Frequent flyer applications have been traditionally designed in order that the one that is sitting in an airplane seat on an eligible paid ticket can be the one who earns the miles towards elite standing and that subsequent candy award ticket redemption.
However the origins of frequent flyer applications at the moment are 40 years behind us, and the best way folks journey has modified. Households are in a position to fly far more continuously collectively now than they may within the early Nineteen Eighties.
Because of flying extra, youngsters are incomes extra frequent flyer miles. 5 relations who every have 5,000 miles of their respective accounts might not have the ability to do a lot with their miles. Nonetheless, if these balances may very well be mixed into one pooled account, you then’re taking a look at 25,000 whole miles — or sufficient to probably guide an award flight.
Fortunately, lately, some frequent flyer applications have turn out to be extra family-friendly on this regard than others.
In 2024, United Airways MileagePlus turned the primary of the 4 largest U.S. frequent flyer applications — American Airways AAdvantage, United MileagePlus, Delta Air Traces SkyMiles and Southwest Airways Speedy Rewards — to permit households to pool their miles.
United joined a number of different frequent flyer applications that enable households to pool miles, each throughout the U.S. and internationally. This is an inventory of them.
US airways with household pooling
Of the highest 10 U.S. airways, 5 now have the choice to mix miles from a number of accounts into only one for little to no value. Nonetheless, three of these have some kind of restriction as to who can pool miles.
Two main U.S. airways enable free pooling for anybody of their applications, whereas others provide household pooling with restrictions.
United Airways
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Since there isn’t any age restriction on members having the ability to join a MileagePlus account, additional and unused miles from youngsters, as an illustration, can be utilized in a single account. As much as 5 members might be added to a pool, and there’s no restrict to the variety of miles you possibly can contribute to a pool.
Some stipulations exist. You may enter and exit a pool at your personal discretion, however the airline will implement a 90-day “cooling” interval while you exit a pool, so you may have to attend earlier than becoming a member of one other one.
While you’re contributing miles to a pool, you might have 24 hours to reverse a transaction. After 24 hours have handed, you can’t get the miles you contributed to a pool again.
You have to be not less than 18 years previous to create a pool and turn out to be the “pool chief.” You can too solely function in a single pool at a time, so that you can’t be part of a number of swimming pools.
United additionally notes that pooling miles is not going to have an effect on a member’s Premier standing.
JetBlue
JetBlue TrueBlue is essentially the most family-friendly frequent flyer program within the U.S. It permits each family and friends members to pool their miles to guide awards sooner.
JetBlue TrueBlue members are eligible to pool miles with as much as seven pals or relations with no price. The pool chief (who have to be not less than 21) will handle all of the factors within the Factors Pooling account. You’ll contribute factors to the Factors Pooling account upon becoming a member of Factors Pooling initially and with every future transaction for zero switch charges.
Frontier Airways
In June 2018, Frontier launched household pooling for as much as eight folks, however it’s solely accessible if the top member within the pool has both Frontier Airways elite standing or the Frontier Airways World Mastercard®. Should you qualify for Frontier Household Pooling, the eight invited pool members don’t have to be from one household — they are often anybody you want.
The data for the Frontier Airways World Mastercard has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
An individual can solely be a member of 1 Frontier household pool at a time and should wait 90 days between switching swimming pools. When you have a household, take into account that youngsters can fly free at choose occasions on Frontier.
Associated: Final information to Frontier Miles: The best way to earn and redeem miles
Hawaiian Airways
The HawaiianMiles program from Hawaiian Airways doesn’t provide household pooling within the conventional sense. Nonetheless, it permits HawaiianMiles members to share their miles with a Hawaiian Airways main credit score or debit card holder freed from cost.
There are not any minimums or maximums for the variety of miles that may be transferred. Nonetheless, Hawaiian Airways debit or bank card holders might solely obtain 10 free transactions in a calendar yr.
This methodology of sharing miles may work for a household if one particular person has an eligible Hawaiian Airways World Elite Mastercard and the opposite relations ship their miles to that cardholder’s account as wanted.
