This U.S. Airline Was Named the Best for Frequent Flyer Rewards in 2026—and Its Miles Are Among the Easiest to Redeem

For travelers taking several big flights each year, the airline matters—not just because of service or on-time departure rates, but also because with every flight, experienced travelers are accruing points behind the scenes.

And loyal United Airlines passengers are getting the best bang for their buck, according to a new ranking from point.me , a company that helps travelers find and book award flights using credit card points and airline miles. The carrier's MileagePlus program ranked No. 1 in the United States and No. 2 overall in the world (falling behind Air France-KLM Flying Blue).

"Travelers want to use their points without having to become an expert to do it," Adam Morvitz, the CEO of point.me, said in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure . "A great loyalty program isn't the one with an incredible deal every once in a while. It's one where you can find a seat, at a price that makes sense, book it easily, and change your plans if you need to. That's what we measure, and the programs at the top of this list are the ones delivering on it."

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For its part, United scored well when it came to seat availability, ranking as one of the easiest programs for getting the flights passengers want, as well as for its customer service. United also offers MileagePlus members free cancellations of award tickets, according to the airline .

Earlier this year, United changed how members earn points , allowing those with a United credit, debit, or Chase co-branded credit card to earn more miles than before, while non-cardholders earn less. Additionally, United cardholders can now access Saver Award fares for its Polaris business class and get at least 10 percent off award tickets.

Alaska Airlines' and Hawaiian Airlines' Atmos Rewards program came in at No. 2 in the U.S. and No. 4 overall in the world, while American Airlines ' AAdvantage program was named No. 3 in the U.S., falling from its top position in last year's ranking.

JetBlue's TrueBlue reward program was ranked No. 4 in the U.S., while Delta Air Lines ' SkyMiles and Southwest Airlines ' Rapid Rewards programs tied for No. 5 in the country, but did poorly on the global scale, coming in at No. 22.

To determine the ranking, point.me evaluated 33 airlines across three general categories: what your points are worth, how easy they are to use, and how the airline reacts when plans change.

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