Looking for information on the best airline rewards programs in the world? Point.me is a great place to start.
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Point.me is a platform that allows you to pool and redeem airline and credit card rewards points for flights. Just upload your points, then see which fares you can book without making a purchase. (You need to pay a small fee, usually around $20-30.)
The platform lets you join points from over 150 programs, and even introduces you to deals that you might not see on your card’s travel portal, saving you points and time. Even better, you can book flights that will take you from the United States around the world, from Zurich to Melbourne to Rio de Janeiro.
But there’s one pressing question to answer before you can unlock the deals on Point.me: How can you know which rewards programs are worth your time to begin with?
[For a deep dive on the best airline rewards programs in the US, head here.]
Best airline rewards programs in the world based on travel rewards fares
The Point.me study looks at 33 programs across eight categories to rank its top picks. The study looks at what points are worth (including ease of earning), how easy points are to use (including redemption experience), and what happens when plans change (including change fees).
The study draws on more than 250 million reward fares and draws on experts who know about points programs and rewards that actually translate into free or heavily discounted trips.
Top 10 airline rewards programs from around the world, along with which categories they swept
- Air France-KLM Flying Blue (Best in Europe, Best in Ease of Earning, Best in Partner Opportunities, Best Award Availability)
- United MileagePlus (Best in the Americas, Best Redemption Experience, Best Customer Service, Best Change Fees)
- Air Canada Aeroplan
- Atmos Rewards (Best Redemption Rates)
- American Airlines AAdvantage (Best Award Holds)
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club (Best in the Middle East)
- JetBlue TrueBlue
- The British Airways Club
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (Best in Asia & Oceania)