The data for the Hawaiian Airways World Elite Mastercard has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
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Spirit Airways
In 2021, Spirit Airways added the power to pool factors for these with Free Spirit elite standing and those that maintain a Spirit Airways bank card (just like the Free Spirit® Journey Extra World Elite Mastercard®).
The data for the Free Spirit Journey Extra World Elite Mastercard has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Those that are eligible can run a factors pool with as much as eight pals or relations. The members of the pool don’t have to have a Spirit bank card or maintain elite standing; solely the top of the pool should meet a kind of necessities.
Worldwide airways with household pooling
When you get exterior the U.S., the choices for pooling miles with an airline develop pretty shortly.
As in comparison with solely 5 U.S. airways with household pooling, 22 worldwide carriers have some type of factors pooling. A few of these carriers might not be in your radar, however some are possible acquainted to anybody with an intermediate information of factors and miles.
Aegean Airways
Aegean permits members 18 years previous and up with not less than one Aegean, Olympic Air or Star Alliance flight booked or an Aegean Mastercard to activate a Collectively account and add as much as 5 members, whatever the extra members’ elite standing ranges.
All the award miles earned by Collectively members are mechanically transferred to the top member’s account. Particular person members retain their very own elite qualifying miles, however redeemable miles get pooled into one head account.
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Aeromexico
Aeromexico permits households to create an Aeromexico Rewards Household Group to switch factors between eligible accounts. Membership in a Household Group is proscribed to spouses and kids. The final names on the accounts should match, or you possibly can write to the airline to qualify your authorized guardianship in different instances.
Kids within the Household Group account have to be beneath 21 years of age, and solely the account holder can cease the linking of the accounts of their kids, besides when the kid is over 18.
Air Canada
Air Canada overhauled its Aeroplan frequent flyer program in 2020 with largely neutral-to-positive adjustments. One of many constructive adjustments was the introduction of Household Sharing for as much as eight whole folks. Every member who joins the Household Sharing account could have their factors stability added to the pool of factors, together with factors earned earlier than the Household Sharing account was created.
As soon as the household has gathered sufficient factors, they will use the shared pool to redeem awards for every member of the family. When somebody from the Household Sharing account makes a redemption, Aeroplan will deduct factors from all members’ accounts in proportion in order to create a good expertise.
What makes this program cool is that if one member of the household has elite standing or holds a cobranded bank card, all members of the Household Sharing account will have the ability to reap the benefits of the popular award pricing granted to the standing holder.
Associated: The best way to redeem Aeroplan factors for max worth
Air France and KLM
Air France and KLM enhanced their Flying Blue Household program in 2022. The enhancement makes it simpler for households to earn and redeem miles and reap the benefits of elite advantages. Flying Blue permits relations to pool their miles from as much as eight accounts. There is usually a most of two adults and 6 kids on every household account. After six months, you possibly can go away the household account should you determine to.
Because the household account chief, you possibly can switch your loved ones members’ miles to your account freely. Moreover, the Flying Blue Household program now additionally affords a 25% low cost on non-promo award tickets for kids between 2 and 11 (in any cabin) and no mileage expiration for members beneath 18.
Air India
Air India has a household pooling program referred to as MeraParivar. It permits two or extra particular person members — who’re associated to one another — to hyperlink their particular person accounts for computerized transferring and pooling with the top of the account. The pinnacle of the account is the one member licensed to redeem factors from the pool.
There is usually a most of 9 members within the pool, and kids have to be not less than 2 years of age.
All Nippon Airways
ANA Mileage Membership permits Household Accounts for its members who reside exterior of Japan. These ANA members exterior of Japan can register two to eight members — together with the top member — for a Household Account. Eligible members is usually a partner, associate or kin inside two levels of kinship. Which means a grandchild and a grandparent can be eligible members of your Household Account however not a great-grandparent or great-grandchild.
There is a registration price of 1,000 miles so as to add members to the Household Account. Mileage is accrued by every ANA Mileage Membership member’s quantity after which mixed to guide awards as wanted.
Asiana Airways
Asiana Airways permits as much as eight relations to be a part of a Household Mileage Plan, which may embrace the household consultant’s partner, kids, mother and father, paternal and maternal grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and fogeys of their partner.
You may must submit a Household Mileage Plan registration type and proof of household relationships.
