HomeAirline Programs

Airline Loyalty Programs

Earn miles faster with the right credit card. We break down every major U.S. airline program — how to earn, how to redeem, and which cards pair best with each.

✈ United MileagePlus ✈ Delta SkyMiles ✈ American AAdvantage ✈ Southwest Rapid Rewards
Airline Program Miles Expire? Award Pricing Alliance Best Transfer Card Verdict
United MileagePlus No expiry with account activity Dynamic (partner still flat) Star Alliance Chase Sapphire Preferred (1:1) Best for Partners
Delta SkyMiles No expiry Dynamic (no sweet spots) SkyTeam Amex Gold → Delta (1:1) Good for Delta Loyalists
American AAdvantage 24 months inactivity Dynamic + partner flat Oneworld Citi ThankYou → BA Avios Good for Domestic
Southwest Rapid Rewards 24 months inactivity Revenue-based (simple) None (U.S. only) Chase Sapphire Preferred (1:1) Best for Budget Travel
UNITED

United MileagePlus

One of the most flexible frequent flyer programs in the world. MileagePlus miles never expire as long as you have account activity, and United's Star Alliance membership gives you award redemption options on 26 airlines worldwide. Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers 1:1, making Chase Sapphire the natural partner card.

Program Details

  • Miles ExpiryNo expiry with any account activity
  • AllianceStar Alliance (26 airlines)
  • Award PricingDynamic on United; partner awards still distance-based
  • Key PartnersLufthansa, ANA, Singapore, Air Canada
  • Transfer RatioChase UR → United 1:1 (instant)
  • Domestic Value~1.2–1.5¢/mile average
  • Int'l Business~2–3¢/mile (ANA/Lufthansa)
Award Chart Highlights
5K
Short domestic segments
30K
US–Europe economy (partner)
88K
US–Japan ANA biz class

Best Cards to Earn United Miles

CHASE

Chase Sapphire Preferred®

Transfers 1:1 to United MileagePlus. Earn 3× on travel & dining. $95/yr — best value for United miles.

Pro Strategy: Earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points (they're more flexible than United miles) and only transfer to United once you've found award space. A 60,000-point CSP sign-up bonus = 60,000 United miles — enough for multiple domestic round trips or a one-way business class upgrade.
✈ Sweet Spot Alert
Transfer Chase points to United and book on ANA or Lufthansa first/business class for ~88K–120K miles one-way. These partner awards offer some of the best value in the program.
DELTA

Delta SkyMiles

Delta SkyMiles is the largest U.S. airline loyalty program by member count. Miles never expire. The main trade-off: Delta moved to fully dynamic pricing in 2023, eliminating award chart sweet spots. Best used by loyal Delta flyers who fly frequently and want status benefits. Amex Membership Rewards transfers 1:1 to Delta.

Program Details

  • Miles ExpiryNever expire
  • AllianceSkyTeam (19 airlines)
  • Award PricingFully dynamic — tied to cash price
  • Key PartnersAir France, KLM, Korean Air, Virgin Atlantic
  • Transfer SourceAmex MR → Delta 1:1 (instant)
  • Domestic Value~1.1–1.2¢/mile average
  • Best ForMedallion status, Delta hub cities (ATL, SLC, DTW, MSP)
⚠ Keep in Mind
Delta's dynamic pricing means award tickets can cost 3–4× more than fixed-rate programs during peak times. Best to book far in advance or use miles on off-peak routes.

Best Cards to Earn Delta Miles

AMEX

American Express® Gold Card

Earns Amex MR points that transfer 1:1 to Delta SkyMiles. 4× on dining & groceries. $250/yr with $240 in credits.

Pro Strategy: Earn Amex Membership Rewards (which can also transfer to Air France Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic, and others) instead of Delta miles directly. This gives you optionality — transfer to whichever program has the best pricing for your route.
💡 Better Value Tip
Transfer Amex points to Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) instead of Delta directly — they partner with Delta and often have Promo Awards with 30–40% off each month, giving you better value.
AMERICAN

American Airlines AAdvantage

AAdvantage is one of the oldest frequent flyer programs and the largest Oneworld alliance member. American's extensive domestic network covers most U.S. cities. For international business class, booking through British Airways Avios (which transfers from Chase and Citi) often yields better value than AAdvantage miles directly.

Program Details

  • Miles Expiry24 months of inactivity
  • AllianceOneworld (12 airlines)
  • Award PricingDynamic + partner distance-based
  • Key PartnersBritish Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Iberia
  • Transfer SourceChase UR → BA Avios (books AA), Citi → BA Avios
  • Domestic Value~1.2–1.5¢/mile average
  • Status TiersGold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, Executive Platinum
Off-Peak Award Chart
7.5K
Short domestic one-way (off-peak)
22.5K
Domestic round-trip economy
57.5K
US–Europe economy one-way

Best Cards to Earn American Miles

CHASE

Chase Sapphire Preferred®

Transfers to British Airways Avios 1:1. Use Avios to book American Airlines flights, often at better value than AAdvantage miles directly.

Pro Strategy: For domestic American flights under 1,150 miles, British Airways Avios charges only 7,500 points one-way — one of the best domestic award values available. Transfer Chase or Citi points to BA to book American flights.
SOUTHWEST

Southwest Rapid Rewards

The most beginner-friendly airline loyalty program. Rapid Rewards uses a simple revenue-based model — every point is worth ~1.5¢ toward any available Southwest seat, no blackout dates, no fare classes. Chase Sapphire Preferred transfers 1:1, and the Southwest Companion Pass (earned by reaching 135,000 points in a calendar year) is one of the best values in all of travel.

Program Details

  • Miles Expiry24 months inactivity; easy to maintain
  • AllianceNone — U.S., Caribbean, Mexico only
  • Award PricingRevenue-based (~1.5¢/point) — predictable
  • Transfer SourceChase UR → Southwest 1:1 (instant)
  • Blackout DatesNone — any available seat
  • Companion Pass135,000 pts/year = 2-for-1 flights all year
  • Best ForDomestic travel, families, Companion Pass chasers
⭐ Companion Pass Hack
Open a Southwest co-branded card in January and earn the 75K–85K sign-up bonus. Combined with your existing Chase UR transfers, you can hit the 135K Companion Pass threshold and fly two-for-one for nearly 2 full years.

Best Cards to Earn Southwest Points

CHASE

Chase Sapphire Preferred®

Transfers 1:1 to Southwest Rapid Rewards. Use the 60,000-point sign-up bonus + spending to chase the Companion Pass.

Why Southwest Stands Out: Unlike other programs, every single Southwest flight is available for points — no "award inventory." You just pay the points equivalent of the cash price. Simple, predictable, and no surprises.