Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
Airline Award Calendars Compared
An airline award calendar is the date-by-date view of award availability that a frequent flyer programme returns to its own members, and what it covers depends as much on who operates the aircraft as on the programme itself. United MileagePlus, for example, lets members spend miles on award flights operated by several partner airlines online or through its reservations line, but an award ticket cannot be issued at the airport, and flights operated by one partner affiliate are excluded from accrual and redemption altogether. [7] [8] [10]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Partner award flights are booked through the programme's own website or its reservations line, and award tickets cannot be issued at the airport. [7] [8] [9] [10]
- Not every flight sold alongside a partner's name can be redeemed: flights operated by AJet are not eligible for mileage accrual or redemption. [7]
- A flight number does not always identify the operator. SWISS flight numbers LX 8000 through LX 8499 are operated by Edelweiss Air and earn at the Edelweiss Air accrual table. [8]
- Service charges on an award may depend on the type of ticket, the travel dates and MileagePlus status, so the miles shown for a date are not the whole cost. [7] [8] [9] [10]
Where can you book a partner award with United miles?
As of 6 October 2026, United MileagePlus members can use miles to book regular award flights on Turkish Airlines, SWISS, South African Airways and Singapore Airlines online or by calling the reservations line. [7] [8] [9] [10] That gives two places to look for a date: the online channel and the telephone line. The airport is not a third option, because award tickets cannot be issued there. [7] [8] [9] [10]
Miles can also be applied to an upgrade on these airlines through Star Alliance Upgrade Awards rather than to a separate award seat. [7] [8] [9] [10] Members who hold Premier status while flying Turkish Airlines, SWISS, South African Airways or Singapore Airlines also receive Star Alliance Gold or Silver benefits. [7] [8] [9] [10]
Which partner-operated flights fall outside an award search?
AJet is the clearest case. Turkish Airlines is the national airline of Turkey and has its main hub at Istanbul Airport (IST), flying to 352 destinations — 53 in Turkey and 299 international — across 131 countries and five continents. [7] Flights operated by AJet, however, are not eligible for mileage accrual or redemption. [7]
Flight numbers are not a reliable guide to who operates the aircraft. SWISS is the national airline of Switzerland, based at hubs in Zurich and Geneva [8], and SWISS flight numbers LX 8000 through LX 8499 are operated by Edelweiss Air, with those flights earning at the Edelweiss Air accrual table. [8] United bases award miles accrued on codeshare flights on the operating carrier and its equivalent fare class, which can produce a difference between the booking class purchased and the booking class flown. [7] [8] [9] [10]
The operating carrier therefore decides how a flight is treated, not the airline whose name appears on the itinerary. Where the operator falls outside the eligible list, as with AJet, no amount of searching will surface an award. [7]
Do service charges change the price of a partner award?
They can. United states that there may be service charges on award bookings depending on the type of ticket, the travel dates and the member's MileagePlus status. [7] [8] [9] [10] None of those three variables is fixed by the date being viewed, and the same wording applies to each of the four airlines.
| Airline | Where an award is booked | Award tickets at the airport | Service charges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkish Airlines | Online or reservations line [7] | Not issued [7] | May apply, by ticket type, travel dates and MileagePlus status [7] |
| SWISS | Online or reservations line [8] | Not issued [8] | May apply, by ticket type, travel dates and MileagePlus status [8] |
| South African Airways | Online or reservations line [9] | Not issued [9] | May apply, by ticket type, travel dates and MileagePlus status [9] |
| Singapore Airlines | Online or reservations line [10] | Not issued [10] | May apply, by ticket type, travel dates and MileagePlus status [10] |
Frequently asked questions
Can I book a partner award ticket at the airport?
No. For award flights on Turkish Airlines, SWISS, South African Airways and Singapore Airlines, United states that award tickets cannot be issued at the airport. [7] [8] [9] [10]
Are all flights of a partner airline bookable with miles?
No. Flights operated by AJet are not eligible for mileage accrual or redemption, even though Turkish Airlines appears as the partner airline. [7]
How do I tell who actually operates the flight?
Check the operating carrier rather than the flight number. SWISS flight numbers LX 8000 through LX 8499 are operated by Edelweiss Air [8], and United bases award miles accrued on codeshare flights on the operating carrier and its equivalent fare class. [7] [8] [9] [10]
Do award service charges depend on my status?
They may. Service charges can depend on the type of ticket, the travel dates and the member's MileagePlus status. [7] [8] [9] [10]
Can I use miles to upgrade instead of booking an award seat?
Yes. Miles can be used to upgrade a ticket on these airlines through Star Alliance Upgrade Awards. [7] [8] [9] [10]
Exceptions and limits
- Everything on this page applies to United MileagePlus award bookings on Turkish Airlines, SWISS, South African Airways and Singapore Airlines, as of 6 October 2026. [7] [8] [9] [10]
- The airport is not a fallback: an award has to be arranged online or by telephone before travel. [7] [8] [9] [10]
- Flights operated by AJet are excluded from earning and from redemption. [7]
- Service charges are conditional rather than fixed, because they may turn on ticket type, travel dates and MileagePlus status. [7] [8] [9] [10]
- Upgrades on these airlines are handled through Star Alliance Upgrade Awards. [7] [8] [9] [10]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. American Airlines AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles, Air Canada Aeroplan, Singapore KrisFlyer, The British Airways Club and other programmes are not covered here.
- Earn United miles on Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, checked 18 October 2026
- Earn United miles on Swiss International Airlines, United Airlines, checked 18 October 2026
- Earn United miles on South African Airways, United Airlines, checked 18 October 2026
- Earn United miles on Singapore Airlines, United Airlines, checked 18 October 2026