British Airways
Inside the British Airways Government Membership, the one method for kids to earn Avios is to be a part of a Family Account.
A Family Account consists of as much as seven individuals who stay on the identical tackle. In any other case, kids can not earn and spend their very own British Airways Avios till they’re 18 years previous. Similar to with a person account, your Family Account Avios stick with you so long as you accumulate, spend, buy or share some Avios not less than as soon as each 36 months.
The draw back to the British Airways Family Account was once that you simply could not redeem your Avios for others who weren’t on the Family Account. This was a deal breaker for me, as I wish to redeem Avios once in a while for pals, aunts, cousins, grandparents and extra. Nonetheless, British Airways now affords a Household and Pals record to accompany a Family Account. This implies you possibly can redeem Avios award tickets for as much as 5 extra folks added to your record who do not stay inside your family.
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Etihad Airways
The Etihad Visitor program affords a Household Membership that allows as much as 9 relations to pool their miles. Eligible relations embrace brothers, sisters, father, mom, partner, kids, grandchildren, grandparents, parents-in-law, stepparents, stepchildren, stepsiblings, stepgrandchildren, nieces, nephews and even one family workers member. The phrases point out that Etihad might audit Household Memberships and request proof of household relationships.
As soon as added on-line, the members above 13 years previous will obtain an e-mail for them to just accept the request. Members beneath 13 can be included within the family with out e-mail acceptance.
Associated: The last word information to Etihad Airways companions: The best way to earn and redeem Etihad Visitor miles
Emirates
With the Emirates My Household program, as much as eight relations ages 2 and older with an eligible household relationship might take part. This features a husband, a spouse, a associate, a mom, a father, a stepmother, a stepfather, a mother-in-law, a father-in-law, a son, a stepson, a daughter, a stepdaughter, a brother, a sister, a granddaughter, a grandson and a home helper.
Members of the Emirates My Household program can pool all or only a share of their Skywards miles earned on Emirates flights, in addition to miles earned from associate applications. Members of the family could also be requested to supply Emirates Skywards with extra proof of their relationship to the top member.
Egyptair
Star Alliance associate Egyptair affords a novel household program in that it is not solely redeemable miles which might be pooled but additionally elite qualifying miles. With an Egyptair Plus Household Miles account, as much as 5 members with a “first-degree household relationship” can pool their miles in a single account to earn each award flights and elite standing sooner. Solely the top member of the family will earn elite standing, however that particular person may then use a few of their perks to profit accompanying relations.
You need to e-mail a replica of every potential member’s passport to customeraff@egyptair.com and specify their relationship to you. The member of the family have to be not less than 2 years previous to be eligible. Every member could have their very own membership quantity, however miles earned will all be pooled within the head member’s account.
Japan Airways
The JAL Household Membership permits household pooling of miles and is open to JAL members who reside exterior of Japan. A JAL Household Membership can have as much as 9 relations, together with the first member’s partner, kids and fogeys, and the partner’s mother and father. There’s a 1,000-mile price for every member added to the Household Membership, in addition to a 1,000-mile renewal price each 5 years.
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Korean Air
The Korean Air SkyPass program permits as much as 5 relations to hitch a Household Plan. Eligible relations embrace a partner, kids, mother and father, siblings, parents-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandparents and grandchildren. You need to submit paperwork displaying proof of the connection, and these can take a few weeks to course of.
When pooling household mileage, you possibly can designate the variety of miles to pool. The Household Plan might not apply to a few of the award applications. Sure forms of awards, reminiscent of SkyTeam awards, can’t be booked through the SkyPass Household Plan.
Lufthansa
Lufthansa Miles & Extra permits mileage pooling for as much as two adults and 5 kids for members in choose international locations. These international locations presently are: Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Denmark, Eire, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia.
All of the members’ award miles might be collected in your pool, and the 2 adults can redeem pooled miles. The adults don’t must be companions or married. In actual fact, pals can earn miles collectively.
Norwegian Air Shuttle
Norwegian Reward permits as much as seven members to pool CashPoints in a single account. Whereas this system was designed with households in thoughts, it may be utilized by pals, too. When becoming a member of or making a Household Account, you settle for being a part of it for not less than three months. Know that you simply will not have the ability to take any of the pooled factors with you should you go away the household account. Kids beneath 16 might be Household Account members and might go away the pool as soon as they flip 16 if they want.
