8 Frequent Flyer Programs to Join in 2025 (& How Going Complements Them)

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If you’re planning to fly more this year – bucket list trips, family visits, business class daydreams – joining the right frequent flyer program can save you hundreds (sometimes thousands) without changing how you travel. The problem? Not all loyalty programs are actually…loyal.

After years of chasing deals, testing redemptions, and helping friends make sense of their points, I’ve narrowed down the best frequent flyer programs to join in 2025. These are the ones with great sweet spots, solid transfer partners, and award availability that won’t make you want to scream.

• ✈️ Pro tip: Want to maximize your miles earnings? Going Premium members get access to points and miles deals, mistake fares, and international flight alerts that can earn serious miles. Going Elite members get even more with business and first class deals where you’ll rack up miles fastest. Trust me, there’s no quicker way to boost your loyalty rewards.

1. American Airlines AAdvantage

• ✈️ Sweet Spot: Business class to Europe for 57,500 miles one-way
• 🔄 Transfer Partners: Marriott Bonvoy, Bilt Rewards
• 💰 Mile Value: ~1.4–1.6 cents per mile
• 🎯 Best For: Oneworld loyalists, international travelers, and anyone eyeing long-term elite status

If I had to pick just one frequent flyer program to join in 2025, it’d be AAdvantage. Between the elite status perks, the rock-solid Oneworld partner network, and some of the most consistently valuable international redemptions out there, it hits a rare balance of flexibility and long-term value.

I’ve booked Japan Airlines business class to Tokyo for 60k miles and Qatar Qsuite to the Middle East for under 70k – both smooth, straightforward redemptions with no wild surcharges. And now with AAdvantage’s new lifetime status tiers, it’s one of the only programs that really rewards you for sticking around.

If you travel a lot – even in economy – you’ll earn Loyalty Points faster than you think, and those benefits (like upgrades and priority check-in) genuinely add up.

AAdvantage is also a smart pick for anyone earning through everyday spend. Their Citi and Barclays credit cards rack up Loyalty Points directly, and if you’re in the Bilt ecosystem, you can transfer points straight into your AAdvantage account.

Pro tip: AAdvantage redemptions on partners like Qatar Airways, Japan Airlines, and Finnair regularly align with Going alerts. If you see a cash fare drop on one of these routes, there’s a good chance award space is opening too – ideal if you’re booking for two or planning a stopover.

2. Flying Blue (AirFrance-KLM)

• ✈️ Sweet Spot: 15k–25k miles to Europe in economy, 50k–70k in business with Promo Rewards
• 🔄 Transfer Partners: Amex, Chase, Capital One, Citi, Bilt
• 💰 Mile Value: ~1.2–1.4 cents per mile
• 🎯 Best For: Deal-chasers, Europe travelers, beginners looking for easy wins

Flying Blue is a frequent flyer program I always recommend to friends who are just starting to get into points and miles. It’s easy to join, easy to earn, and the deals – especially through their monthly Promo Rewards – can be ridiculously good. I’ve flown to Paris for under 20,000 miles and spotted business class to Europe for less than what some programs charge for a domestic flight.

What makes it especially friendly for beginners is how often transfer bonuses pop up from major credit card programs. You can build a decent balance fast, even if you’re not a hardcore collector. And since Flying Blue uses variable pricing, there are lots of opportunities to find lower-mileage redemptions if your dates are flexible.

Going and Flying Blue are a seriously good match. I’ve had Going Premium alerts line up perfectly with Flying Blue promo windows, especially for East Coast to Europe routes. It’s made it way easier to spot when those 15k or 50k sweet spots actually show up.

If you’re someone who doesn’t want to hoard miles forever and just wants to book and go, Flying Blue is a great place to start.

👉 Pro tip: Check Flying Blue’s Promo Rewards page at the start of each month, then stack that with a Going alert for the same route to see if you can double up on savings and earn more miles back on a paid fare. I’ve done both.

