Star Alliance
The alliance built for arbitrage: the same premium seat costs wildly different miles depending on which member — or partner — you book it through.
Last reviewed Jul 12, 2026
The Map
| Transfer from | Into | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | United MileagePlus | 1:1 |
| Bilt Rewards | United MileagePlus | 1:1 |
| Amex Membership Rewards | Air Canada Aeroplan | Not verified |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | Air Canada Aeroplan | Not verified |
| Capital One Miles | Air Canada Aeroplan | 1:1 |
| Bilt Rewards | Air Canada Aeroplan | Not verified |
Ratio: 1:1
Ratio: 1:1
Ratio: Not verified
Ratio: Not verified
Ratio: 1:1
Ratio: Not verified
Also in this alliance: ANA Mileage Club, Avianca LifeMiles — inbound transfer partners not yet verified, so no routes are shown for them (see how we verify).
Ratios shown are those stated on the site; “Not verified” means we haven't sourced that ratio yet.
The Arbitrage
Where the entry door changes the price. Each play links to its Sweet Spot card where one exists.
ANA First to Tokyo — through the side door
- The setup
- ANA flies the metal, but its own program isn't the cheapest way in. Booking the same ANA first-class seat through Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is the connoisseur's move.
- The numbers
- ≈120,000 points round-trip against an $18,000+ cash fare — roughly 15¢ per point.
- The door to use
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Confirm award space before transferring anything.
Lufthansa First, no fuel surcharges
- The setup
- Booking Lufthansa first class through Avianca LifeMiles skips the fuel surcharges Lufthansa's own program can't avoid.
- The numbers
- ≈87,000 points one-way against a $9,000+ fare — roughly 10.3¢ per point.
- The door to use
- Avianca LifeMiles. Space usually opens to partners about two weeks out.
Aeroplan stopovers — one award, several cities
- The setup
- Aeroplan's paid-stopover rule turns a single business-class award into a multi-city itinerary — a $5,000-value trip disguised as one booking.
- The numbers
- ≈87,500–102,500 points one-way in business against $5,000+ — about 5.5¢, and more once stopovers are added.
- The door to use
- Air Canada Aeroplan. Build the full itinerary and confirm the price before you transfer.
The Earning Angle
EditorialAmex Membership Rewards is the widest door into these plays: it reaches Aeroplan, Virgin Atlantic, and Avianca LifeMiles — the three programs behind the arbitrage above. Chase and Bilt cover United and Aeroplan at their own ratios, but Amex is what unlocks the partner first-class tricks, and it runs transfer bonuses most often. Hold Amex if you want the full Star Alliance toolkit.
The Routing Tricks
Aeroplan's 5,000-point stopover
On a North America → Asia business award, Aeroplan lets you break the journey with a stopover for a flat 5,000 points — the sweet spot above stacks two of them into a mini round-the-world. Price the whole multi-city itinerary on Aeroplan's site first, then transfer.
United's Excursionist Perk
On a round-trip United award, the Excursionist Perk adds one extra one-way segment at no additional miles — a free hop dropped inside a longer trip. (The exact region-eligibility rules are noted for verification.)
What Breaks It
The changes that would kill each play — cross-linked to Devaluation Watch and current News so this playbook stays honest.
The ANA-via-Virgin chart is rumored to jump up to 60%
The best first-class redemption in the game is living on borrowed time — partner charts this generous historically survive 12–24 months after going mainstream. If Tokyo is on your list, this is the play to book first.
Aeroplan is creeping toward dynamic pricing
Select partner awards are pricing above the chart's stated maximums — the classic first symptom of dynamic pricing phased in quietly. The stopover plays still work for now; book firm plans early.
United's award pricing changes land August 1
As United's own metal drifts further into dynamic pricing, the value shifts toward booking Star Alliance space through partner programs instead of United itself.