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Frequent flyer applications had been traditionally designed in order that the one who 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 way in which folks journey has modified. Households are capable of fly rather more continuously collectively now than they may within the early Eighties.
On account of flying extra, youngsters are incomes extra frequent flyer miles. 5 relations who every have 5,000 miles of their respective accounts could not be capable 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, in recent times, some frequent flyer applications have turn into extra family-friendly on this regard than others.
In 2024, United Airways MileagePlus grew to become the primary of the 4 largest U.S. frequent flyer applications — American Airways AAdvantage, United MileagePlus, Delta Air Strains SkyMiles and Southwest Airways Fast 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 a listing 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
In 2024, United Airways introduced the addition of miles pooling, which can enable MileagePlus members of all ages to share and redeem miles in a single account.
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Since there isn’t any age restriction on members having the ability to join a MileagePlus account, further 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 may contribute to a pool.
Some stipulations exist. You possibly can 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 will have to attend earlier than becoming a member of one other one.
While you’re contributing miles to a pool, you’ve gotten 24 hours to reverse a transaction. After 24 hours have handed, you can’t get the miles you contributed to a pool again.
You should be a minimum of 18 years outdated to create a pool and turn into 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 won’t 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 mates or relations with out a charge. The pool chief (who should be a minimum of 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, nevertheless it’s solely obtainable if the pinnacle member within the pool has both Frontier Airways elite standing or the Frontier Airways World Mastercard®. For those who 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, remember that youngsters can fly free at choose instances on Frontier.
Associated: Final information to Frontier Miles: The 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 major 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 could solely obtain 10 free transactions in a calendar 12 months.
This technique 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 flexibility 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 mates or relations. The members of the pool don’t have to have a Spirit bank card or maintain elite standing; solely the pinnacle of the pool should meet a type 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 is probably not in your radar, however some are doubtless acquainted to anybody with an intermediate data of factors and miles.
Aegean Airways
Aegean permits members 18 years outdated and up with a minimum of 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 further members’ elite standing ranges.
The entire award miles earned by Collectively members are mechanically transferred to the pinnacle 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 restricted to spouses and youngsters. The final names on the accounts should match, or you may write to the airline to qualify your authorized guardianship in different circumstances.
Kids within the Household Group account should 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 may have their factors steadiness added to the pool of factors, together with factors earned earlier than the Household Sharing account was created.
As soon as the household has collected 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 be capable to reap the benefits of the popular award pricing granted to the standing holder.
Associated: The 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 generally is a most of two adults and 6 kids on every household account. After six months, you may depart the household account for those who determine to.
Because the household account chief, you may switch your loved ones members’ miles to your account freely. Moreover, the Flying Blue Household program now additionally gives 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 generally known as MeraParivar. It permits two or extra particular person members — who’re associated to one another — to hyperlink their particular person accounts for automated transferring and pooling with the pinnacle of the account. The top of the account is the one member approved to redeem factors from the pool.
There generally is a most of 9 members within the pool, and youngsters should be a minimum of 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 pinnacle member — for a Household Account. Eligible members generally is a partner, companion or family members inside two levels of kinship. Because of this 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 charge 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 might embody the household consultant’s partner, kids, dad and mom, 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 kind and proof of household relationships.
British Airways
Inside the British Airways Govt Membership, the one approach 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 reside on the identical handle. In any other case, kids can not earn and spend their very own British Airways Avios till they’re 18 years outdated. Similar to with a person account, your Family Account Avios stick with you so long as you accumulate, spend, buy or share some Avios a minimum of 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 every now and then for mates, aunts, cousins, grandparents and extra. Nonetheless, British Airways now gives a Household and Buddies listing to accompany a Family Account. This implies you may redeem Avios award tickets for as much as 5 further folks added to your listing who do not reside inside your family.
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Etihad Airways
The Etihad Visitor program gives a Household Membership that allows as much as 9 relations to pool their miles. Eligible relations embody 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 could audit Household Memberships and request proof of household relationships.
As soon as added on-line, the members above 13 years outdated will obtain an e mail for them to just accept the request. Members beneath 13 will probably be included within the family with out e mail acceptance.
