Last updated: August 22, 2025
Ever wished you could turn your travels into rewards? While flying can be expensive, airline loyalty programmes give you a chance to make every trip work for you. These schemes, also known as frequent flyer programmes, let you collect points or miles every time you fly, which you can then redeem for free flights, upgrades, and other perks.
But with so many options, which one is best for you? Based on our key expert insights, we've found the 5 best frequent flyer programmes in the UK.
Frequent flyer programmes are a great way to cut costs and enjoy a better travel experience. Think of them as a reward system for loyal customers. You earn points or miles based on factors like how far you fly, the type of ticket you buy, and your membership level. The more you fly, the more rewards you unlock. Many airlines also team up with hotels, car rental agencies, and credit card companies, so you can earn miles even when you're not in the air.
An important term you will see when researching flyer programmes is “Avios points.” Avios are the loyalty currency used by several major carriers, including British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus. So instead of each airline having its own unique points system, Avios serves as a single, centralized currency, making it easier to manage your rewards across multiple airlines.
These programmes are useful for travelers from all over the world, but they are particularly beneficial for travelers from the United Kingdom. We are going to breakdown the best frequent flyer programmes based on our experts' insights, newspaper rankings and customer reviews.
The British Airways Executive Club is one of the world's most massive flyer programmes. A rebrand from April 2025 has introduced new changes. Members now have more ways to earn Tier Points, including through spending on co-branded credit cards and paying for extras such as seat selection and additional baggage. The programmes also now offers limitless Tier Point earning on holiday packages from British Airways Holidays.
You can collect Avios in a few key ways. The most common is by flying with British Airways and its oneworld alliance partners. The number of Avios you earn depends on the cost of your flight. For faster earning, you can use a co-branded credit card, such as the British Airways American Express card, which rewards you with Avios for everyday spending. You can also earn Avios by booking hotels or car rentals with programmes partners.
One of the most valuable benefits is the Companion Voucher, which lets you take a second person with you on a rewards flight for free, while you only pay their taxes and fees. For example, a round-trip business class flight from London to Tokyo on British Airways would normally cost around 190,000 Avios per person. With a Companion Voucher, you could book the same flight for two people for just 190,000 Avios total, effectively saving you the cost of one entire ticket.
Virgin Atlantic’s loyalty programmes, Flying Club, is a major player in the UK market, with a reputation for flexible points and valuable rewards. Flying Club members earn Virgin Points, which can be redeemed for flights, upgrades, and partner services. As a key member of the SkyTeam alliance, it has expanded its network significantly.
The fastest way to earn Virgin Points is by flying with Virgin Atlantic and its airline partners. However, you can also significantly boost your balance with a Virgin Atlantic co-branded credit card, which gives you points for everyday spending. Virgin's partnership with Virgin Red allows you to earn points on everything from shopping and train tickets to hotel bookings, making it easy to collect points on the ground.
While Virgin Atlantic's own flights are a great use of points, some of the most valuable redemptions are with its partner airlines. For example, a round-trip business class ticket from the US to Japan on All Nippon Airways (ANA) can be booked for a very low number of Virgin Points, offering exceptional value for your travel. This is a classic "sweet spot" that is highly sought after by miles enthusiasts.
Miles & More is Europe’s largest frequent flyer programmes, covering Lufthansa and its partners, including Swiss, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines. In 2024, the programmes shifted to a new, simpler points-based system for earning status, rewarding travelers more transparently for the class they fly in.
The main way to earn Miles & More Points is by flying with Lufthansa Group airlines and their Star Alliance partners. However, you can also collect miles on the ground by using a co-branded credit card, booking hotels or car rentals with partners like Best Western Hotels & Resorts and Hyatt Hotels, and even through services like newspapers and financial products. The programmes also offers "Mileage Pooling," which allows up to two adults and five children to combine their miles to reach a reward faster.
One of the best uses of Miles & More miles is for "Mileage Bargains". These are monthly promotions that offer a wide range of round-trip flights in economy, business, or first class for a significantly reduced number of miles, allowing you to fly to popular destinations for a fraction of the usual cost.
United Airlines’ MileagePlus is one of the world’s most extensive loyalty programmes and a key player in the Star Alliance. It is a great option for travelers who frequently fly to North America and beyond, offering a comprehensive rewards structure that goes far beyond just flights.
The most common way to earn miles is by flying on United and its partner airlines. The number of miles earned is based on the cost of your ticket and your status level. You can also significantly boost your mileage balance with co-branded United credit cards from Chase, which offer welcome bonuses and miles for everyday spending. Additional miles can be earned with hotel stays, car rentals, and even from dining out with partners.
One of the best ways to get exceptional value from your MileagePlus miles is by booking awards on partner airlines. United's website is excellent at showing partner availability. A popular "sweet spot" is using miles to book flights on carriers like Lufthansa or Swiss International Air Lines for premium cabins.
American Airlines’ AAdvantage is a cornerstone of the global Oneworld alliance and powerful programmes for earning status without even stepping on a plane. The programmes have replaced its traditional flight-based model with a new, simpler Loyalty Points system, rewarding members for all kinds of engagement with the airline and its partners.
The most straightforward way to earn miles and Loyalty Points is by flying with American Airlines and its partner airlines. You can earn a significant number of Loyalty Points with co-branded credit cards from partners like Citi and Barclays.
One of the best uses of AAdvantage miles is for premium cabin award flights on high-quality Oneworld partners. For example, you can book a business class flight from the US to the Middle East or Asia on an airline like Qatar Airways or Japan Airlines. These redemptions often offer a first-class travel experience for the cost of business class, providing a huge return on your miles.
Joining one or more frequent flyer programmes is simple and in most cases - free. This is the usual process:
Аirlines often run bonus promotions where you can earn double or triple miles on certain routes. Stay subscribed to your airline rewards programmes’ newsletters to take advantage of these offers.
Rest assured that your passenger rights do not change when booking with miles and you would still be eligible for compensation under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 and t's British equivalent UK261 in cases of flight disruptions. Such include flight delays, cancellations, and denied boarding . Compensation amounts remain the same as with paid tickets but depend on the flight distance:
If your reward flight is cancelled , the airline must offer a replacement flight or a full refund of taxes and fees. Miles used to book the flight should also be refunded in case of cancellations.
If your reward flight is delayed by more than 3 hours, you will be eligible for compensation and additional right to care , which includes meals, refreshments, and accommodation if stranded overnight.
Many airlines wrongly deny compensation claims for flights booked with miles. If you experienced a flight disruption, check your compensation eligibility today and our experts will assist you in securing compensation, even if your flights were booked with miles.
SkyRefund takes the hassle out of claiming compensation for flight disruptions. Our legal team fights for your rights ensuring you receive the compensation you deserve.
You can submit your claim for compensation in just a few minutes and there are no upfront fees. Our experts will then handle all disputes with airlines and ensure your rights are protected, even in complex cases.
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