Choosing the best frequent flyer program in Star Alliance with, no doubt, unlock tremendous value, from free stopovers to lie-flat seats at economy-ticket prices. In this 2025 guide, we analyze seven leading programs based on award chart generosity, mileage earning flexibility, stopover and routing perks, and fuel surcharges and fees.

We draw on AwardFares’ real-user data (average savings of 3×–12× per booking) and official program rules to help you decide. Let’s dive in! Note that while the list is ordered for convenience, the “best” program depends on your travel habits, home airport, and desired destinations.

TL;DR — Best Star Alliance Frequent Flyer Programs

The table below is sortable, and by default is ordered by program name. Tap on the different headers to sort the table based ony our preferences.

Program	Tiers	Points Expiry (months)	Direct Destinations (from hub)	Miles Pricing	Out of Network Airline Partners	Stopover Fees	Surcharges	Lifetime Status
MileagePlus	4	None	300	Dynamic	17	No	Low	Yes
KrisFlyer	4	36	75	Fixed	12	No	Moderate	No
Infinity MileageLands	4	36	60	Fixed	6	No	Moderate	No
Mileage Club	3	36	50	Fixed	10	No	Moderate	Yes
Aeroplan	5	None	180	Dynamic	24	Yes	Low	Yes
Miles & More	3	36	200	Fixed (soon changing)	10	No	High	Yes
Miles&Smiles	3	36	120	Fixed	4	No	Moderate	No

What are the Best Frequent Flyer Programs in Star Alliance? (2025 Picks)

1. MileagePlus (United Airlines)

Choosing United Airlines MileagePlus over other frequent flyer programs can make a lot of sense for certain travelers, but it’s worth an analysis. MileagePlus might be the right option if you are looking for low surcharges, access to the Star Alliance and other partners, great US coverage, and international routes.

MileagePlus miles do not expire, which is excellent for long-term accumulators. It’s not only necessary to fly only with United Airlines or within Star Alliance Airlines to earn MileagePlus miles; other partners like Emirates, Virgin Australia, Eurowings, and Azul let you also earn ‘em. Points are given according to expenditure, starting at 5 points for each dollar spent, with a maximum of 75,000 miles per ticket, excluding purchases or bonuses. Accumulating miles with branded credit cards or everyday purchases is also possible. For hardcore travelers, if you fly one million miles or more, you’ll get Premier status for life.

There is also a great extra called Excursionist Perk that lets you add a free one-way award within a region on a round-trip award ticket. For example, fly from NYC to Paris, and then Paris to Rome for free, and back to NYC. Unfortunately, the dynamic Award Pricing may make bookings complicated. Here is where the alert of special low prices in award tickets you can create in AwardFares gets its value. It’s important to know that no stopovers (other than Excursionist Perk) are available to schedule.

Quick Summary:

• Best for: U.S.-based flyers, dynamic travel plans, and those avoiding surcharges.
• Watch out for: unpredictable pricing, no classic stopovers beyond Excursionist Perk.
• No fuel surcharges on any award bookings.
• Excursionist Perk: Add a free one-way segment within a single region on round-trip itineraries (e.g., NYC–Paris–Rome–NYC).
• Miles never expire, making it ideal for casual or infrequent flyers.
• Earn with many non-Star Alliance partners like Emirates, Azul, and Virgin Australia.
• Premier for Life if you fly 1 million+ miles.

⚠️ Award pricing is dynamic, meaning rates fluctuate. Use AwardFares to track sweet spots and availability in real-time.

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2. KrisFlyer (Singapore Airlines)

Competing with many South Asian airlines, Singapore Airlines stands out for its service. Multiple awards for “Best Crew”, attention is guaranteed. But that’s not all we have to consider.

KrisFlyer is one of the most flexible programs in terms of earning; some options are enhanced compared to other frequent flyer programs. For example, Singapore Airlines lets you accumulate KrisFlyer miles using credit cards but doesn’t limit the issuing country to its own; eight other countries are available, like Australia or South Korea. You can top up miles quickly via CapitaStar (SG) or Velocity (AU) transfers. It also partners with other major bank loyalty programs (Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Points, Capital One Miles, and HSBC Rewards). Miles accrual in ground transport, everyday purchases, financial services, and even training packages is possible.

