Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
Car rental loyalty points vs airline miles: how to choose
Car rental loyalty points vs airline miles is the decision whether to credit a car rental to the rental company's own loyalty scheme or to an airline frequent flyer programme. The airline side of that decision is settled by the frequent flyer programme's own partner terms, and ShebaMiles, the Ethiopian Airlines frequent flyer programme, states that miles credited to one programme cannot later be converted to another. [4]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Decide which currency you will actually spend before you hand over a membership number, because in ShebaMiles miles credited to one programme cannot be converted into another. [4]
- Airline crediting depends on what you booked rather than only on how much you spent: ShebaMiles asks members to confirm at the time of booking that the booking class is eligible, and some classes earn nothing at all. [4] [5]
- Posting and claiming have their own timelines: ShebaMiles credits partner miles automatically about five days after the date of boarding, and missing-mile claim windows run from 7 to 12 months depending on the partner. [4] [6]
How are airline miles credited for a partner booking?
ShebaMiles members earn miles on flights operated by a partner airline according to the type of fare purchased and the distance flown, and the programme advises members to check at the time of booking that their booking class is eligible. [4] The membership number is registered during reservation or check-in, after which miles are credited automatically about five days after the date of boarding. [4] [5]
Earning is not uniform across booking classes. On flights operated by United Airlines, ShebaMiles credits the full rate in First and Business classes and in the economy classes Y, B, M, E, U, H, O and R, a reduced rate in several discounted economy classes, and nothing in X, I and N. [4]
| Class of service | Booking classes | Accrual rate |
|---|---|---|
| First | F, A | 100% |
| Business | J, C, D, Z, P | 100% |
| Economy | Y, B, M, E, U, H, O, R | 100% |
| Economy | Q, V, W | 75% |
| Economy | S, T, L, K, G | 50% |
| Economy | X, I, N | 0% |
The pattern repeats on other partners with different rates. On Turkish Airlines-operated flights the programme credits 150% in business classes C and D, 125% in Z and K, and 25% in economy class V, while classes W, P, F, U, X and I are not eligible for accrual at all. [5] On Thai Airways-operated flights, economy classes G, V and W earn nothing, as do award, industry and agency fare types. [6] On TAP Air Portugal-operated flights, business classes C, D, J and Z earn 200% and a long list of economy classes earns 50%. [7]
For a reader comparing two currencies on one rental, the practical point is that the airline balance does not simply rise in proportion to the money spent; it follows the class of service attached to the booking. [4] [7]
What limits double-dipping on the same booking?
ShebaMiles prohibits duplicate registration of miles with a Service Partner programme. [4] [5] Once miles have been credited to a partner programme they cannot be converted into ShebaMiles miles, and once they have been credited to ShebaMiles they cannot be converted into a partner programme. [4]
The programme also warns that miles may fail to credit even where the membership number was registered in advance, and asks members to keep the necessary travel documents for retroactive registration until mileage accrual is confirmed. [4] Members can claim missing miles on United Airlines, Turkish Airlines and TAP Air Portugal flights retroactively within 12 months from the flight date, and on Thai Airways flights within 7 months. [4] [5] [6] [7]
Before you commit a rental booking to one side, it is worth checking the terms attached to the rate you are buying, because the crediting rules sit with the programme you nominate rather than with your receipt. [4]
What should you weigh before choosing?
Status progress. In ShebaMiles, only base miles earned on partner flights are status miles, so the same activity counts towards status as well as towards the award balance. [4] [5]
Claim windows. The retroactive claim period is not the same on every partner: 12 months from the flight date on United Airlines, Turkish Airlines and TAP Air Portugal, and 7 months on Thai Airways. [4] [6] [7]
Changeability. Classes and rates for mileage earning may change without prior notice according to the circumstances of the partner airline, so a rate that earns today may not earn the same way later. [4] [5] [6] [7]
One currency only. Because duplicate registration with a partner programme is prohibited and credited miles cannot be moved between programmes, the choice made at booking is effectively final. [4] For the rental side of the comparison, see car rental loyalty earning rates compared and earning airline miles on car rentals.
Exceptions and limits
- Miles are credited only to members who board the flight; credit is not granted for flights not boarded because of delay or cancellation, and this applies to the partner flights described on each ShebaMiles partner page. [4] [6]
- Some fare types are excluded outright: on Thai Airways, award, industry and agency travel in classes O, I, E, X, R and N earns nothing. [6]
- On Turkish Airlines, classes W, P, F, U, X and I are not eligible for miles accrual. [5]
- Miles that do not credit as expected must be claimed within the partner's window, 12 months for United Airlines, Turkish Airlines and TAP Air Portugal and 7 months for Thai Airways, counted from the flight date. [4] [5] [6] [7]
- A second membership number cannot be added later to split the same activity between programmes, because duplicate registration with a Service Partner programme is prohibited. [4]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. The rental schemes Avis Preferred, Enterprise Plus and Hertz Gold Plus Rewards are not covered here; see car rental loyalty programmes.
- ShebaMiles partner page: United Airlines earning classes and rates, checked 18 October 2026
- ShebaMiles partner page: Turkish Airlines earning classes and rates, checked 18 October 2026
- ShebaMiles partner page: Thai Airways earning classes and rates, checked 18 October 2026
- ShebaMiles partner page: TAP Air Portugal earning classes and rates, checked 18 October 2026