Miles Calculator

How we check our data

Updated November 11, 2026

Every number on this site, from the miles a fare earns to the points a tier needs, comes from the airline's own published rules. This page shows where, how we check it, and what we know is incomplete.

The short version

• The airline's own pages are the only source for rules and earning figures. If an airline doesn't publish a figure, we don't show one.
• We don't guess earning rates. Where a program shows its figures only in its own calculator, our calculator asks you to enter the number.
• We don't put a cash value on a mile. What a mile is worth depends on what you spend it on.
• Assumptions are labeled. Fares in our articles, such as "a $600 round trip", are examples, and the pages say so.
• Every guide and article says when its rules were checked. Programs change their rules often, so always confirm anything important with your airline.

What we cover

• The status calculator covers 56 programs across Star Alliance, oneworld, SkyTeam and independent airlines. Each program's tier targets, booking classes or spend rates come from its own website, and the source is linked from its guide.
• 594 partner earning entries. They record what a program credits for flights on other airlines, for 29 programs and 26 airline websites. They were checked between October 2, 2026 and October 5, 2026, and 593 of them are marked verified.
• Distances are great-circle distances, the shortest path over the Earth's surface, calculated on the model of the Earth used in aviation and GPS.

How a rule gets into the site

1. We read the airline's page. The earning chart, tier targets, or terms and conditions, as published.
2. We enter it and test it. New figures go into the calculator, and we test them with sample trips.
3. We date it. The guide or article says "Rules checked" with the date.
4. We re-check when something changes. We re-read the pages when an airline announces a change, and before publishing an article.

The airline websites we read

The partner earning entries cite these 26 sites. Singapore Airlines appears under two addresses.

What we know is incomplete

• One earning entry isn't verified. It is KrisFlyer crediting Air Canada flights. KrisFlyer's chart lists booking classes for Air Canada, but its footnote says earning is based on the fare option bought, regardless of booking class. The calculator shows what the chart lists, so treat it as an estimate.
• Some programs only publish earning in their own calculator. Examples are Qatar, Ethiopian and Aegean. For these we ask you to enter the figure rather than guess it.
• Dated rule changes are switched on by date. The calculator changes by itself when a rule starts, and then we update the guides. Changes we are tracking: Qatar's tier targets on December 1, 2026, United's new Premier thresholds on January 1, 2027, Malaysia Airlines' and Alaska's changes on January 1, 2027, British Airways' new targets on April 1, 2027, and Etihad's reduced targets ending March 31, 2027.
• British Airways extra tier points depend on when you booked, and the calculator doesn't ask. Our British Airways article explains the rule.
• Airlines use their own distance tables. Their figures can differ slightly from ours.

Found a mistake?

With 56 programs and rules that change all the time, corrections are welcome. If a figure doesn't match what your airline says, please tell us and include a link to the airline's page. We'll check it and fix it. You can also read more about the site.