Singapore Airlines award chart is still a fixed chart. Predictability is on the table, but availability might be complicated. It’s a long chart, but a competitive rate, for example, is Business class from Europe to Southeast Asia for 103,500 miles. Furthermore, Singapore First Class and Suites Class are only available with KrisFlyer miles and are mostly not bookable through partner programs like United, Aeroplan, or Lifemiles. Bear in mind that suites are only available in Airbus A380-800 and first class in Boeing 777-300ER; despite not being bad at all, they are not comparable. If you can’t find availability, KrisFlyer lets you waitlist for some premium seats.

But not everything that shines is gold. Unlike other frequent flyer programs, KrisFlyer miles expire after 36 months from the date they were earned and aren’t extended by activity (but extended for a fee), and an exception applies if you are a PPS Club member. Also, fuel surcharges on partners are high, and added to the not-so-competitive Economy Redemptions, KrisFlyer might not be the best for occasional budget travelers.

Sample Redemption: Europe to Southeast Asia in Business: ~103,500 miles (low taxes, solid value).

Quick Summary:

• Best for: Accessing Singapore’s premium cabins, global earners.
• Watch out for: Expiry rules, fuel surcharges on partners, weak economy redemptions.
• Access to Singapore First Class and Suites (only bookable via KrisFlyer).
• Earn miles through global transfer partners (Amex, Chase, Citi, Capital One, etc.).
• Unique partners like Velocity (Australia) and CapitaStar (Singapore).
• Waitlisting feature allows you to queue for hard-to-get premium seats.

❌ Miles expire after 36 months and can’t be extended through activity. You can pay to extend them (PPS Club exceptions apply).

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3. Infinity MileageLands (EVA Air)

Based in Taoyuan City, Eva Air is one of the biggest Taiwanese airlines, competing with state-owned China Airlines. Better access to its well-known “Royal Laurel” (Business) class is not enough to subscribe to Infinity MileageLands, but it helps. It’s not exclusive; partners like Aeroplan or United members can book them without priority.

Redemption Rates are fixed because Infinity MileageLands still uses EVA Air/UNI Air award charts, and some routes offer decent business class redemption, like 80,000 miles one-way in Royal Laurel with low to moderate (~$50–$150) surcharges between North America and Asia. Or intra-Asia Flights in Economy for 15,000 miles one-way. Something remarkable is that the award charts applicable for Star Alliance partners are available in a Word document that you must download to check.

An advantage of redeeming with EVA is Lower cash surcharges than some other Asian programs, especially in domestic and some short-haul connections. Within the Guidelines for EVA Air/UNI Air Ticket Awards Redemption, one Free Stopover on a long-haul Round Trip is permitted free of charge.

Infinity MileageLands has some disadvantages, like miles expiring after 3 years. You can reinstate them within 6 months after the mileage expiration date, but for a fee, they will last for 12 months. Also, EVA Air is a partner of major transferable currencies and does not have as many ground partners as other Airlines.

Sample Redemption: North America to Asia in Royal Laurel Business: 80,000 miles one-way + ~$100 in fees.

Quick Summary:

• Best for: Travelers in Taiwan/Asia, those flying EVA premium cabins.
• Watch out for: Clunky booking interface, limited transfer partners.
• Fixed award chart, with sweet spots on transpacific flights.
• One free stopover on round-trip EVA/UNI awards.
• Lower cash surcharges than many other Asian carriers.
• Miles valid for 36 months, with optional paid extensions.

📎 Award charts for Star Alliance flights must be downloaded as a Word doc—quirky, but manageable.

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4. Mileage Club (All Nippon Airways)

In searching for the best loyalty programs in Star Alliance, the Mileage Club of All Nippon Airways must be included. It has some of the best redemption awards, especially Round-Trip. For example, a few highlights are the US-to-Japan round-trip in Business for 80,000 miles and the Europe-to-Japan round-trip in Business for 100,000 miles. But if you want even more luxury, you can fly from the US to Thailand or Singapore for just 136,000 miles in First Class round-trip! To access those award tickets, ANA releases more premium cabin award space to its members than to its partners.

Like many major airlines, the Mileage Club lets you earn miles via flights, hotels, car rentals, and American Express Membership Rewards transfers, making it relatively easy for U.S.-based travelers to earn ANA miles. ANA partners with Sar Alliance members and other ANA airline partners, such as Garuda, Virgin, and Etihad.

