For each of the 3 alliances, Oneworld, Skyteam and Star Alliance there’s one best frequent flyer program.

You can’t say that only one frequent flyer is the best, as you wouldn’t have the possibility to earn miles with the other alliances.

Let’s start with Oneworld…

Oneworld

The best frequent flyer program within the Oneworld alliance is British Airways Executive Club.

You can also combine your Avios that you collect from the different programs British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus and Air Lingus Aer Club, therefor we would suggest you to create an account with all 3 programs. To knw how to combine or switch your Avios from one to another program can be read here.

If you’d like to know how to earn a maximum in Avios (=miles) check out this page.

British Airways Executive Club

British Airways Excecutive Club has 4 different Status Levels:

  • Executive Club Blue = no equivalent for basic membership
  • Executive Club Bronze = Oneworld Ruby
  • Executive Club Silver = Oneworld Sapphire
  • Executive Club Gold = Oneworld Emerald

Benefits for Bronze:

  • Priority check in and boarding.
  • Free seat selection 7 days before departure.
  • 25% bonus Avios.

Additional Benefits for Silver:

  • Free seat selection at booking.
  • Access to airport business lounges.
  • Extra baggage allowance.
  • 50% bonus Avios.
  • Fast track at London Heathrow Airport.

Additional Benefits for Gold:

  • First class check in and boarding.
  • Access to First lounges.
  • More Extra baggage allowance.
  • Additional reward flight availability.
  • 100% bonus Avios.

How to reach a Status Level

For Bronze, you need 300 tier points and 2 BA flight or 25 flights if you don’t have 300 tier points.

Silver, 600 tier points and  4 BA flights or 50 flights if you do not have 600 tier points.

Gold, 1500 tier points.

Note: Tier points have to be earned during one year, the beginning for each collecting year is the date you have signed up for the Executive club.

 

Skyteam

The best frequent flyer program within the Skyteam alliance is Air France/KLM Flyingblue.

If you’d like to know how to earn a maximum in miles, check out this page.

Air France/KLM Flyingblue

Flyingblue has 4 different Status Levels:

  • Flying Blue Explorer = no equivalent for basic membership
  • Flying Blue Silver = SkyTeam Elite
  • Flying Blue Gold = SkyTeam Elite Plus
  • Flying Blue Platinum = SkyTeam Elite Plus

Benefits for Silver:

  • Extra baggage allowance
  • Priority check-in
  • Priority baggage drop-off
  • Priority boarding (after SkyPriority and before Economy)
  • Free Standard seat selection
  • Earn 6 Miles per € spent

Additional Benefits for Gold:

  • Priority boarding
  • Airport lounge access
  • Priority at immigration and security
  • Priority service at ticket offices and transfer desks
  • Priority baggage delivery
  • Earn 7 Miles per € spent

Additional Benefits for Platinum:

  • Free extra legroom seat selection
  • Free front section seat selection
  • Free seat extra legroom seat selection
  • Earn 8 Miles per € spent

How to reach a Status Level

For Silver, you need 100XP, for Gold 180XP and for Platinum 300XP within one year.

 

Star Alliance

The best frequent flyer programs within the Star alliance are SASEurobonus and Miles-and-More.

If you’d like to know how to earn a maximum in miles, check out this page.

With SASEurobonus you will usually earn more miles when you’re flying with Star Alliance members compared to Miles-and-More, where you will usually only get 4 Miles per € spent.

Miles-and-More has one big advantage. If you like to earn a maximum in miles, you can convert your Payback points to Miles-and-more. Explained in our post earn miles at miles-and-more with Payback.

SAS Eurobonus

  • EuroBonus Silver = Star Alliance Silver
  • EuroBonus Gold = Star Alliance Gold
  • EuroBonus Diamond = Star Alliance Gold

Miles-and-More

  • Miles-and-More Frequent Traveller = Star Alliance Silver
  • Miles-and-More Senator = Star Alliance Gold
  • Miles-and-More HON Circle = Star Alliance Gold

Benefits for Silver:

  • Priority waitlist and priority airport standby.

Benefits for Gold:

  • Priority airport check-in.
  • Extra baggage allowance
  • Star Alliance Gold Track access
  • Airport lounge access
  • Priority boarding
  • Priority baggage handling
  • Priority reservations waitlist
  • Priority airport standby

How to reach a Status Level

  • SASEurobonus Silver, you need 10 one-way flights or 20000 Basic points. For Gold 45 one-way flights with SAS and Wideroe, or when you have earned 45 000 Basic points with SAS, Wideroe and Star Alliance member airlines during your personal 12-month qualification period.
  • Miles-and-More Senator, you need 100,000 status miles in one calendar year. For HON Circle 600,000 HON Circle miles in two consecutive calendar years.

 

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