‘Best’ Frequent Flyer Program: Myth and Reality

There may be lists that tell you which best frequent flyer program is best but that doesn’t make it the best one for you.

Frequent flyer program. Dreamstime/TCA

Travel outfits are fond of publishing “best” lists—best airlines, best airports, best hotels, best restaurants. You name it and someone will rate it. But almost all frequent flyer ratings are flawed: They can’t account for the fact that different flyers use their programs in different ways.

Point.me just released its ratings for this year:

1. Air France KLM Flying Blue
2. Air Canada Aeroplan
3. United Airlines MileagePlus
4. British Airways Executive Club
5. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
6. American Airlines AAdvantage
7. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
8. Qatar Airways Privilege Club
9. JetBlue TrueBlue
10. Avianca LifeMiles

Noticeable for its absence is Delta Skymiles. Apparently frequent flyer is yet another area in which Delta is underperforming.