Airlines are getting stingier with their frequent flyer programs, but savvy travelers can still get good deals — if they know where to look.
That’s according to WalletHub, the personal-finance website, which ranked the frequent flyer programs of the top 10 domestic carriers in a new study.
The top-ranked frequent flyer programs are:
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
United Airlines MileagePlus
Delta Air Lines SkyMiles
Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles
American Airlines AAdvantage
Alaska Mileage Plan tops the list for the second year in a row, narrowly beating out United MileagePlus.
The rankings are based in part on an analysis of the rewards for travelers on three levels of airfare budget: light ($459), average ($3,393) and frequent ($6,326).
“As a result, the best overall frequent flyer programs are well-rounded and positioned to satisfy the needs of loyal airline customers of all types,” WalletHub editors reported in the study.
WalletHub analyzed a total of 21 metrics, ranging from the value of a point/mile to blackout dates for reward flights.
Hawaiian Airlines offers the greatest rewards value, $12.55 per $100 spent, with Frontier Airlines coming in second with $11.75 per $100.
On average, airline miles are 2.6 times more expensive when purchased rather than earned, according to WalletHub.
The top 10 airlines have on average reduced the value of their frequent flyer program offerings by 5% compared with 2024. Only three of the top 10 carriers offer more rewards value this year.
The average frequent flyers can save about 8% on airfare through the rewards programs, which are all available for free.
Potential savings can be increased by using a credit card affiliated with an airline, WalletHub advises. Many of these airline credit cards offer starting bonuses worth one or two free flights.
This year, The JetBlue Plus Card is best airline credit card, WalletHub’s editors said.
Six airlines do not erase miles because of inactivity: Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines.
Four airlines give preference to frequent flyer program members when selecting whom to bump from overbooked flights: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Alaska Airlines.
Six of the 10 biggest carriers — Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and JetBlue Airways — let rewards program members earn and redeem miles with partner carriers. Alaska Airlines and United Airlines have the most partner carriers, 24 each.
WalletHub also cited four airlines that do not have frequent flyer partnerships with other airlines: Southwest, Spirit, Frontier and Sun Country.
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