AAdvantage Vs. MileagePlus Vs. SkyMiles: Which Loyalty Program Is Superior?

The American Airlines AAdvantage, United Airlines MileagePlus, and Delta Air Lines SkyMiles programs all promise free flights to loyal customers, but they are engineered for entirely different kinds of customers. American’s AAdvantage program centers status on loyalty points, so customers can quickly progress through spending with several partners. United’s MileagePlus program leans into the breadth of the global Star Alliance, making its miles a practical upgrade currency for many types of top-tier flyers. Delta’s SkyMiles are the most straightforward currency for earning everyday rewards, but they are the least predictable when it comes to redemptions. Our objective here is to perform a complete comparative analysis between these three programs. We try to identify which one provides the most value, depending on one’s home airport and habits.