Which Airline Programs Are the Most (and Least) Generous?

The great majority of frequent flyer miles are redeemed for domestic coach tickets, at the saver level—25,000 miles in the programs of most legacy airlines.

So, for the average traveler, a key determinant of a mileage program's value is the availability of saver award seats.

And yet, there's no definitive data comparing the airlines' performance in this critical area.

Is a member of American's AAdvantage program more or less likely to be able to redeem his miles for a free ticket to San Francisco, for instance, than a member of United's MileagePlus program?

How do award-booking success rates vary among different routes, different classes or service, different times of the year?

Which program best delivers what I want most?

In the absence of such comparative data, choosing a mileage program is more like a crap shoot than a considered decision.

The closest to such a frequent flyer program scorecard is last year's award availability survey conducted by IdeaWorks, discussed in detail here.

The company made 6,160 test bookings on the websites of 22 of the world's largest frequent flyer programs and issued a report showing their success rates in booking award flights, ranging from a high of 99.3 percent to a low of 10.7 percent.

This week, IdeaWorks issued a follow-up to that study, the 2011 Worldwide Report of Reward Availability, "based upon 6,720 booking queries made by IdeaWorks at the websites of 24 frequent flier programs during March and early April 2011. Travel dates spanned June through October 2011; with 20 top routes checked to assess reward seat availability."

The results, showing the percentage of successful award bookings for U.S./Canadian programs and the change from last year's results:

1. Southwest - 99.3 percent (No change)
2. Air Canada - 82.1 percent (-11.5 points)
3. JetBlue - 79.3 percent (New for 2011)
4. United - 71.4 percent (+2.8 points)
5. Continental - 71.4 percent (No change)
6. Alaska - 64.3 percent (-10.7 points)
7. American - 62.9 percent (+5 points)
8. AirTran - 47.1 percent (-20.8 points)
9. Delta - 27.1 percent (+14.2 points)
10. US Airways - 25.7 percent (+15 points)

As indicated, the test bookings were online-only, for a limited number of flights and routes, for a specific travel period. A different methodology and a larger sample would no doubt yield somewhat different results.

Such quibbles notwithstanding, there is considerable value in any legitimate attempt to measure the airlines' "generosity quotient" (as I like to call it), not least in reminding us that consumers are sorely lacking in hard data to inform their loyalty-program choices.

Reader Reality Check

How do IdeaWorks' results compare with your personal experience in booking airline awards?

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Comments

[Robin]

I was a gold medallion member with Delta for 15 years, my husband is a million miler and a platinum. Delta is the worst. I stopped flying them 2 years ago. In fact I stopped flying for the most part... If you can. Stop. Walk with your feet and tell the airlines that you're doing it and why. If somebody could institute a NO FLY day a day a month... they'd get the message.

[chrisswr]

Just back in the US from a 30+ day stay in Germany. US Airways Dividend Miles' standard member, had some accumulated miles, bought the rest on their twice-yearly "buy one, get two" mileage sales.

Bought saver award (60.000 miles) r/t US to MUC 1 day before departure. Stayed beyond 1 month. Taxes n fees additional. On return leg was able to upgrade (capacity dependent) for USD 600 (overweight bag now USD 150, upgrading therefore a no-brainer).

Earlier US mileage ticket allowed me to use Lufthansa for the return leg if I was willing to change aircraft in Frankfurt.

Kudos to USAirways DM, as far as I'm concerned!

Lufthansa's Miles&More by comparison: no problem getting transatlantic economy w/21d advance, online booking bonus, total 47.000 miles r/t, taxes n fees extra. Beware: Fuel surcharge on top of that.

Other caveats of M&M: only half miles for super economy fares (used to be S- and W- booking class, has been revamped for 2012), SQ service frequently denied miles at all (SQ27/28 JFK-FRA or vv) when traveling super economy. Residents in Germany require 50k miles for status Silver - in the US only 35k. Unique terms for residents in the United Arab Emirates!

Just my 2 cents' worth...

[MORT]

I BOUGHT TICKETS THROUGH ONE OF THE REDUCED FARE AGENCIES AND IT WAS OKAY. BUT EVERYTIME I CHECKED THEIR SITES, I FOUND THAT THE FARES WERE NO LOWER THAN DEALING DIRECTLY WITH THE AIRLINES.

USING MILES FOR AWARDS, I ONLY USE THEM FOR FIRST CLASS WHEN I CAN GET THEM AT SAVERS' PRICES. NOT TOO OFTEN BUT OKAY.

