The Alviator is starting a new series on how to best use certain miles and points currencies. There are lots of resources out there on how to earn miles, and I think it’d be good to compile some resources on how these miles can be best used and spent, especially outside of the U.S..
For full disclosure, I’m writing this series partially because we’ve recently partnered with HeyMax, a Singapore-based open-loop loyalty programme that allows you to earn miles when spending with certain merchants (if you’d like to read more about their launch in Hong Kong, read here). There’ll be an occasional mention of Max Miles, as well as some of HeyMax’s features, such as their FlyAnywhere programme and when best to use it. However, since Max Miles transfer to 30+ airline options, this content will be useful for anyone who earns points with any of these schemes, whether it be Avios, AAdvantage miles, or any other currency.
What is HeyMax?
HeyMax is an open-loop loyalty programme that operates in Singapore and Hong Kong. They operate an e-shopping portal where you can earn miles with 500+ vendors (plus another 250+ in Hong Kong when HeyMax launches there). The concept is similar to what British Airways and Virgin Atlantic’s e-shopping portals are like in the UK, with the (huge) added benefit of the fact that Max Miles transfer to 30+ airline options. You can also open a new credit card through the HeyMax portal, and get Max Miles just for opening the credit card.
HeyMax didn’t ask me to say this, but I can’t stress how excited I am to work with the team. I’ve met a few team members, and there’s just such a great culture where everyone is excited about helping consumers maximise their miles and points, and their work ethic is genuinely beyond reproach. I’d highly recommending supporting these guys if you’re eligible to use and spend with HeyMax.
If you’re not eligible to sign up to HeyMax for now, check out open-loop transferrable points currencies in your country. For example, Rove is a major one in the U.S., and you can also earn third-party points with Bilt. I’d say that these schemes are more prevalent in the U.S. and Asia than they are in the UK and Europe.
What will I be posting as part of this series?
HeyMax’s transfer options include American Airlines AAdvantage miles, Air Canada Aeroplan miles, Alaska Mileage Plan miles, Emirates Skywards miles, and Avios, and also include less frequently used options such as Ethiopian Airlines’ ShebaMiles and Xiamen Airlines’ Egret miles. Some of these mileage programmes are highly lucrative programmes that can be used to redeem for great onboard experiences. My aim is to showcase what some of these onboard experiences could be, as well as some best-value redemptions for these transfer options.
Practically, many of the posts I’ll be writing about will be regarding either how to use a transferrable open-loop miles currency (not just limited to Max Miles, but also including AmEx Membership Rewards points, etc.), or how best to use a specific points programme, such as Avios.
All content that I’ll be posting within this series will be double-posted on HeyMax’s blog – blog.heymax.ai. The aim of the content is to allow both The Alviator’s readers and HeyMax’s 160k+ users to know how to use their miles across the different airline options. For example, I’d love to teach the average Singaporean/Hong Kong consumer to know what to do with 75,000 AAdvantage miles (both booking and cancelling itineraries), given that’s not something you casually read up on social media.
Okay, I cancelled my QSuite and Etihad business class flight so I could review KLM and Qantas‘ premium economy. That is not exactly what I’ll be advising consumers to do
Will this affect content on The Alviator?
No – this will be in addition to my regular posting cadence.
I recently left my full-time role to pursue a full-time career in aviation content and consultancy – I also founded Alvia, a service where I can help people use their miles and points effectively on a 1-1 basis. Helping people use their miles and points (and cheap airfare) to be excited about air travel is my passion, and I can’t wait to do this more often. I’m expecting to write a post as part of this series around 3x a week, which will bring my post count up to approximately once a day.
Miles and points is my passion, and I can’t wait to share more of it with you guys
Conclusion
Expect to see some posts on The Alviator about how to use certain airline miles programmes, as well as how to use transferrable miles and points currencies. At the same time, I am making a career switch to pursue this industry on a full time basis, so please do wish me luck!
Let me know if there’s a particular points currency you’d like to hear a bit more about, even if it isn’t part of an open-loop loyalty rewards programme!
