Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
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Best airline programmes for Latin America: Azul vs Smiles
Latin America's airline programmes are the frequent flyer schemes run by the region's carriers, and the two compared here are Azul Fidelidade, administered by Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras, and Smiles, the programme attached to GOL [4] [9]. Azul Fidelidade pays between 1 and 5 Pontos Azul depending on the member's tier, as of 13 January 2026 [10].
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Azul Fidelidade pays Pontos Azul on the amount paid for the ticket, from 1 point at entry level to 5 at Diamante Unique, while Smiles lists credit card transfers, flight claims and a monthly subscription among its earning routes. [10] [4]
- Azul Fidelidade has five tiers from 13 January 2026; Diamante and Diamante Unique need both qualifying segments and qualifying points, or a spend alternative. [8]
- Pontos Azul never expire sooner than 24 months after they are earned, and the window lengthens by tier to ten years at Diamante Unique. [8] [10]
- Smiles lets members combine miles with cash on a ticket and lists transfers of its miles to LifeMiles and ALL Accor. [4]
How do the two programmes award miles?
Azul Fidelidade credits Pontos Azul according to the amount paid, at a rate set by the member's tier on the date of the flight: 1 point at entry level, 2 at Topázio, 3 at Safira, 4 at Diamante and 5 at Diamante Unique. [10] The rate applies to Azul-operated flights in eligible fares and classes, domestic and international, and purchases in a foreign currency are converted to reais at the rate in force on the purchase date. [10] Points are credited within 72 hours after the flight to the account of the passenger named on the ticket, whichever passenger paid. [8] Pontos Azul are recorded in whole numbers, with the first decimal place deciding the rounding: 0 to 4 rounds down and 5 to 9 rounds up. [8] A member whose flight was not credited can claim retroactively up to 365 days after the flight. [8]
Azul withholds points on charter tickets, courtesy, voucher, standby and prize tickets, companion courtesy tickets, promotional and other non-regular fares such as group and negotiated fares, tickets issued in another person's name, award tickets bought with points or with points plus cash, and on airport taxes, fines and amounts outside the regular fare. [8]
Smiles lists transfers of credit card points, requests for miles on flights already flown, transfers between accounts and a monthly subscription plan, Clube Smiles, among the ways members add miles. [4] Buying, extending and reactivating miles appear as separate options on the same site. [4]
What do the Azul Fidelidade status tiers require?
Azul Fidelidade moved to five tiers on 13 January 2026: Azul Fidelidade, Topázio, Safira, Diamante and Diamante Unique. [8] Qualification is measured over the calendar year, from 1 January to 31 December, and the counters reset at the start of each year without changing the points balance. [8]
| Tier | Qualifying segments and points | Spend alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Azul Fidelidade | Up to 5 segments or up to 5,999 points | None published |
| Topázio | At least 6 segments or at least 6,000 points | None published |
| Safira | At least 10 segments or at least 10,000 points | None published |
| Diamante | At least 12 segments and at least 12,000 points | Air spend alternative |
| Diamante Unique | At least 26 segments and at least 26,000 points | Air spend alternative |
Qualifying points come from three published sources: 1 point for spending on Azul tickets and flight services, 1 for every 10 Pontos Azul earned through a Clube Azul subscription, and 1 for every 10 Pontos Azul earned on the Azul Itaú card. [8] Promotional points do not convert into qualifying points, and qualifying segments count only for the passenger who flies, including segments paid with points or points plus cash. [8]
Azul announced Diamante Unique as its highest level in a release dated 24 February 2026, describing the same 26-segment qualification or an air-spend alternative and listing four complimentary tickets a year, up to three free checked bags, complimentary Espaço Azul and Economy Xtra seats and access to the Azul Lounge at Viracopos among the benefits. [7]
| Tier | Points | Points validity | Beneficiaries | Domestic award ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azul Fidelidade | 1 | 2 years | Up to 7 | 130,000 points |
| Topázio | 2 | 3 years | Up to 8 | 120,000 points |
| Safira | 3 | 4 years | Up to 9 | 120,000 points |
| Diamante | 4 | 5 years | Up to 10 | 120,000 points |
| Diamante Unique | 5 | 10 years | Up to 15 | 120,000 points |
How much do awards cost, and which fees are paid in cash?