MY LIST OF FREQUENT FLIER AWARDS (DOMESTIC) AIRLINES FOR NON-ELITES:

DELTA LAST FLIGHT 2010. UNABLE TO GET SINCE.
US AIRWAYS- LAST AWARD AVAIL. NONE IN 10 YRS
UNITED - LAST AWARD AUG. 2008. NONE SINCE.
A/A - PRETTY SUCCESSFUL WITH MILES PLUS $$$.
CONTL. SAME AS WITH A/A.

INTL AWARDS WITH FOR FIRST CLASS ON B/A, QUITE GOOD.

SAME ON LUFTHANSA.

NOTE: BUSINESS CLASS INTER CITY IN EUROPE IS DREADFUL. SEATS ARE THE SAME AS US DOMESTIC COACH WITHOUT THE MIDDLE SEAT.

[Mort]

SINCE FREQUENT FLYER MILES (EARNING, GETTING AWARDS, AND TRANSFERRING OR SELLING, ETC, IS LIKELY A BUSINESS CONCERNING INTERSTATE COMMERCE, USE OF MAIL, ETC, SHOULD IT BE SUB-JECT TO GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT TO PROTECT THE CONSUMER WITH REGARD TO TRANSPARENCY? EXAMPLES:
A)OVERSIGHT BY FTC AND ICC.
B)FEDERAL AGENCIES INVESTIGATION OF FRAUDULENT
USE BY HOLDING BACK AWARDS, FALSE ADVERTISE- MENTS, CONSUMER FRAUD, DISCRIMINATION OF AWARDING AND/OR WITHOLDING AWARDS. OPENING UP HOW MANY SEATS ARE REALLY AVAILABLE? HEY CONGRESS, TAKE A LOOK.

[Joe]

I have been flying Delta out of Jackson Hole,Wy, commonally tp Ft. Myers or Key West. I have been increasing irritated at the lack of FF seats available. It is also upsetting that when we use our Companion certificates the upgrades are not available.

[erica]

I think Delta is pretty good if you're a medallion traveler. they just stick it to the little guy.

[HB]

tried to book AC from YVR to SYD in bus/ first exactly 10 minutes after bookings became open(360 days)
Sorry, NOT available
however, for 600.000 pts.. we can book you...
total rip off....
I have 980.000 aeroplan pts.... some 10 years old..
H

[Jerry Mandel]

Don---Please give details on how to use Gary Leff to find available award seats.

[Demetra Wright]

Demetra Wright, we never have problems using FF Miles through US Air & Their Partners for International Miles. The few times we have used for Domestic flights have never had problem..We do find that the European or Middle East Airlines are much more passenger friendly that US Airlines...

[Paul R]

I've had good luck with United, less so American (the two giants out of San Francisco, with United accounting for nearly two-thirds of flights). No one has mentioned that the odds of getting tickets really depend on timing and the departure and arrival cities. With United having so many flights out of SFO, it makes it easier.

I got a first class ticket back to SFO a few days beforehand for 50K miles in April, and that included a connection from Charlottesville, VA. United may not offer as pleasant a flying experience as, say, Virgin, but they've treated me fairly well over the years and I don't fly all that much---and most of my miles comes from credit cards, not fling miles. But again, even their first class on domestic flights (including to Hawaii) is absolutely nothing special.

It would be really nice if US airlines were half as decent as almost any foreign airline. I've had much more comfortable flights on government-owned airlines in some developing countries than I have on US legacy airlines, along with *much* friendlier customer service. Most US airlines just don't seem to care, which is why it's a pleasure to see upstarts like Virgin America (foreign-owned, of course) and Jet Blue take much-deserved market share. Everyone agrees that flying has become a massive hassle even before you board; it seems like any airline with common sense would realize that even modest improvements in comfort, kindness, and reliability would win a lot of new customers. Instead they nickel and dime customers to the point of exasperation, where the money is no longer the issue---it's the principle of basic customer service.

[U thomas]

Delta makes you pay too much to buy back unused miles, even when notifing them months ahead of flight time that you can no longer take the flight because of sickness. Then they only give a year to be used if you do get an extension. Both my husband and myself lost a flight because of illness---and the illness lasted over a year so all our points are gone.

[JF]

just watch out with air canada.In many long distance flights in business class you fly over half your trip in economy at the cost of busines

[Craig]

I have a heck of a time redeeming awards with UA. I tried to upgrade a coach ticket to business from Asia to the US, booking 6 months in advance, was waitlisted, and never got the upgrade. It was low season. I tried to book a coach award from Asia to the US for October, even booking 7 months in advance, I couldn't get a seat until November.

[John Alden]

Just completed trip which was booked six months ahead of departure. Tried to book Toronto to Rome with Air Canada, business/first.
They wanted 750,000 miles per passenger for a direct flight.
Contacted an agent and he routed us Toronto - Boston (AC) - Frankfurt (LH first class) - Rome (LH business) and return the same way for 100,000 each. A good deal, but had some long layovers and Lufthansa's European business class is just economy with no middle seat passenger.
Lufthansa's lounges in Boston and Frankfurt are a disgrace, crowded, dull and dreary.

