Best Ways to Redeem Airline Miles for International Travel

Airline miles are a powerful tool for anyone who wants to explore the world while spending less money. But earning miles is only half of the equation—the real challenge is learning how to redeem them in ways that bring maximum value. With so many airline alliances, frequent flyer programs, and redemption options available, travelers in Brazil, Europe, and the United States are often left wondering: what’s the smartest way to use my miles?

This article provides a practical and complete guide on the best ways to redeem airline miles for international travel, showing how you can fly to the U.S., Europe, or Latin America while minimizing costs and maximizing comfort. Whether you’ve accumulated miles through credit cards, shopping, or loyalty promotions, you’ll learn how to turn those miles into unforgettable journeys.

Understand the Value of Your Miles

Before redeeming, it’s essential to understand the approximate value of your miles. Not all miles are created equal. On average, most airline miles are worth between 1 and 2 cents (USD) each, depending on the program and how you use them.

For example, redeeming 60,000 miles for a flight that costs $600 gives you a value of 1 cent per mile. But if you use those same 60,000 miles for a business class flight worth $1,800, you’re getting 3 cents per mile—triple the value.

Programs like Smiles (Brazil), Flying Blue (Europe), and AAdvantage (U.S.) all have dynamic pricing, meaning the number of miles needed for a ticket can fluctuate. It’s important to compare options and do the math before booking. High-value redemptions typically occur on long-haul flights in premium cabins or during off-peak dates.

Target Long-Haul International Flights

One of the best ways to use miles is for long-distance travel between continents. Flights between Brazil and the U.S., or Europe and the U.S., are often expensive in cash, making them excellent opportunities to redeem miles.

For travelers in Brazil, using Smiles miles to book flights with Air France, KLM, or Qatar Airways can provide great value. A round-trip to New York or Los Angeles in economy can cost as little as 50,000–70,000 miles during promotions. Business class flights to Europe or North America can be found for 100,000–150,000 miles round-trip if you’re flexible with your dates.

In Europe, Flying Blue offers Promo Rewards every month, with deeply discounted flights to North and South America. You might find Paris to São Paulo for 25% fewer miles than usual. British Airways Avios are also useful for booking flights with Iberia, Aer Lingus, or American Airlines, especially if you avoid routes with high fuel surcharges.

From the United States, American Airlines’ AAdvantage program allows you to book partner awards on LATAM, Iberia, and Qatar Airways with fixed mileage charts. Booking an award ticket from Miami to Lisbon or São Paulo using 30,000–40,000 miles in economy is common—and even better if you find off-peak availability.

Fly in Business or First Class for Higher Value

Business and first class redemptions offer the highest cents-per-mile value. While these cabins require more miles, they provide significantly better return compared to paying cash.

For example, a business class flight from São Paulo to Paris might cost over $3,000 in cash. However, you can redeem 100,000–120,000 miles through Flying Blue or Smiles for the same ticket, giving you excellent value per mile. Lounge access, lie-flat seats, priority boarding, and superior in-flight service turn the travel experience into a luxurious journey.

From the U.S., you can book business class to Europe with 57,500 AAdvantage miles on off-peak days or 70,000 miles regularly. United MileagePlus often releases business class awards to Brazil or Europe starting at 60,000 miles each way. These redemptions are particularly attractive for long flights over 8 hours, such as Los Angeles to Frankfurt or São Paulo to New York.

Book Partner Airlines Strategically

Each frequent flyer program belongs to an airline alliance, such as Star Alliance, Oneworld, or SkyTeam. One of the best strategies for maximizing your miles is booking partner flights through the right program.

A great example is using Avianca’s LifeMiles (Star Alliance) to book Lufthansa or United flights. LifeMiles has no fuel surcharges and often shows better availability and pricing than other programs.

Another trick is using American Airlines AAdvantage miles to book flights on Iberia or Finnair to Europe—routes that offer lower taxes and fees compared to flying British Airways directly. Similarly, TAP Miles&Go points can be used for partner flights across Europe and North America, especially on United, Turkish Airlines, and Lufthansa.

Learning how to search and book award space through partner websites is key. Sometimes, flights that don’t appear on your main airline’s site can still be booked if you call the airline or search through alliance partners.

Combine Miles with Cash for Flexible Redemption

Most programs now allow you to use a mix of miles and money to book tickets. This flexibility is ideal when you don’t have enough miles for a full redemption. For instance, you may cover 70% of your flight using miles and pay the rest in cash.

In Brazil, Smiles offers the “Smiles & Money” feature. In Europe, Flying Blue has a slider that lets you choose how many miles to apply to your booking. In the U.S., Delta and United also offer miles + cash redemptions on many routes.

This option gives you the freedom to redeem miles even when your balance is not sufficient and helps avoid waiting or missing a promotion.

Avoid High-Tax Routes

Some redemptions look cheap in miles but are expensive due to high surcharges. Flights on British Airways, for instance, often come with fuel fees over $300, even on award tickets. That reduces the value of your miles dramatically.

To avoid this, choose partners with lower fees. Flying through the U.S. or Latin America usually involves lower taxes than routes involving London Heathrow. Also, flying on U.S.-based airlines like American or United often results in lower fees than European carriers.

Another trick is departing from countries with low departure taxes—Brazil, for instance, has lower international flight taxes compared to the UK or Germany.

Use Stopovers and Open Jaws to Maximize a Ticket

Some programs allow you to add stopovers (multi-day layovers) or open-jaw tickets (arriving in one city and returning from another) for little or no extra miles. This helps you see more destinations on a single redemption.

For example, with ANA (Star Alliance), you can fly from São Paulo to New York, stop there for several days, and then continue to Los Angeles—all on one award ticket. With Flying Blue or TAP, you might include a stop in Lisbon en route to Paris or New York.

These flexible options stretch the value of your miles and let you explore more destinations per trip.

Keep Your Miles From Expiring

All your hard-earned miles won’t help if they expire before you can redeem them. In Brazil, miles in Smiles and TudoAzul can expire in 3 to 5 years unless you’re part of a loyalty club. In the U.S. and Europe, many programs now have activity-based expiration policies: as long as you earn or redeem miles, your balance remains active.

To prevent expiration, engage with your program regularly—make a small redemption, earn miles via shopping portals, or transfer bank points periodically.

Make Booking a Priority—Availability Is Limited

The most important rule of using airline miles is this: availability is limited, and demand is high. The best tickets—especially business class redemptions—often disappear quickly.

Book as early as possible (ideally 10–11 months in advance) and be flexible with travel dates. Set alerts or use tools like ExpertFlyer and SeatSpy to track availability. Some programs also allow you to waitlist for award seats, which gives you a chance if more availability opens later.

Your Next International Trip Could Be Free

Airline miles open the door to international travel that many thought was out of reach. Whether you’re flying from Rio to New York, Lisbon to Chicago, or Paris to São Paulo, learning how to redeem your miles strategically can make the difference between paying thousands of dollars—or flying nearly for free.

By choosing the right program, aiming for long-haul flights, flying in premium cabins, and booking partner airlines wisely, you turn miles into memorable experiences. All it takes is planning, flexibility, and a little bit of insider knowledge. Your next international trip is waiting—start unlocking it today.