Loyalty Traveler Guide to SPG Airline Partners, Transfers and Airline Direct Deposit program

One of the most popular features of Starwood Preferred Guest is the ability to transfer hotel points into airline frequent flyer miles with 34 airline programs on a 1 point = 1 airline mile rate for most programs.

Transfer 20,000 SPG points at one time and you receive 25% bonus miles. 20,000 SPG points exchanges into 25,000 miles with most airline partners offering 1:1 exchange.

The list of airline partners is little changed in recent years. Hainan Airlines and Virgin Australia are the latest additions for 2014. Southwest Airlines is also an airline partner of Starwood Hotels with only the Airline Direct Deposit option for earning Rapid Rewards. SPG Airline Partners Link: SPG Airline Partners points-to-miles transfer list.

1. Aeromexico Club Premier 1:1
2. Aeroplan/Air Canada 1:1
3. Air Berlin 1:1
4. Air China Companion 1:1
5. Air New Zealand & Air Points 65:1
6. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan 1:1
7. Alitalia MilleMiglia 1:1
8. All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club 1:1
9. American Airlines AAdvantage 1:1
10. Asia Miles 1:1
11. Asiana Airlines 1:1
12. British Airways Executive Club 1:1
13. China Eastern Airlines 1:1
14. China Southern Airlines’ Sky Pearl Club 1:1
15. Delta Air Lines SkyMiles 1:1
16. Emirates Skywards 1:1
17. Etihad Airways 1:1
18. Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)  1:1
19. Gol Smiles 2:1
20. Hainan Airlines 1:1
21. Hawaiian Airlines 1:1
22. Japan Airlines (JAL) Mileage Bank 1:1
23. LAN Airlines LANPASS (Kilometers) 1:1.5
24. Miles and More 1:1
25. Qatar Airways 1:1
26. Saudi Arabian Airlines Alfursan 1:1
27. Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer 1:1
28. Thai Airways International Royal Orchid Plus 1:1
29. US Airways Dividend Miles 1:1
30. United Mileage Plus 2:1
31. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club 1:1
32. Virgin Australia 1:1
33. Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards (Airline Direct Deposit only)
34. El Al Matmid Club (Airline Direct Deposit only)

Terms and Conditions

• SPG member may only transfer 79,999 points in a 24-hour period. (Note: 60,000 points is the practical exchange limit to maximize bonus points. If more miles needed then wait 24 hours and transfer another 20,000 points into miles and get the 25% bonus points.)
• SPG will add 5,000 bonus points for every 20,000 points transferred in a single transaction for miles.
• Only one airline transfer transaction per member, per airline program is permitted in a 24-hour period.
• Minimum transfer is 2,500 points for a SPG Preferred member.
• Minimum transfer is 1,500 points for a SPG Gold member.
• There is no minimum transfer restriction on SPG Platinum members. (I have taken advantage of this many times to transfer under 100 Starpoints into airline miles for promotion credits requiring partner activity.)
• Both the SPG member account and the airline frequent flyer account must have identical names. (Note: you can’t exchange Starpoints into miles for someone else’s frequent flyer account).

SPG Airline Direct Deposit (better option for United Mileage Plus earners) While many SPG members are familiar with points-to-miles exchange, SPG also offers Airline Direct Deposit as an option for earning airline miles rather than Starpoints for Starwood Hotel stays. This earning option automatically converts Starpoints earned into airline miles.

Participating Airlines and Conversion Rates: You’ll earn 2 miles per every eligible US$1 spent with a 1:1 conversion.

PARTICIPATING AIRLINES AND DIRECT DEPOSIT CONVERSION RATE

1. Air Berlin topbonus 1:1
2. Air Canada Aeroplan 1:1
3. Air China PhoenixMiles 1:1.6
4. Air France and KLM Flying Blue 1:1
5. Air New Zealand Airpoints ADD no ratio¹
6. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan 1:1
7. Alitalia MilleMiglia 1:1
8. All Nippon Airways ANA Mileage Club 1:1
9. American Airlines AAdvantage 1:1
10. Asiana Airlines Asiana Club 1:1
11. British Airways Executive Club 1:1
12. Cathay Pacific Airways Asia Miles 1:1
13. China Southern Airlines Sky Pearl Club 1:1
14. China Eastern Airlines Eastern Miles 1:1
15. Delta Air Lines SkyMiles 1:1
16. El Al Matmid Club ADD no ratio²
17. Emirates/Sri Lankan Airlines Skywards 1:1
18. Etihad Guest 1:1
19. Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings Club 1:1
20. Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles 1:1
21. Iberia Plus 1:1
22. Japan Airlines JAL Mileage Bank 1:1
23. LATAM Airlines LANPASS 1:1.6
24. Lufthansa Miles & More 1:1
25. Qatar Airways Privilege Club 1:1
26. Saudi Arabian Airlines Alfursan 1:1
27. Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer 1:1
28. Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards ADD no ratio³
29. Thai Airways International Royal Orchid Plus 1:1
30. United MileagePlus 1:1
31. US Airways Dividend Miles 1:1
32. VARIG Smiles 2:1
33. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club 1:1

