What Airlines Have Point Systems and What Privileges Do They Offer?

In an increasingly globalized world, air travel is becoming more frequent and widespread. Airlines are aware of this fact and try to retain their customers with point systems that offer advantages for traveling with them. These loyalty programs not only frequently provide discounts but also typically feature exclusive benefits. In the following lines, we will explain how the point systems operate among the main airlines that operate in the United States and the privileges each one offers.

Iberia is one of the most important airlines in our country and offers a loyalty program with various cards that have different benefits. We are talking about the Iberia Plus program, with which you will receive their classic card simply by signing up. With this card, you can access premium seating and 24-hour telephone assistance, you will receive priority on airport waiting lists and earn 5 Avios (the company's points) for every euro you spend with them. When you reach 1100 Avios or 25 flights, you will attain the Silver card. With it, you will earn 6 Avios per euro spent, be allowed faster check-in, not have to go through the waiting list to book, carry more luggage, and sponsors will provide you with exclusive benefits.

The Gold card will be provided once you reach 2250 points or 50 flights. With it, you will enjoy VIP treatment during boarding, access to lounges and parking, earn 7 Avios per euro spent, and receive personalized service. A higher tier is the Platinum card, which is reached with 6250 points, providing you with a personal Avios credit, an Iberia Plus Gold card to gift to someone, and the ability to earn 8 Avios per euro spent.

The Infinite card is reached with 125,000 points, with an exclusive customer service hotline, an Iberia Plus Gold card to give to someone, two complimentary upgrades on your trips each year, earning 8 Avios per euro spent, and these will never expire. Lastly, the most prestigious card is the Infinite Prime, which you will receive with 200,000 Avios points. This card allows you to gift two Iberia Plus Gold cards to anyone you want, four complimentary upgrades on your trips each year, guaranteed seat availability on flights, exemption from paying extra charges, and earning 8 Avios for every euro spent.

Ryanair is the most popular low-cost airline in Spain, and they also offer a loyalty system called Flight Credits. It is essentially cash that Ryanair gives you every time you buy a flight ticket or book a hotel through their website. With every purchase you make while registered in myRyanair, you will accumulate 5% of the total price. You can later use this money for new flights or bookings. When you go to pay, you will simply need to enter the amount you wish to redeem, and it will be deducted from the final price.

In the case of AirEuropa, the benefits offered are based on the SUMA card. The most basic card offers exclusive telephone assistance, priority on waiting lists, special hotel discounts, and earns five miles per euro, six for long-haul flights or nine if traveling in business class. By booking 14 flights or accumulating 18000 miles, you will obtain the Silver card. With this, you can opt for priority boarding, free standard seat selection, priority on waiting lists, exclusive telephone assistance, one extra piece of luggage for free, check-in at the Business counter, and accumulate 50% more miles for every euro spent.

After 26 flights or 32000 miles, you will receive the Gold card. With this card, you will enjoy all the previous benefits, plus access to airport VIP lounges, priority boarding, free choice of any seats, priority in baggage collection, and you will earn 75% more miles for every euro spent. Finally, the Platinum card, the most beneficial one, is obtained after 50 flights or 60000 miles. With this card, in addition to all previous benefits, you will earn double miles per euro spent and have the possibility of accessing business class seats for free.

The FlyEmirates point system is quite similar to that of AirEuropa. The most basic program is Blue, which allows you to access special offers, assign you a personal travel coordinator, and gives you priority on waiting lists. By taking 25 flights or reaching 25000 miles, you will access the Silver program, which allows you to choose seats for free, carry extra luggage, earn extra miles, enjoy priority check-in at Business counters, and free access to VIP lounges.

With 50 flights or 50000 miles, you will upgrade to the Gold program. This will also give you priority when contacting the airline, guarantee seats even on fully booked flights, and priority handling of luggage. The most exclusive program is Platinum, reached by accumulating 150000 miles and having taken at least one first or business class flight. In addition to all the previous advantages, with this program you can obtain flights at a lower price and have the option to name a nearby person as a Gold member to enjoy the benefits.

The American Airlines system is somewhat simpler, based on converting points into direct benefits. Every time you purchase a product or service from the airline itself or some of its partners, you earn a set number of points based on your spending. You can later redeem these points for flights. For instance, you could redeem a flight between any point in America and Europe for 25000 points, while a flight between any state in the United States and Canada would cost only 7500 points, always in economy class. If you want to obtain a higher-category seat, the number of points required doubles.