[Peter W]

Dropping Delta in the bucket pit is so right on. The consistent arrogance gets worse and worse. What a far for business class. Double anyone else and almost only one airline to use. I recent check on line for business class ticket to Munich. If i made two stops and then connect through Detroit. 100,000 RT. If i tried to book RT from Detroit. 200,000 miles. What scam artists they are.. same flights, only their objective is to scam their customers any way they can. I am 3 million miler. Sent me thank you indicating they enclosed a gift. No gift. Of coarse. Some suckers still play their game. But, Delta is a BAD BAD BAD value.

[Mort]

WHEN WILL WE EVER LEARN? The days of airline loyalty are over with the exception of very elite travelers. And even those are debatable.

I suppose that anyone can get a "saver" award from Dubuque to Oshkosh in the middle of the night but otherwise it's double the miles. I tried to book two first class tkts to Tokyo from JFK about seven months in advance on Contl. but they had no seats at 150,000 miles -they wanted 300,000 each. I checked and found out that in the flight I wanted, there were 50 seats in Business First of which 49 were available for sale. And this was for an Elite member.

Getting bonus miles of 100,000 miles or more from a credit card is absurd when the seats are not made available.

By the way, it's a great idea to tape all conversations with airlines. They lie so much (that's why they won't talk to you if recorded - but they record the calls). According to my attorneys, federal law allows ANYONE to record conversations made on their own phone without warning the other party.

A credit card bank offered me 100,000 miles to join and after I did, they reneged. Until I played back the tape. They then gave me the miles along with their apologies.

As our currency states "in God We Trust" - it does not say we can trust banks and airlines.

[GRA]

I have tried for years to redeem miles on Delta and NEVER find seats available. I have tried various dates/months/destinations. They are by far the worst!

[HP]

Continental has been my program of choice for the last 5 years and they have always had a reward ticket available when I wanted to go to London or Frankfurt in BusinessFirst...I typically book a month in advance and I'm totally flexible when it comes to dates...So sad to see them merging with United as you can already tell where they are starting to cut back, but It will be nice to have Economy plus seating again for domestics.

[Charles H]

I have found United availability to be very suspect, especially if not Premier Exec or above. While I was Premier Exec, I could occasionally find 25K awards for my small-market airport. Now, I can look out an entire year and cannot find ONE SINGLE FLIGHT for 25K. United seems to be really putting it to their customers for award availability on some routes, at least.

[Jesse The Gold flyer]

Fortunately I had good experience with the Air Canada AEROPLAN. They provide an easy way to use the accumulated miles. What is not to like about the well maintained planes, with individual on-demand TV / movies, nice lounges, and great service. I am actually surprised that they only received a second place. Compared to the other airlines (AA, DELTA, etc...) Air Canada is light years ahead.

[C Thompson]

Atlanta native here. Took my first flight on Delta in 1965 at the age of 4. Flew them for next 40 years (even though an uncle was a pilot for also-ran Eastern). Finally dropped Delta after repeated insulting award mileage redemption levels and routings. They operate with too many years of arrogance "owning" the Atlanta hub, and they *still* don't seem to have a clue or to care. Agree with commenter above: I can't wait for Southwest to stride onto Delta's playground and flatten the bully starting this coming February.

[Paul Berry]

I accumulate my frequent flyer miles through credit card purchases. I am not a business traveler. I book one or two frequent flyer "reward" trips a year on AA. In recent years, I have had very few options. It is very obvious that the number of their AAdvantage members has grown almost in proportion to the decline in available seats. I take advantage of new credit card offers to jump start a new round of accumulated miles, switching in and out of cards through Citibank.I have had very good luck using my AA miles on Alaska with little hassle or wierd choices. I will probably stick with AA but continue to explore my options (which I pointed out to AAdvantage but never received a response.)

[Shindig]

The only rewards worth pursuing are for international business. I've gone through more than two million redeemed frequent flyer miles on Continental, United and American at the minimum level for those rewards. Delta? Never. Everything requires at least twice the lowest redemption rate. Can't wait for Southwest's arrival in Atlanta.

[c levy]

For the past several years I've booked several international tickets using American frequent flier miles. I have always secured the tickets I wanted...and at a low number of miles. In addition, American offers one-way mileage tickets that are realistic,essentially half the miles of a round trip tickets.

[Peter Black]

It would be helpful to know more about the source of the BA and Virgin "surcharges". Are the charges related to flying in and out of Heathrow? Are the surcharges applicable to all airlines equally or are the BA and Virgin surcharges greater than those imposed with respect to other airlines?