United Mileage Plus Miles Factor Favors SPG Airline Direct Deposit

The advantage with Airline Direct Deposit for United Mileage Plus members is Starpoints convert 1:1 for United miles.

The exchange rate is 2:1 without Airline Direct Deposit. 2:1 Exchange for United Mileage Plus means 10,000 Starpoints = 5,000 miles.

20,000 Starpoints = 10,000 miles + 2,500 miles (25% bonus) = 12,500 miles.

ADD earning for Starwood Hotel stays at 1:1 transfer into United Mileage Plus means 10,000 Starpoints earned from hotel stays transfers into 10,000 United miles or 20,000 points = 20,000 miles. Given the 25% bonus miles when exchanging 20,000 Starpoints into airline miles, the Airline Direct Deposit option is best for specific airlines like United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Air New Zealand and El Al Matmid Club.

SPG Airline Direct Deposit has special earning rates for three airlines:

Air New Zealand members earn a flat 40 Airpoints for stays within Australia and New Zealand, and a flat 20 Airpoints outside Australia and New Zealand.

El Al Israel members earn a flat 12 points per stay.

Southwest Rapid Rewards members earn a flat 600 Rapid Rewards Points per eligible stay at any hotel that participates in the Starwood Preferred Guest® program. The Southwest Rapid Rewards earning rate of 600 points per stay is common across most hotel loyalty programs. Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards hotel partners includes Best Western, Club Carlson, Choice, Hyatt, La Quinta, Marriott Rewards, MLife (MGM Resorts), SPG, Wyndham Rewards and RocketMiles.

SPG Airline Direct Deposit Conversion Examples

1:1 example A Preferred (base) member who has an eligible spend of $420 at a participating Starwood hotel will earn 840 Starpoints, which are then automatically converted (at a 1:1 ratio) to 840 airline miles.

A Gold or Platinum member will earn 1,260 Starpoints, which then convert to 1,260 airline miles. 2:1 example A Preferred (base) member who has an eligible spend of $420 at a participating Starwood hotel will earn 840 Starpoints, which are then automatically converted (at a 2:1 ratio) to 420 airline miles.

A Gold or Platinum member will earn 1,260 Starpoints, which then convert to 630 airline miles.

Loyalty Traveler analysis of Starwood Preferred Guest Airline Direct Deposit program for United Mileage Plus members and others interested in earning miles rather than points from hotel stays. (August 4, 2011). 20,000 Starpoints only exchanges to 12,500 United Mileage Plus miles with the 25% bonus on the 2 Starpoints = 1 United mile making SPG Airline Direct Deposit a better earning method where all SPG points earned are automatically converted 1-to-1 to United Mileage Plus miles, so 20,000 Starpoints = 20,000 miles.

***** This is the fifth post in the series Loyalty Traveler Guide to Starwood Preferred Guest.

1 – Loyalty Traveler Guide to Starwood Preferred Guest

2 – Loyalty Traveler Guide to Starwood Preferred Guest Award Nights

3 – Loyalty Traveler Guide to Starwood Preferred Guest elite member benefits

4 – Loyalty Traveler Guide to nine brands of Starwood Hotels

5 – Loyalty Traveler Guide to SPG Airline Partners, Transfers and Airline Direct Deposit program

*****

Ric Garrido of Monterey, California is writer and owner of Loyalty Traveler. Loyalty Traveler shares news and views on hotels, hotel loyalty programs and vacation destinations for frequent guests. Check out current hotel loyalty program offers across all the major chains in Loyalty Traveler’s monthly hotel promotions guide. Follow Loyalty Traveler on Twitter and Facebook and RSS feed.