3. Aeroplan (Air Canada)

• ✈️ Sweet Spot: 60-70k miles in business to Europe with a stopover
• 🔄 Transfer Partners: Amex, Chase, Capital One, Bilt
• 💰 Mile Value: ~1.4–1.7 cents per mile
•  🎯 Best For: People who like flexibility, Star Alliance travelers, and anyone who wants to book complicated trips without headaches

If you’re the kind of traveler who likes to customize your trip – add stopovers, mix airlines, explore weird routes – Aeroplan should be on your radar. It rewards people who like to build creative itineraries and squeeze the most out of every mile.

What I love most about Aeroplan is its versatility. You can use your points to fly over 45 airlines (not just Star Alliance), add stopovers for 5,000 miles, and book online without waiting on hold for hours. It’s especially good if you’re planning a long-haul trip with multiple legs – say, NYC to Rome with a stop in Lisbon, or LA to Tokyo via Vancouver.

I recently spotted a business class deal on Going from Boston to Lisbon for just 120k–138k points roundtrip using Aeroplan. Seeing that pop up in my inbox helped me jump on the exact dates I needed, knowing the route was wide open for award booking.

It’s also one of the easiest programs to earn with. Pretty much every major credit card program transfers to Aeroplan, so you can build a balance quickly – even if you rarely fly Air Canada.

👉 Pro tip: Aeroplan lets you add a stopover on a one-way award for just 5,000 extra miles. This means you can turn a simple trip into two cities for barely any extra cost! I’ve used this to do Tokyo and Bangkok on the same ticket for 75k in business.

4. United MileagePlus

• ✈️ Sweet Spot: 88k miles in business to Asia on ANA or Asiana
• 🔄 Transfer Partners: Chase, Bilt
• 💰 Mile Value: ~1.2–1.4 cents per mile
• 🎯 Best For: Star Alliance fans, people who want to avoid surcharges, and anyone booking partner awards without the stress

I’ll be honest: United’s own flights don’t usually offer the best value for your miles. But that’s not why I use MileagePlus. What makes this program stand out is partner redemptions, especially when you’re flying long-haul on Star Alliance carriers like Lufthansa, ANA, or Turkish.

United doesn’t pass along fuel surcharges the way some other programs do, which can save you a few hundred dollars right off the bat. That’s made a big difference for me when I’ve booked business class to Europe or Asia using United miles.

The other reason I keep a stash of United miles? The booking experience. You can search and book nearly every partner online without jumping through hoops or calling anyone. It’s not flashy, but it’s reliable. And when you’re trying to build an itinerary across three continents with multiple airlines, that matters.

2025 does bring higher status thresholds, so if you’re chasing elite status, know that it’s getting tougher. But for award redemptions? Still solid.

👉 Pro tip: If you’re booking with partner airlines, always look for flights on United’s site first – even if you plan to use another program. It’s one of the best tools for spotting Star Alliance award space without extra fees or friction.

5. Turkish Miles&Smiles

• ✈️ Sweet Spot: 45k miles for business class to Europe on Star Alliance
• 🔄 Transfer Partners: Citi, Capital One, Bilt, Marriott
• 💰 Mile Value: ~1.3–1.6 cents per mile
• 🎯 Best For: Deal hunters and anyone willing to work a bit to save big

Turkish Miles&Smiles is one of those frequent flyer programs that doesn’t get enough love, but consistently delivers. For 45,000 miles, you can fly business class to Europe on airlines like Lufthansa, Swiss, or TAP Portugal, and pay a fraction of the taxes and fees you’d face through other programs.

Even better, Turkish now shows most partner availability online, and you can book complex itineraries without needing to pick up the phone. It’s a go-to for people who don’t mind checking availability on United or Aeroplan, then using their Turkish miles to book the exact same flight for less.

I’ve used Going to spot business class fares on Lufthansa and TAP from cities like Chicago or Boston. When the deal was good, I had the choice to either book it outright through Going or grab the same seat using Turkish miles. Either way, Going helped me move fast while the space was wide open.

6. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

• ✈️ Sweet Spot: 12.5k miles to the East Coast in economy or 47.5k in Delta One to Europe
• 🔄 Transfer Partners: Amex, Chase, Capital One, Citi, Bilt
• 💰 Mile Value: ~1.3–1.5 cents per mile
• 🎯 Best For: Transatlantic flyers, Delta deal hunters, SkyTeam collectors

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club punches way above its weight, especially if you know where to look. I’ve seen Delta One business class seats from the U.S. to Europe for under 50k miles (a fraction of what other programs charge). Economy redemptions to the East Coast still hit that 12.5k sweet spot when availability aligns.

