Frequent Flyer Programs With Family Pooling: Reach Rewards Faster (2023)

Family pooling in a frequent flyer program is a feature that allows multiple individuals, typically family members, to combine their earned miles or points into a single shared account. This way, the entire group or family can accumulate rewards faster and more efficiently, making redeeming them for flights or other benefits easier.

The specific rules and benefits of family pooling can vary between airlines, for example:

• Number of members in the pool: some programs restrict this to immediate family, while others allow friends or unrelated members.
• How miles are the miles pooled: some programs allow you to control distribution or how members can use miles.
• The effect of pooling on elite status qualification: sometimes, pooled miles can’t be used for elite status.

Some of the key benefits of pooling miles and points are:

1. Earn rewards faster: When you pool your points with family members, you can earn rewards faster. This is because you can combine the points from everyone in your family.
2. Reach elite status sooner: If you aim for elite status in your frequent flyer program, family pooling can help you reach it sooner. This is because you can earn status credits faster when you pool your points with family members.
3. More flexibility: Family pooling gives you more flexibility when it comes to redeeming your points. You can redeem the points for rewards that benefit the entire family, or you can redeem them for rewards that benefit individuals.

Tips for frequent flyers that are family pooling

If you’re using a family pooling feature in a frequent flyer program, there are several strategies you can use to accumulate rewards faster:

1. Pick the right member to be the “leader” of the pool. If one of the family members is prone to travel more often, let that member be the leader or organizer. Members that fly more often can get elite status, access to multipliers, and increased earnings.
2. Mix and match flights: Depending on the family pooling rules, sometimes it’s beneficial to book flights for family members separately, especially if different family members have different status levels or there are special bonus offers for individual travel. For example: let organizers fly on paid tickets if you are no redeeming flights for everyone.
3. Maximize earnings on flights. Look for special promotions or flights that offer extra miles. Ensure all family members know about these opportunities and try to take advantage whenever possible.
4. Choose the right credit card: Some airlines offer branded credit cards that reward you with miles for everyday purchases. If all family members use such a card for their expenses, your family pool can accumulate miles much faster.
5. Use partner services: Many airlines have partners in the hotel, car rental, and retail industries. Using these partners’ services can earn additional miles that get added to your family pool.
6. Book with wiles when possible: Some airlines still award miles for flights booked with miles, so if possible, try to book this way to earn back some of the spent miles.
7. Choose one Frequent Flyer Program and stick to it: Spreading your flights across multiple airlines divides your potential rewards and can slow your accumulation. Try to stick to the airline with your family pool as much as possible.
8. Consider business travel: If any family member travels for business, see if they can choose your preferred airline and add those miles to your family pool.
9. Shop through Airline Shopping Portals: Many airlines have online shopping portals offering extra miles for purchases made. These can be a good way to earn extra miles for purchases you make anyway.
10. Stay informed: Keep an eye on the airline’s promotional emails and websites. Many airlines periodically offer bonuses for certain activities or for flying specific routes. Take advantage of these promotions whenever possible.
11. Study the rules! This is perhaps the most important tip. The more you understand how your frequent flyer program works, the better equipped you’ll be to maximize your benefits. So take the time to study the rules, and don’t hesitate to ask questions if there’s something you don’t understand.

Frequent Flyer Programs with Family Pooling: The Full List (2023)

Frequent Flyer Program	Country	Family Pooling Requirements
Aegean Miles + Bonus Together	Greece	Up to 5 members, must be Silver or Gold status
Air Canada Aeroplan Family Sharing	Canada	Up to 8 members, must be related and live at the same address
Air France/KLM Flying Blue Family	France, Netherlands	Up to 8 members, maximum of 2 adults and 6 children
Air India Mera Parivar	India	Up to 9 members, must be related and live at the same address
All Nippon Airways Mileage Club Family	Japan	Up to 5 members, must be related and live at the same address
Asiana Club Family Mileage Plan	South Korea	Up to 5 members, must be related and live at the same address
British Airways Executive Club Household Account	United Kingdom	Up to 9 members, must be related and live at the same address
Etihad Guest Family Membership	United Arab Emirates	Up to 9 members, must be related and live at the same address
Emirates Skywards My Family	United Arab Emirates	Up to 8 members, must be related and live at the same address
Frontier Miles Family Pooling	United States	Up to 9 members, no relation required
HawaiianMiles Share for a fee	United States	Paused until further notice
JetBlue TrueBlue Points Pooling	United States	Up to 7 members, no relation required
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer for Families	Singapore	Up to 9 members, must be related and live at the same address
Miles & More Mileage Pooling	Germany	Up to 2 adults and five children, must be related and live at the same address
Norwegian Reward Family Account	Norway	Up to 7 members, no relation required
Qantas Frequent Flyer Family Transfers	Australia	No pooling, but free transfers
SAS EuroBonus Point Sharing	Sweden	Up to 8 members, must be related and live at the same address
United MileagePlus Family Pooling	United States	United MileagePlus doesn’t offer family sharing. Just accounts under same name can be merged.
Velocity Frequent Flyer Family Pooling	Australia	Up to 9 members, must be related and live at the same address
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Family	Turkey	Up to 9 members, must be related and live at the same address
WestJet Rewards Family Sharing	Canada	Westjet doesn’t offer family sharing.
GOL Smiles	Brazil/Argentina	Up to 6 members, must be related and live at the same address

Conclusion

I’m using three different pools in my favorite frequent flyer programs. My favorite is undoubtedly SAS EuroBonus Point Sharing. It has been around for many years and works like a charm, although it would be cool to be able to combine status earning. Then, I’m also using FlyingBlue and GOL Smiles family pools to rack up points faster with my family.

What’s your experience with family pooling? Let me know in the comments below, or reach out to me on Instagram any time!

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