Asia Miles vs Miles&Smiles: which loyalty program wins?

We score Asia Miles and Miles&Smiles on the same five factors — earning rate, redemption value, partner network, ease of use, and point expiry — to help you choose the right program for how you actually spend.

Verdict

Asia Miles is best for Premium-cabin redemption seekers who travel to East, while Miles&Smiles is best for Frequent flyers.

Skip Asia Miles if Anyone wanting to earn through daily spend, and skip Miles&Smiles if Anyone who flies infrequently.

Overall rating

	Asia Miles	Miles&Smiles
Overall rating	3.9 / 5	3.9 / 5
Earning	3.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Redemption	5.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Network	5.0 / 5	5.0 / 5
Ease of use	3.0 / 5	3.0 / 5
Expiry	3.0 / 5	3.0 / 5

Earning structure

Asia Miles	Members earn Asia Miles by flying Cathay Pacific (direct from Riyadh to Hong Kong) and on 15+ oneworld alliance partners including Qatar Airways, British Airways, American, JAL, Qantas, Iberia, Finnair, Cathay Pacific, and Royal Jordanian. Earning rate depends on flight distance, cabin class, and fare type (Economy: 25-100% of flown miles; premium cabins up to 200%). Status Points (separate from miles) are earned on Cathay/partner flights for tier qualification. Members can also transfer points to Asia Miles from Marriott Bonvoy (3:1 ratio, 5,000 bonus per 60,000 transfer), Hilton Honors, and Amex Membership Rewards (5:4 ratio, March 2026 update). No Saudi bank issues a Cathay co-branded credit card — the Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard is Hong Kong-only.
Miles&Smiles	Members earn both Status Miles (for tier qualification) and Award Miles (for redemption) on Turkish Airlines and AnadoluJet flights - earning depends on flight distance, fare class, and elite status level. Earning extends to 25+ Star Alliance member carriers. Marriott Bonvoy transfer at 3:1 ratio. Choice Privileges transfer at 5:1 ratio. Status Miles can also be earned from 40 qualifying flights (Classic Plus only). Status upgrade purchases of 5,000-10,000 miles are available. No Saudi bank issues a Miles&Smiles co-branded credit card.

Redemption structure

Asia Miles	Asia Miles redeem according to three fixed award charts: Cathay Pacific-operated flights (distance-based), airline partners (zone/distance-based), and oneworld multi-carrier awards (for round-the-world tickets). Cathay's Economy short-haul Asia routes from 7,000 miles one-way; Business HKG-Sydney for 58,000; Business HKG-LHR for 88,000; First HKG-LHR for 125,000. Most premium-cabin partner awards deliver outsized value. Fuel surcharges apply on most redemptions and are priced by region. Online booking for Cathay and many oneworld partners; some partner awards require calling Asia Miles. Round-the-world award tickets uniquely available. Members can also redeem for cabin upgrades, extra legroom seats, baggage allowance, hotel stays, car rentals, and merchandise.
Miles&Smiles	Award Miles redeem for flights on Turkish Airlines, AnadoluJet, all 25+ Star Alliance partners, and selected non-alliance partners. Award booking is straightforward online for Turkish flights and most Star Alliance partners; some partner awards require calling. Sweet spots remain after the 2024 devaluation: Turkish Business Class to Europe/US, domestic US partner flights at favorable rates (some destinations like Hawaii start from 10,000 miles), and premium-cabin Star Alliance partner redemptions. Cabin upgrades available on Turkish flights. Elite Plus members receive two complimentary cabin upgrades annually. Award changes incur fees varying by tier. Fuel surcharges apply on most premium-cabin partner redemptions. Members can supplement with mile purchases.

Partner network · Tiers & status · Point expiry policy

	Asia Miles	Miles&Smiles
Number of partners	0	0
Partners	—	—
Number of tiers	5	4
Top tier	Diamond Exec	Elite Plus
First-tier qualification	300 points	25,000 points
Point expiry	18 months inactivity (reset on earn)	36 months

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