RewardExpert's Program Reviews and News

American Airlines recently announced more changes to the way flyers will earn miles and elite status, and it’s getting more complicated than ever to figure out what a trip will yield when it comes to mileage rewards.

Delta SkyMiles members have been jerked around a lot over the past few years. Delta was the first of the major airlines to go revenue-based creating a domino effect with other airlines and limiting the mileage-earning potential of frequent flyers.

El Al is the flag carrier of Israel. It flies to Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. Matmid, El Al’s loyalty program, has two award redemption charts. One is for the those who live in Israel and have the airline’s co-branded credit card, as well as Executive Circle elite status holders living outside of Israel. The other chart is for everyone else.

Middle East Airlines, or MEA, is the flag carrier of Lebanon. It flies to 39 destinations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa out of Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport. MEA does not fly to the United States.

Thai Airways, the flag carrier of Thailand, is based at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. The airline flies to 78 destinations in 35 countries. In the United States, it only flies to Los Angeles, but that route will be eliminated in October 2015.

Vietnam Airlines, the flag carrier of Vietnam, is based in Hanoi. The airline flies to 52 destinations in 17 countries throughout Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Australia. It doesn’t offer flights to North America.

China Southern Airlines, based in Guangzhou, is Asia’s largest airline in terms of fleet size and the number of passengers carried. It has 400 aircraft and flies to 193 domestic and international destinations. In the U.S., the airline flies to Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.

S7 Airlines, also known as Siberia Airlines, is headquartered in Novosibirsk, Russia. It has an extensive domestic and international network, flying to 106 destinations in Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Although it doesn’t currently fly to the United States, the carrier is a member of the oneworld alliance.

Air China, based out of Beijing Capital International Airport, is one of the largest airlines in China. The carrier flies to nearly 180 domestic and international destinations, including the following U.S. cities: Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

China Eastern Airlines has two main hubs, and both are major international airports in Shanghai: Pudong and Hongqiao. The airline flies to more than 200 domestic and international destinations, including Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco in the U.S.

TAM Airlines is the biggest airline in Brazil, and part of the LATAM Airlines Group, which was created when LAN Airlines merged with TAM in 2012. For the most part, the airlines still maintain separate operations, but they are slated to fully complete the merger in 2017.

Turkish Airlines, with its main hub at Istanbul Atatürk Airport, is the flag carrier of Turkey. It’s the fourth-biggest airline in the world, and it flies to 261 destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. Its U.S. destinations include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

EVA Air is a Taiwanese carrier based in Taipei. It flies to over 40 destinations in Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. In the United States, EVA Air flies to Houston, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. The airline will be expanding to Chicago in 2016.

Garuda Indonesia isn’t well-known in the United States. It doesn’t serve any cities in America, and it has a relatively small footprint, with only 21 international destinations in 14 countries. But this luxurious airline is worth getting to know, particularly if you’re traveling to Indonesia. Its frequent flyer program, GarudaMiles, offers excellent redemption rates on domestic flights within the country.

SriLankan Airlines, the nation’s flag carrier, serves 46 destinations in 23 countries, though it doesn’t yet fly to the Americas. Before joining the oneworld alliance in 2014, the airline revamped its fleet and improved its service. Recent reviews suggest that customers noticed and welcomed the changes.

Air India is the country’s flag carrier, and its third-largest airline, after IndiGo and Jet Airways. It flies to 60 domestic and 31 international destinations in 19 countries across Australia, Asia, Europe and North America. In the United States, Air India flies to New York and Chicago.

TAP Portugal flies to 88 destinations in 38 countries, including New York and Miami in the United States. The airline has received several awards over the years for its excellent service, including the World’s Best Airline from Condé Nast Traveller magazine. Because it’s a Star Alliance member, its frequent flyer program, Victoria, can get you almost anywhere.

You may not be familiar with it, but Malaysia Airlines is one of the largest airlines in the world. It’s a member of the oneworld alliance, and flies to 60 destinations in 28 countries. Unfortunately, its four U.S. routes were recently eliminated because of financial issues and restructuring.

You probably have a short list of favorite airlines for free award flights. That’s all well and good, but it pays to have a cursory knowledge of a lot of different programs. That way, when the time is right, you’ll be ready to take advantage of terrific deals that will help you travel the globe. If you don’t know about Flying Blue and its monthly Promo Awards, which offer up to 50 percent off award flights, you need to read this article.

Saudia, the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, is the third-largest airline in the Middle East. Its main hub is Jeddah, with secondary hubs in Riyadh, Dammam, Medina  and Abha. The airline flies to 80 countries, including destinations in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America. In the U.S., it flies to Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando and Washington, D.C.