Associated: The last word information to Etihad Airways companions: The 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 could take part. This features a husband, a spouse, a companion, 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 proportion of their Skywards miles earned on Emirates flights, in addition to miles earned from companion applications. Relations could also be requested to supply Emirates Skywards with further proof of their relationship to the pinnacle member.
Egyptair
Star Alliance companion Egyptair gives a novel household program in that it isn’t solely redeemable miles which might be pooled but in addition 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 pinnacle 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 should 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 should be a minimum of 2 years outdated to be eligible. Every member may 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 dad and mom. There’s a 1,000-mile charge for every member added to the Household Membership, in addition to a 1,000-mile renewal charge 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 embody a partner, kids, dad and mom, siblings, parents-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandparents and grandchildren. You should submit paperwork displaying proof of the connection, and these can take a few weeks to course of.
When pooling household mileage, you may designate the variety of miles to pool. The Household Plan could not apply to a few of the award applications. Sure varieties 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 nations. These nations at present 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 should be companions or married. The truth is, mates 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 mates, too. When becoming a member of or making a Household Account, you settle for being a part of it for a minimum of three months. Know that you simply will not be capable to take any of the pooled factors with you for those who depart the household account. Kids beneath 16 might be Household Account members and may depart the pool as soon as they flip 16 if they want.
Qantas
Qantas would not let you pool your factors, per se, nevertheless it does let you switch factors to eligible relations — reminiscent of a partner, dad and mom, a home companion, a baby, a sibling, grandparents, in-laws, aunts, uncles, cousins, and so on. — for no charge. You possibly can switch 1,500 factors or extra with an infinite variety of transfers annually. Household transfers do not rely as a legitimate 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 dad and mom. You are required to connect documentation of the connection with the applying kind.
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 principal members. The Avios earned earlier than unlinking will stay within the major member’s account.
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Singapore Airways
With the KrisFlyer for Households program, dad and mom and guardians can hyperlink their kid’s (2 years and older) account to theirs, and so they’ll then be capable to pool miles earned. As much as 5 youngster accounts might be linked to at least one grownup account, and you may switch as much as 50,000 KrisFlyer miles per kid’s account every calendar 12 months.
Sadly, not like many different applications on the listing, there is a charge 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 charge, that is nonetheless very cheap.
Remember the fact that you are not capable of switch miles out of your account to your kid’s account. Because of this dad and mom usually are not capable of transfer factors round to mix their very own factors — it is really a hyperlink solely between a single father or mother and the kids. As soon as an account is linked, it can’t be unlinked till the kid is 16 years outdated.
Associated: Singapore KrisFlyer: Final information to incomes, redeeming and elite standing
Turkish Airways
Miles&Smiles, the Turkish Airways frequent flyer program, permits households to gather miles in a household membership, supplied that the pinnacle member has the airline’s Basic Plus elite standing or larger. Household membership permits the miles from the pinnacle 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 will probably be added to your Basic Plus account. Every member of the family may have their very own account. Member of the family actions will probably be counted as “Bonus Miles” to the Basic Plus member’s account. The flights of relations will probably be added to their very own account as “Standing Miles” to allow them to improve their membership degree.
To open a household membership, you will need to full a suggestions kind and ship it together with photocopies of the wedding certificates and ID playing cards regarding your loved ones members (companion and youngsters), their Turkish ID numbers and a signed request that features your full handle, 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 handle 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 dwelling on the identical handle to pool each Velocity factors and standing credit. Their Household Pooling can embody as much as two members over 18 years outdated and as much as 4 members beneath 18 years outdated.
You possibly can select to pool both Velocity factors or each Velocity factors and standing credit to the beneficiary. Because of this one member of the family can earn elite standing throughout the Velocity program a lot sooner by having the entire household’s flights rely towards standing.
Backside line
As you may see, not all airways and frequent flyer applications allow households to share and pool miles in the identical approach. Fortunately, a rising variety of applications enable households to place their miles collectively in varied methods to realize that subsequent award flight sooner. So, for those who’re gathering miles for every of your loved ones members, take into account whether or not you is likely to be higher off placing all of your eggs in a single basket.
