On Azul the points needed are not fixed by a single table: the programme regulation lists the factors that can change them, including the route chosen, the number of connections needed, the flights available, high and low season and the sales channel used, and the points required, cash fees, destinations, dates and times are shown in Azul's official channels. [9] [8] For domestic tickets on flights operated only by Azul, the redemption ceiling is 130,000 points at entry level and 120,000 points at Topázio and above. [10] Safira, Diamante and Diamante Unique members also receive annual quotas that lower the ceiling: five quotas to 70,000 points at Safira, ten quotas to 50,000 at Diamante and fifteen quotas to 50,000 at Diamante Unique, valid from January to December of the year in use. [10]
Cash charges sit outside the points. The boarding fee must be paid through the accepted payment methods and cannot be paid with points, and the same applies to other official taxes and charges. [9] Awards on partner airlines must be booked through Azul's channels, with any fees paid by credit card. [9] Diamante Unique members are exempt from the redemption fee when a ticket is issued with points or points plus cash, whether or not the account holder is one of the passengers. [10] Smiles members can combine miles with money when issuing a ticket. [4]
Which airline partners can members reach?
Earning and spending on partner airlines is set out separately on Azul's site, which the programme regulation points members to for partner flight accrual and for partner award booking. [8] [9] Under the published United Airlines partnership, Diamante and Diamante Unique members receive one free checked bag, priority check-in and boarding, and priority screening with the Transportation Security Administration at United States airports on United-operated flights; those benefits do not extend to codeshare or interline tickets paid in cash. [10]
Smiles states that its miles can be used towards more than 1,600 destinations with GOL and 55 other airlines. [4] The programme also lists transfers of Smiles miles to LifeMiles and to ALL Accor. [4]
Exceptions and limits
- Diamante Unique can be reached on spending alone, with air spend replacing the 26 segments and 26,000 qualifying points. [8]
- The reduced redemption quotas are not open to members who reached Safira or Diamante through an Azul product such as the Azul Itaú card, Clube Azul or a Status Match challenge, or who hold Diamante Unique through a Status Match challenge. [10]
- Points earned through products or promotional campaigns can carry a validity different from the tier table, set by the terms of that product or campaign; cancelling a product returns those points to the programme rule. [8] [10]
- The beneficiary list runs from 7 to 15 names depending on tier, and once the cap is reached a 30-day wait applies before a newly added beneficiary can be ticketed. [10] [8]
- Tier baggage allowances do not apply on Azul Conecta flights and are not cumulative with the allowance included in the fare bought. [10]
- From 1 April 2026, Diamante members and holders of the Itaú Visa Infinite, Mastercard Skyline and Platinum cards no longer have access to the Azul Lounge at Viracopos. [10]
- Only the passenger who flies earns points and qualifying segments, so a flight paid for by one member and flown by another credits the traveller's account. [8]
Frequently asked questions
Do Azul Fidelidade points expire?
Yes. Pontos Azul are valid for at least 24 months from the date they are earned, and the tier table stretches that to two years at entry level and ten years at Diamante Unique. [8] [10]
Can award taxes be paid with Azul points?
The boarding fee cannot be paid with points and has to be settled in cash through the accepted payment methods. [9] Diamante Unique members are exempt from the redemption fee on points or points-plus-cash tickets. [10]
How late can missing Azul Fidelidade points be claimed?
Up to 365 days after the Azul flight, with the points credited within 72 hours of the request. [8]
Can Smiles miles be combined with cash?
Yes, Smiles allows members to combine miles and money when issuing a ticket. [4]
Does Azul Diamante need both segments and points?
Yes. Diamante requires at least 12 qualifying segments and 12,000 qualifying points, or air spend instead. [8]
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. The comparison covers Azul Fidelidade and Smiles; LATAM Pass, LifeMiles, ConnectMiles and Aeromexico Rewards are not covered here.
- Smiles — official programme website, checked 18 October 2026
- Azul Fidelidade — release on the Diamante Unique level, 24 February 2026, checked 18 October 2026
- Azul Fidelidade programme regulation, 2026, checked 18 October 2026
- Azul Fidelidade programme regulation, 2024 version, checked 18 October 2026
- Azul Fidelidade tier benefits regulation, effective 13 January 2026, checked 18 October 2026