The real magic? Partner awards. You can use Flying Club miles to book flights on Delta, Air France-KLM, ANA, and more – often at lower rates than the carrier’s own program. 

While ANA redemptions have gotten a bit pricier, you can still find roundtrip business class between the U.S. and Japan for as low as 90k–95k miles from the West Coast, or 110k+ from the East Coast. It’s still one of the best deals in the game for premium transpacific travel. 

Virgin has also been expanding in 2025. New routes like Accra and Riyadh, plus added frequencies to Barbados and Mumbai, mean more options to fly Virgin metal directly. And thanks to recent partnerships with Air France-KLM and TAP Air Portugal, the earning and redeeming potential is only getting better.

👉 Pro Tip: Flying Club miles work especially hard on Delta. Use Going Premium to track fare drops on routes like JFK–LHR or ATL–CDG. Those same dates often open up low-level Delta One availability that you can book with Flying Club miles before they disappear.

7. Qatar Airways Privilege Club

• ✈️ Sweet Spot: 70k Avios for Qsuite business class from the US to the Middle East
• 🔄 Transfer Partners: Amex, Chase, Capital One, Citi
• 💰 Mile Value: ~1.4–1.6 cents per mile
• 🎯 Best For: Premium cabin travelers, Avios collectors, Middle East and Asia routes

Privilege Club is one of the most dependable frequent flyer programs for unlocking true value in premium cabins. Since adopting Avios as its currency, Qatar Airways has created one of the most user-friendly and versatile loyalty ecosystems on the market. Miles are easy to earn, easy to pool, and easy to transfer between programs like British Airways Executive Club or Iberia Plus.

Redemptions for Qsuite, Qatar’s flagship business class product, remain some of the strongest in the industry. I’ve booked routes like New York to Doha for 70,000 Avios and low taxes. If you’re connecting to Asia or Africa, it’s often only a small mileage jump. It’s a frequent flyer program I recommend when someone wants to use their points for a proper once-in-a-lifetime flight, without paying two or three times the value elsewhere.

Qatar has also been steadily improving the program in 2025. More partner offers, better award availability on flagship routes, and a few lucrative conversion bonuses from banks in Australasia have all added flexibility without complicating the experience.

👉 Pro Tip: I use Going with Points to spot award deals on Qatar. It’s one of the easiest ways to catch when Qsuite space is open. Trust me, once you start spotting deals this way, you won’t bother hunting anywhere else!

8. Alaska Mileage Plan

• ✈️ Sweet Spot: 60k miles for Japan Airlines business class to Tokyo
• 🔄 Transfer Partners: None (earn via flights, credit cards, and partners)
  💰 Mile Value: ~1.5–1.7 cents per mile
  🎯 Best For: Partner deal hunters, West Coast flyers, people who love an old-school program

There’s something refreshingly no-nonsense about Alaska Mileage Plan. It’s one of the last big frequent flyer programs that still feels like it values loyalty. Award charts are transparent, partner bookings are straightforward, and the sweet spots – particularly on airlines like Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific – are real.

Alaska recently merged with Hawaiian Airlines, which means more routes, more ways to earn, and better coverage throughout the Pacific. If you’re based on the West Coast or flying to Asia, it’s a no-brainer. They’ve also introduced milestone rewards and are finally rolling out EQM (elite-qualifying miles) on award tickets. It feels like a program that’s growing without losing its identity.

What I love most is how Alaska handles its partner ecosystem. No weird pricing games, no dynamic ranges that swing wildly. If you see a good fare, you know what it costs in miles – and you can still find gems if you check often. 

I spotted a Going alert recently for a cash fare on Fiji Airways and saw you could use Alaska miles to book the same flight through the partner chart. Easy, fast, and way more satisfying than playing the transfer game.

👉 Pro Tip: Alaska still lets you book stopovers on one-way awards with some partners. That means you can fly from Bangkok to LA with a day or two in Tokyo and still only use one award.

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