According to a new Wallet Hub study, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is the best frequent flyer program for 2022.
However, Spirit Airlines’ rewards program required the least number of miles for a free flight.
“Based on the minimum of earned miles or points needed for a free flight, the Free Spirit rewards program would be the fastest, as it only requires 2,500 points,” said Jill Gonzalez, an analyst with WalletHub.
The Best Frequent Flyer Programs study found that Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan requires a minimum of 5,000 mileage plan miles for a free flight, followed by the United MileagePlus Program in second place, with 23,700 miles for a free flight.
“Alaska Airlines offers a higher reward value in 2022 compared to 2021, while United lowered its reward value compared to last year,” Gonzalez said.
Reward value refers to the actual dollar amount of rewards, not the type of rewards.
The three largest airlines offering higher reward values for 2022 than 2021 include Delta, Alaska, and Hawaiian, according to Gonzalez. For example, the data shows that Alaska Airlines’ reward value is $24.65 per $100 spent.
“Attracting more flyers could be one of the reasons for these higher values,” she said.
“Alaska Airlines has both U.S. and international destinations, plus it has several partner airlines that fly both domestically and internationally,” Gonzalez told The Dallas Express. “You can purchase one-way tickets as well as round trip tickets with the miles earned.”
To advance out of second place next year, United Airlines would need to stop imposing earning limits, offer more U.S. destinations with partner airlines, and make it easier to achieve elite status, according to Gonzalez.
“United’s frequent flyer program offers the possibility to earn and redeem miles for partner airlines and the possibility to earn miles when booking through third-party websites,” she said. “Plus, there are no booking blackout dates, no short notice booking fee, no award ticket redeposit fee, miles don’t expire, and it allows for layovers in awards flights.”
Best for redemption policies, Delta SkyMiles is in third place, with 276 flight destinations and a minimum of 5,000 miles for a free flight.
“Delta Airlines has no booking blackout dates, no short notice booking fee, no award ticket redeposit fee, and it allows for layovers in award flights,” Gonzalez said.
Although Hawaiian Airlines is limited to thirty-one destinations, HawaiianMiles came fourth.
“It partners with other airlines that offer more U.S. and international destinations,” Gonzalez said.
With a reward value of $9.40 per $100 spent, American Airlines rewards landed in fifth place.
“United outranks American Airlines in several categories, including the number of U.S. and international destinations and the number of international destinations for partner airlines, the reward value for average frequent flyers, and advance booking,” Gonzalez explained.
WalletHub ranked JetBlue Airlines in sixth place, followed by Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards in seventh place.
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards earned low scores in several categories, including the availability of retroactive flight credit, ease of achieving elite status, and ease of transferring miles between accounts or purchasing miles.
“These are all areas Southwest needs to improve in order to rise up in the ranks,” Gonzalez added.
