plus 6 Aegean/Olympic Air segments.
  • EGYPTAIR Plus: 60,000 miles, with family account miles counting toward status.
• Recommendation: Choose Turkish Airlines for simplicity, avoiding Lufthansa P fares.

3. SkyTeam

Members: Aeroflot, Aerolíneas Argentinas, Aeroméxico, Air Europa, Air France, China Airlines, China Eastern, Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Garuda Indonesia, Kenya Airways, KLM, Korean Air, Middle East Airlines, Saudia, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS, joined 2024), TAROM, Vietnam Airlines, XiamenAir.

a) Maximizing Miles for Award Flights

• Best Program: FlyingBlue (Air France/KLM).
• Why: High mile earnings, especially with Delta (more than KLM/Air France). Regular Promo Awards offer discounted redemptions, ideal for Europeans. Korean Air SKYPASS guarantees 100% miles for business class flights.
• Tip: Delta SkyMiles earns more with KLM/Air France than Delta. Use WhereToCredit.com to compare.

b) Earning Mid-Tier Status (SkyTeam Elite Plus)

• Best Program: FlyingBlue.
• Why: Requires 180 XP (Experience Points) in a year for Gold status (lounge access, priority services). XP depends on distance and class (check FlyingBlue’s XP calculator).
• Example: A Europe-Asia business class round-trip earns 60-100 XP, making 180 XP achievable with a few trips.

Final Tips for Earning Airline Miles

• Calculate Earnings: Use WhereToCredit.com to check miles by airline, booking class, and program.
• Avoid Expiration: Keep accounts active with airline portal purchases or occasional flights.
• Find Award Seats: Sign up for StraightToThePoints’ free newsletter for business/first-class award alerts.
• Save with Premium-Flights: Our free, no-signup platform connects you to the best business class deals from airlines and OTAs, helping you earn miles efficiently.

Start crediting your miles today to unlock cheap business class flights and elite perks!

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