The Greek frequent flyer program Miles+Bonus from Star Alliance member Aegean has long been known for its easy status qualification. While the status requirements have since been increased, many members will still have a stock of Miles+Bonus award miles, making it well worth having a look at the best redemption opportunities.
In this article, we’ll present the sweet spots of Miles+Bonus. They are surprisingly diverse and, thanks to low mileage prices, offer suitable redemption options for almost everyone. Which ones those are, and which are particularly worthwhile, we’ll explore now. One thing upfront, though: Aegean itself doesn’t really feature here.
Table of Contents
- Miles+Bonus Routing Rules
- The Miles+Bonus Sweet Spots
- From 12,500 Miles + €5: United Economy from New York to Greenland
- From 30,000 Miles + €444: Emirates Business Class to the Middle East
- From 32,500 Miles + €51: Business Class within the Far East
- From 65,000 Miles + €265: Business Class to the Far East
- From 75,000 miles + €500: Business Class to Oceania
- From 75,000 miles + €580: Lufthansa First Class
- From 75,000 miles + €200: ANA First Class
- Conclusion
Miles+Bonus Routing Rules
Before diving into the individual Miles+Bonus sweet spots, it’s important to understand the routing rules for award flights. A distinction must be made between award flights on Aegean/Olympic Air and those on partner airlines. This affects both pricing and segment rules.
Award Flights with Aegean and Olympic Air
Award flights on Miles+Bonus’ own airlines are priced per segment and based on distance. Prices start at a fixed mileage amount depending on route type (domestic/international) and travel class (Economy Flex, Economy Comfort Flex, and Business). For longer distances, a multiplier applies, ranging from 8x (Economy) to 15x (Business). Because each segment is priced separately, stopovers are possible.
Changes are free of charge; only any difference in taxes is billed. Route changes, however, are not permitted. Tickets can be cancelled for €23. Telephone bookings incur an additional €20 service fee. Economy Flex does not include checked baggage, while Economy Comfort Flex also allows free same-day changes to an earlier or later flight.
Award Flights with Partner Airlines
Award flights on all other airlines are priced at a flat rate based on an award chart. This chart is arguably one of the most attractive, if not the most attractive, within Star Alliance. Economy, Business, and First Class awards can be booked. In practice, First Class availability is limited, as only a few Star Alliance airlines still offer First Class and usually release very little availability. Emirates, also a Miles+Bonus partner, no longer offers First Class awards via the program at all.
Partner award flights can also be cancelled or changed for €23. Unfortunately, stopovers are not permitted; layovers are limited to a maximum of 23 hours; otherwise segments are priced separately. On the plus side, Miles+Bonus allows routings that touch another region en route to the destination region. Mixed-cabin awards and open-jaw tickets are not permitted.
The Miles+Bonus Sweet Spots
Now to the sweet spots of the Aegean Miles+Bonus program. Unfortunately, these exclusively involve partner airlines, as Aegean’s own flights are generally not quite as attractively priced and are calculated per segment based on distance.
From 12,500 Miles + €5: United Economy from New York to Greenland
A relatively new (seasonal) sweet spot is United Airlines flights to Greenland. Miles+Bonus counts Greenland as part of North America, meaning these otherwise expensive United tickets can be booked for just 12,500 miles one-way plus as little as €5 in taxes. With return fares often around €1,000, this offers excellent value for a unique flight.
From 30,000 Miles + €444: Emirates Business Class to the Middle East
Emirates Skywards is widely considered one of the least attractive frequent flyer programs. As a result, booking Emirates award flights through partner programs is typically the better option. Since 2025, Aegean Miles+Bonus has been one of those partners. While Emirates First Class can no longer be booked, Miles+Bonus still offers unbeatable mileage rates for Emirates Business Class, despite high surcharges.
Flights within the Gulf region cost just 21,000 miles. Flights between Europe and the Middle East cost only 30,000 miles in Business Class. Even long-haul flights such as Dubai–Auckland are available for 55,000 miles (+ around €600 in surcharges), compared to 178,000 miles plus the same surcharges via Emirates Skywards. Anyone keen to fly Emirates will find Miles+Bonus to be the cheapest option.
For flights from Europe via Dubai to other regions, the Europe-based award chart applies. For example, Europe to Oceania in Business Class costs 75,000 miles plus around €1,000 in surcharges. The fees are steep, but the mileage requirement still makes this a viable option.
From 32,500 Miles + €51: Business Class within the Far East
Flights within Asia can last several hours. Routes between major hubs such as Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo can be up to seven hours long, making Business Class well worth it. For just 30,000 miles plus as little as €51 in surcharges (depending on departure airport), you can enjoy up to seven hours in lie-flat Business Class.
From 65,000 Miles + €265: Business Class to the Far East
Not only short flights or intra-region routes are worthwhile. Especially after the devaluation of Miles&More, Star Alliance partner flights booked via Miles+Bonus to the Far East are very attractive. Just 65,000 miles plus low three-digit surcharges are required one-way.
From 75,000 miles + €500: Business Class to Oceania
Arguably the best sweet spot in the Miles+Bonus program is flights to Oceania. Only 75,000 miles are required to fly from Europe to the other side of the world in Business Class. A connection is always necessary, but as long as it’s under 24 hours, it’s permitted.
Routings via Southeast Asia (Bangkok/Singapore) or Northeast Asia (Seoul/Tokyo) are possible. With some effort, it’s also possible to avoid Lufthansa Group airlines, keeping surcharges at around €500 one-way.
From 75,000 miles + €580: Lufthansa First Class
Booking Lufthansa First Class through partner programs is a game of patience. Lufthansa typically releases partner availability only 3–5 days before departure. However, Miles+Bonus shows that the gamble can pay off. Flights to or from the U.S. and Mexico cost just 75,000 miles plus around €580 in surcharges (from Europe), making them some of the cheapest First Class awards worldwide.
Other Lufthansa First Class routes are also available. For example, flights to India or South Africa start at 75,000 miles, while routes such as Tokyo–Frankfurt cost 90,000 miles.
From 75,000 miles + €200: ANA First Class
Another highly attractive redemption is ANA First Class. The cheapest option is between Japan and Hawaii (and vice versa) aboard the Airbus A380. Availability isn’t great, but there are sometimes even two seats available on the same date.
Other ANA First Class routes are also bookable with Miles+Bonus, though availability is generally much more limited. Within the next 360 days, at least one availability was found on the following routes:
- Tokyo (Haneda) – London (LHR): 90,000 miles
- Chicago (ORD) – Tokyo (HND): 100,000 miles
Conclusion
In my opinion, Miles+Bonus is one of the most exciting frequent flyer programs in the world. While almost every other program has devalued its award chart recently, mileage prices here remain at a (very) low level. While routing options such as open jaws, mixed-cabin awards, and complex routings are limited, the low mileage costs more than make up for it, and still allow for excellent value redemptions.
Thank you, Stefan, for the photos of the redemption options!