In the world of travel, loyalty rewards and frequent flyer programs have certainly carved out a niche for themselves. Almost all airlines have some sort of loyalty program that allows you to earn miles or points for airfare, credit card rewards, shopping portals, and more. Travelers can collect rewards for their spend, but some airlines have gone a step further and allow families or households to pool their points together in one account. This concept is known as 'Pooling'.
Understanding the Concept of Pooling
Pooling is a unique feature offered by certain airlines where family members or people living under the same roof can combine their earned points into a single account. To make this work, every family member needs to have a rewards account number with the carrier. A head of household or family is determined, and this individual can add other members to the group. Pool members can share points without incurring any transfer fees.
A family can be defined as a family unit or as a household, typically consisting of 2 adults and 4 to 6 children. The age of the children varies according to different programs, and some even allow friends to be part of the pool.
The Benefits of Pooling
The main advantage of pooling is that it allows you to access all points available, regardless of individual account balance. This can be a helpful way to top off a reward ticket or book the entire family on one reservation instead of having disjointed Passenger Name Records (PNRs). It's particularly useful if two people point hack but don't have enough for the desired reservation. In the event of a death, pooling can be beneficial as it allows loved ones to still access hard-earned reward points.
Pooling Options with US Carriers
Sadly, aside from United, most of the major US carriers, including American, Delta, Southwest, and Alaska, allow for pooling. However, JetBlue and Hawaiian do have pooling options for reward members. Low-cost carriers, such as Frontier, Spirit, and Allegiant, also offer family pooling options. The good news is that many international carriers with US alliances do offer pooling.
Star Alliance
For instance, United is part of the Star Alliance, and partner airlines that allow for pooling include Aegean, Air Canada, ANA, Lufthansa, Singapore, and Turkish.
One World
Alaska and American are both part of the One World Alliance, and partner airlines that allow for pooling include British Airways, Iberia, JAL, and Qatar. Though AerLingus doesn't offer pooling, you can transfer Avios back and forth between AerLingus and British Airways or Iberia.
SkyTeam
Delta is a member of SkyTeam, and partner airlines that allow for pooling include AeroMexico, AirFrance, KLM, Korean, and Virgin Atlantic.
Unaffiliated Partners
Moreover, several airlines handle partnerships independently. These airlines have agreements with American carriers and allow pooling. Such airlines include Emirates, Etihad, Norwegian, and Virgin Australia. Qantas doesn't offer pooling but does allow fee-free transfers between family members.
Pooling points can help make travel cheaper and easier. It's a strategy that, when used effectively, can lead to substantial savings and convenience. So, do you pool points? Share in the comments how pooling has made travel cheaper or easier for you!
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