When redeeming miles, ANA offers one free Stopover for award tickets departing from outside of Japan. Stopovers are not possible for itineraries that depart from Japan. Open-jaw (arrival city and departure city are different). Itineraries are also available, which lets you be incredibly flexible and creative. But be conscious of ANA miles expiry: Roughly speaking, they expire after 36 Months, but it depends on how you have earned them. Another famous issue with the Mileage Club is that booking a one-way award flight on AN is impossible. Luckily, starting June 24, 2025, this will be changed.

Quick Summary:

• Best for: Round-trip awards, complex itineraries, Japan-focused travel.
• Watch out for: Expiring miles after ~36 months, high taxes on some partners.
• Exceptionally low redemption rates for round-trips (e.g., US–Japan in Business for 80,000 miles).
• Offers free stopovers and open-jaw flexibility on international award tickets.
• ANA miles can be earned via Amex Membership Rewards and various travel partners.
• Strong partner network includes Etihad, Garuda, and Virgin.

🚫 One-way bookings were previously not allowed—but starting June 24, 2025, they will be!

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5. Aeroplan (Air Canada)

Aeroplan characteristics make us define this frequent flyer program as one of the most user-friendly programs in the world. Highlights include point-to-point award chart, one-way awards allowed, low fuel surcharges, transfer partner of all mayor point currencies (Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One Miles, Bilt, Marriott Bonvoy, etc), tons of partners airline even outside Star Alliance and them all are bookable online. The Aeroplan airline network includes more than 50 airlines!

The award chart is comprehensible and has some sweet spots at first sight, like West Coast US to Hawaii in Business for ~25,000 points or Europe to the Middle East in Business for ~45,000 points. But remember that Air Canada flights use dynamic pricing, meaning the number of points can vary wildly. The award chart shows the median miles prices redeemed, and it’s a great orientation.

If you are seeking adventure, Stopovers in Air Canada reward flights are permitted once per direction of travel for a stopover fee of 5,000 points, including on a one-way trip, with a maximum duration of 45 days. But open-jaw is not permitted at a stopover point, as travel must continue with a departure from the previous arrival city. Remember that stopovers are not permitted within Canada or the United States.

Other drawbacks include Cabin award Pricing based on the highest class booked in each direction of travel. If one segment is in economy and another in Business, you pay for Business across the whole itinerary. Also, with so many partners, it’s not rare to find phantom availability or mispriced awards.

Quick Summary:

• Best for: Award availability, global partners, and creative routing.
• Watch out for: Dynamic pricing on Air Canada flights, mixed-cabin pricing quirks.
• Point-to-point distance-based award chart (not region-based).
• Stopovers allowed for 5,000 points, even on one-ways.
• Partners with over 50 airlines, many outside Star Alliance.
• Transfer from all major currencies: Amex, Chase, Capital One, Marriott, Bilt, and more.

🧠 Sweet spots include: US West Coast–Hawaii in Business for 25,000 points; Europe–Middle East in Business for ~45,000 points.

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6. Miles & More (Lufthansa)

Building a full breakdown of why you might choose Lufthansa’s Miles & More frequent flyer program requires us to mention advantages like early Access to Lufthansa First Class Awards and priority in other classes, Strong coverage and connectivity within Europe, and the possibility to use miles for seat upgrades in cash-paid fares (and you can even bid for it and get it away for a great price). But there are also disadvantages, like the fuel surcharges or mile expiry.

Earning miles with Lufthansa is not difficult. You can earn miles flying with them or their almost 40 airline partners, making everyday purchases, making hotel bookings, making car rentals, or using branded credit cards in more countries than Germany, like Switzerland and Austria. Status tiers have been really simplified at the beginning of 2024, and qualifying points to gain status can be acquired by flying with all of those partners (https://www.miles-and-more.com/de/en/program/status-benefits/points-system.html).

The miles required for an Award Flight will be flexible and will no longer be listed in charts like its is today here for Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, Lufthansa City, and SWISS. From June 3, 2025, pricing will be dynamic, so soon, the actual sweet spots we publish nowadays will sadly end. To stay current, check AwardFares Blog. Be aware of when to redeem your miles since Lufthansa Miles & More miles generally expire 36 months after they are earned. However, there are exceptions for elite status members and credit card holders (in some countries).

If we have written about Miles & More’s bright sides, we must also list the not-so-bright sides. As mentioned, Lufthansa and its group airlines pass on substantial fuel surcharges on award tickets or the actual (and soon changing) high Award Pricing award chart, which is not as competitive as ANA or Aeroplan. Also, Miles & More has Limited Transfer Options. Lufthansa does not partner directly with Amex, Chase, Citi, or Capital One.

