Program field guides
The chapters tell you which program to use. These pages tell you how: where to search, the booking steps on that program's site, when to phone, the fees and surcharges, and what changed in 2026. Open the one you are about to book with and keep it next to the booking tab.
oneworld
A fixed partner chart that still prices Qatar, JAL and Cathay business at 60,000 to 70,000 miles one-way with almost no surcharges, free 24-hour holds and free cancellation. The hard part is the seats: those airlines keep most premium space for their own members.
The oneworld program for free stopovers: a one-way partner award can include a stop of up to 14 days in the partner's hub and an onward flight for the same points. The chart is fixed and distance-based, but live prices often run well above it, so price the exact flight before you move points.
One currency spread over five clubs, and the most useful one to own for Qatar Qsuite and cheap transatlantic business on Iberia and Aer Lingus. The skill is booking each partner on the right club's site, because the same seat can cost several hundred dollars more in fees on the wrong one.
Best for Cathay Pacific flights starting in Hong Kong and for Asia-based travelers who earn Asia Miles, since Cathay keeps most business and First award space for its own members. From the US side, Alaska or AAdvantage usually price the same Cathay seats lower.
Two strong uses: JAL's own business to and from Japan at 55,000 miles one-way when base-price seats exist, and a distance-based partner chart that books British Airways, American and Emirates business cheaply with up to 3 stopovers. Only you and close family can fly, and new accounts cannot redeem for up to 60 days.
Star Alliance
The most useful Star Alliance program for most travelers: a fixed partner chart, no fuel surcharges, a CAD 39 partner fee and a 5,000-point stopover. After the 1 June 2026 repricing it is still strong across the Atlantic and from the Pacific Northwest to North Asia, and weak for Europe to Asia or Australia.
Best for ANA's own business and First to and from Japan, now bookable one-way at half the round-trip price, and for Star Alliance partner trips on a fixed zone chart with no seasons. Expect fuel surcharges on ANA and many partners, and only registered family can fly on your miles.
Cheap to buy and free of fuel surcharges on Star Alliance, but prices now vary by carrier, route and even search path, and the program repriced without notice in April 2026. Price the exact flight first, then buy or transfer.
The way to fly Singapore Airlines long-haul business and Suites on points: SQ keeps almost all long-haul premium Saver space for KrisFlyer members and adds no fuel surcharges on its own flights. Its partner awards are expensive and its cheapest seats often need the waitlist.
Best for Turkish's own business class between North America and Istanbul at 65,000 miles, on an airline that releases award seats generously. Partner bookings often fail online, booking for others is restricted, and miles hard-expire.
A Star Alliance search engine first and a currency second. Worth holding if you earn Chase, Bilt or Marriott points or carry a United card, since partner business runs about 80,000 to 100,000 miles one-way with no fuel surcharges; not worth buying from zero because of the 2026 purchase cap.
No alliance
Mainly useful for the one-way Business Saver on Emirates' fifth-freedom flights (New York to Milan or Athens) and for UAE residents who earn Skywards miles directly. Flights through Dubai carry heavy carrier charges, transfer ratios from US banks have worsened, and First is closed to Blue members.
Useful mainly when a fixed-rate Promo seat appears on Etihad's own flights; otherwise its long-haul business prices and carrier charges are high and its cancellation rules are the harshest here. For Etihad business from the US, AAdvantage at 70,000 with no surcharges usually beats it.
Worth holding for two things: ANA business and First at fixed prices (booked by phone) and SkyTeam flights on Delta, Air France and KLM. Virgin's own Upper Class is cheap in points but heavy in cash charges.
SkyTeam
Hotel programs
A hotel currency, not an airline one. Even at the near-constant 100 percent purchase bonus an airline mile costs about 2.5 US cents, and transfers need a phone call and take 2 to 3 weeks.
The only legitimate way to buy ANA, JAL, KrisFlyer, Asia Miles or Emirates miles outright, and a cap-free way into United. Buy only during a sale of 50 percent or more, only after you have found the seat, and expect the transfer to take days.
Not a route to business class. Even at the 2026 sale price an airline mile bought through Hyatt costs over 4 US cents; keep Hyatt points for hotel stays and send Chase or Bilt points straight to the airline instead.