Feeling a little underwhelmed by the perks offered by your current frequent flyer program? Take a look at the most valuable reward programs from commercial airlines, according to a new study that weighs 21 different factors.
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The study comes from WalletHub, a budgeting and credit score tool. WalletHub analysts took a close look at how frequent flyer programs operate for the US’s ten largest airlines. The study weighs public opinion along with company policy.
More specifically, WalletHub ranked frequent flyer programs based on factors like airline coverage, partner coverage, rewards value, earning policies, redemption policies, and other features, like the ease of achieving elite status.
In short, the study looks for frequent flyer programs that deliver on both value and convenience. They shouldn’t be hard to understand, and they shouldn’t be prohibitive even for more casual travelers, aka ‘light flyers’, according to the study.
Ready to see which frequent flyer programs to keep your eye on? (You can also compare airlines based on seat size and baggage fees.)
Top 10 frequent flyer programs in 2026 for Americans
Here’s a closer look at the rankings from this year’s WalletHub study.
- Alaska Airlines
- United Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- American Airlines
- JetBlue Airways
- Southwest Airlines
- Spirit Airlines
- Frontier Airlines
- Sun Country Airlines
- Allegiant Air
If you want more information on your specific travel needs, head to the WalletHub study page. They’ve included a frequent flyer mile calculator. Just type in how much you spend annually on flights, and the calculator will give you the top two programs based on your flight budget.