Quick Summary:

• Best for: European flyers loyal to LH Group.
• Watch out for: High fuel surcharges, limited transfer partners.
• Early access to Lufthansa First Class awards for members.
• Earn miles with 40+ airlines, hotels, car rentals, and credit cards (DE, CH, AT).
• Miles expire after 36 months, unless you hold elite status or use a co-branded credit card.

🔄 From June 2025, Miles & More will adopt dynamic pricing—eliminating the fixed award chart for LH Group airlines.

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7. Miles&Smiles (Turkish Airlines)

Besides geographic locations, there are plenty of reasons why you might choose the Turkish Airlines’ frequent flyer program, Miles&Smiles, even when compared to other Star Alliance programs. Turkish Airlines partners offer an enormous range of services, from financial services to telecommunications. So, earning miles wherever you live in the world is not so tricky, taking into consideration the many Points Conversion Cooperation Partners, but it may be easier if you are located in Turkey.

When it comes to spending, the fixed award chart of Turkish Airlines is a facilitator of predictability, and unlike Lufthansa, the chart is really generous at some points. Miles & Smiles has some of the best-value award flights in the Star Alliance. For instance, miles and miles consider Honolulu in the same region as continental North America. So you can fly in First Class from the US to Honolulu with a partner for only 50,000 miles! Or from the US to Europe in Business for 45,000 miles one-way.

Even domestic US flights on United for just 7,500 miles one-way in economy! If you are willing to fly with Turkish Airlines, its Business Class product is considered one of the best, with multi-course dining and broad lounge access. Furthermore, Miles&Smiles passes on fuel surcharges for some partners (e.g., Lufthansa), but United, Copa, Air Canada, and others have minimal or no surcharges. Choose your flight partner wisely.

Passengers connecting via Istanbul Airport can enjoy a free stopover there, available at least 72 hours before their first flight. Unfortunately, some itineraries are complicated to book online, especially if they are complex or have many legs. Other disadvantages are that in specific partners, fuel surcharges are high, the Customer Service may be slow, and Turkish miles expire after 3 years (36 months) but can be extended for a fee of 20 USD per 1,000 miles. This extension also lasts for three years from the extension date.

Quick Summary:

• Best for: Value seekers and those willing to deal with quirks.
• Watch out for: Booking complexity, mixed customer service quality.
• Fixed pricing with great value redemptions: US–Europe in Business for 45,000 miles.
• United domestic awards for just 7,500 miles one-way.
• Free stopovers in Istanbul (bookable 72 hours in advance).
• Partners include banks and financial services across many regions.

⚠️ Some bookings are hard to make online, and fuel surcharges vary by partner. Miles expire in 3 years but can be extended (for $20/1,000 miles).

How to Choose the Right Program

1. Network Focus: U.S. domestic → MileagePlus or Aeroplan; Asia → KrisFlyer or ANA.
2. Award Chart Stability: Prefer fixed charts (KrisFlyer, ANA) for predictable redemptions.
3. Stopovers & Routing: Need a free stopover? Choose ANA, EVA, or Turkish.
4. Earning Flexibility: If you rely on credit-card transfers, Aeroplan and KrisFlyer lead.

Find the best award flights, no matter which program.

Imagine flying to Paris in a lie-flat business class seat for the price of an economy ticket. On average, AwardFares premium users get 3x-7x more value from their points, regularly booking $5,000+ flights at a fraction of the cost.

AwardFares is the easiest way to find the cheapest and most convenient award flights across multiple frequent flyer programs. It takes just seconds and a few clicks to get started. You can create an account and try it for free here.

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About the Author

Germán is a technologist and travel strategist with a PhD in Computer Architecture and a rare ability to bridge the worlds of advanced computing and real-world adventure. With experience at global tech giants like Google and Ericsson, he’s an expert in high-performance hardware powering AI, simulation, and digital twins—translating complex systems into actionable insights for enterprise innovation.

Outside the data center, Germán has taken nearly 700 flights across the globe, applying a hacker mindset to travel. He demystifies award travel and optimization strategies, helping others explore the world smarter, cheaper, and with less stress. Germán specializes in optimizing award redemptions, tracking loyalty program changes, and making complex airline systems easy to navigate.

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