Qantas
Qantas does not help you pool your factors, per se, however it does help you switch factors to eligible relations — reminiscent of a partner, mother and father, a home associate, a baby, a sibling, grandparents, in-laws, aunts, uncles, cousins, and so forth. — for no price. You may switch 1,500 factors or extra with an infinite variety of transfers annually. Household transfers do not depend as a sound exercise for level expiration functions.
Associated: Full information to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program
Qatar Airways
The Qatar Airways Household Programme permits members to appoint as much as 9 relations to their Qatar Airways Privilege Membership membership, together with a partner, kids and their mother and father. You are required to connect documentation of the connection with the appliance type.
All Avios earned by relations are credited to the first member’s account, however relations’ flight actions do not earn Qpoints towards standing. As soon as added, relations can’t be changed for twenty-four months. Nonetheless, relations over the age of 18 can unlink from the household account and have their very own membership accounts as important members. The Avios earned earlier than unlinking will stay within the main member’s account.
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Singapore Airways
With the KrisFlyer for Households program, mother and father and guardians can hyperlink their kid’s (2 years and older) account to theirs, and so they’ll then have the ability to pool miles earned. As much as 5 youngster accounts might be linked to 1 grownup account, and you’ll switch as much as 50,000 KrisFlyer miles per kid’s account every calendar yr.
Sadly, in contrast to many different applications on the record, there is a price to switch factors. It’s going to value $5 or 500 miles for each 5,000 KrisFlyer miles (or half thereof) transferred out of your kid’s account. Which means you’re looking at a complete value of $50 or 5,000 miles if transferred in increments of 5,000 miles as much as the 50,000-mile cap. In comparison with the various different home airways that cost a price, that is nonetheless very cheap.
Remember the fact that you are not in a position to switch miles out of your account to your kid’s account. Which means mother and father should not in a position to transfer factors round to mix their very own factors — it is really a hyperlink solely between a single mother or father and the youngsters. As soon as an account is linked, it can’t be unlinked till the kid is 16 years previous.
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Turkish Airways
Miles&Smiles, the Turkish Airways frequent flyer program, permits households to accumulate miles in a household membership, supplied that the top member has the airline’s Basic Plus elite standing or greater. Household membership permits the miles from the top member, their partner and single kids beneath 25 to pool collectively as “Household Miles.”
With a household membership, your entire relations’ miles earned from Turkish Airways flights, Star Alliance member flights and program companions can be added to your Basic Plus account. Every member of the family could have their very own account. Member of the family actions can be counted as “Bonus Miles” to the Basic Plus member’s account. The flights of relations can be added to their very own account as “Standing Miles” to allow them to improve their membership stage.
To open a household membership, it’s essential to full a suggestions type and ship it together with photocopies of the wedding certificates and ID playing cards referring to your loved ones members (associate and kids), their Turkish ID numbers and a signed request that features your full tackle, phone and e-mail.
Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership members with Silver or Gold elite standing can create a family account and hyperlink a most of 9 Flying Membership memberships with the identical family tackle because the Silver or Gold member. All miles earned by family account-linked members will mechanically switch to the Silver or Gold member’s account after every mileage transaction is full, however every member will earn their very own factors towards elite standing.
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Virgin Australia
The Virgin Australia Velocity Household Pooling program permits as much as six relations residing on the identical tackle to pool each Velocity factors and standing credit. Their Household Pooling can embrace as much as two members over 18 years previous and as much as 4 members beneath 18 years previous.
You may select to pool both Velocity factors or each Velocity factors and standing credit to the beneficiary. Which means one member of the family can earn elite standing throughout the Velocity program a lot sooner by having the entire household’s flights depend towards standing.
Backside line
As you possibly can see, not all airways and frequent flyer applications allow households to share and pool miles in the identical method. Fortunately, a rising variety of applications enable households to place their miles collectively in varied methods to attain that subsequent award flight sooner. So, should you’re gathering miles for every of your loved ones members, think about whether or not you is perhaps higher off placing all of your eggs in a single basket.
