Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
Part of GOL Smiles hub
GUIDE
How to upgrade GOL flights with Smiles
A Smiles upgrade on a GOL Linhas Aéreas flight is a redemption in which Smiles miles are exchanged for a GOL product, service or benefit rather than for a ticket: the programme rules let an award stand for any product, service, advantage or benefit of GOL or its partners, at GOL's discretion and on the member's request, with the miles needed and the availability shown in the Smiles channels when you search. [5]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Smiles is GOL's own loyalty programme, and its miles can be spent on flights, hotels, car rental and other products. [5] [6]
- An award is defined first as an air ticket, but at GOL's discretion and on request it may also represent any product, service, advantage or benefit of GOL or its partners, redeemed with Smiles miles. [5]
- GOL does not apply pre-set mileage prices; the miles required are the ones displayed in the Smiles channels at the time of search. [5]
- Issuing an air ticket with miles depends on seats being available for issuance with miles. [5]
- Mile validity depends on your Smiles category and, on Smiles' own validity page, on how the miles were earned. [5] [4]
How does a Smiles upgrade on a GOL flight work?
Miles are spent inside the programme itself: the member exchanges them for Prêmios Smiles directly on the Smiles site, using their Smiles access details. [5] The regulation describes an award as an air ticket obtained with miles, then widens the definition — at GOL's discretion, and when the member asks, the award may represent any product, service, advantage or benefit of GOL or of any of its partners, redeemed with Smiles miles. [5]
The regulation also says where the detail sits: the number of miles required, the domestic and international destinations on offer, flight dates and times, and seat availability are all published in the Smiles channels at the moment of search. [5] Issuing an air ticket with miles is conditional on seats being available for issuance with miles. [5]
Some of what a passenger might otherwise spend miles on already comes with status. Diamante and Diamante Magno members are given a GOL+ Conforto seat at no charge, and Ouro, Diamante and Magno members get lounge access plus priority boarding and check-in. [6] Compare those with the Smiles programme page before redeeming, since a tier benefit costs no miles. [6]
How many Smiles miles does a GOL upgrade cost?
There is no fixed price list. GOL states that it does not apply pre-determined prices to air tickets or to other Smiles awards; the price is whatever is available and shown in the Smiles channels when you look. [5]
The regulation sets out what feeds into that price: the availability of the award from GOL or the partner airline, the conditions of the offer, demand, seat availability in both the cash market and the miles market, the going price of seats in each market, how far in advance you book, peak periods such as holidays and commemorative dates, the cost of acquiring the award, and wider economic conditions and indices. [5]
Where a partner airline is involved, GOL describes itself as an airline rather than a manufacturer or retailer, says it does not control partners' stock of awards, and says it cannot guarantee the prices shown on the Smiles site until the partner authorises, confirms and completes the operation. [5]
How do you earn the Smiles miles you spend?
Smiles changed its earning rules for tickets purchased from 17 June 2026. [3] Domestic and South America routes were left unchanged, while other international routes now earn according to the amount spent on the ticket, for both qualifying and redeemable miles. [3] The purchase date of the ticket decides which rule applies, not the flight date. [3]
| Smiles category | Domestic and South America | Other international, per US$1 |
|---|---|---|
| Smiles | Up to 1 mile | Up to 5 miles |
| Prata | Up to 2.5 miles | Up to 10 miles |
| Ouro | Up to 4 miles | Up to 13 miles |
| Diamante | Up to 7 miles | Up to 15 miles |
| Diamante Magno | Up to 9 miles | Up to 18 miles |
The Rota Favorita part of those totals is open only to Prata, Ouro, Diamante and Diamante Magno members, and only for routes registered with Smiles in advance. [3] International earning is capped at 60,000 miles per segment. [3] Qualifying miles, which move you up a category, accrue on domestic and South America tickets and at 2 per US$1 on other international tickets. [3]
When do Smiles miles expire?
The programme regulation in force from 17 June 2026 fixes a validity period per category, counted from the date and time the miles are credited and using the category held before that credit. [5]
| Smiles category | Validity of miles |
|---|---|
| Smiles | 36 months |
| Prata | 36 months |
| Ouro | 48 months |
| Diamante | 120 months |
| Diamante Magno | 120 months |
Smiles' mileage-validity page describes the periods by earning source instead: miles from GOL flights last six years for Smiles and Prata members, eight years for Ouro and 20 years for Diamante. [4] Miles from partner-airline flights, and redeemable miles transferred in from a bank's points, last three years for Smiles and Prata, four for Ouro and 10 for Diamante. [4] Bonus miles from credit-card transfer promotions last six months, and miles bought through the buy-miles product last 12 months. [4]
On Clube Smiles plans of 1,000, 2,000 or 5,000 miles a month the monthly miles last 10 years; on the 7,000, 10,000 and 20,000 plans they do not expire. [4] When you spend, the miles with the nearest expiry date are used first. [5] Miles close to expiry can be extended in the Smiles app for 30, 60 or up to 90 days, and expired miles can be reactivated. [4]
What are the limits and exceptions?
- Tickets bought before 17 June 2026 keep the earlier earning rules, whatever the flight date. [3]
- Flying on a ticket issued as an award, including a ticket redeemed with Smiles miles, is not a mileage-earning event. [5]
- Payments of taxes, airport fees, fines and penalties are not mileage-earning events either. [5]
- Only seats available for issuance with miles can be redeemed, so an award is never unconditional. [5]
- Cancelling Smiles participation cancels the Smiles account and the miles in it; tickets already issued and not yet used stay valid, and for GOL-operated flights the passenger deals with GOL directly. [5]
- Diamante Magno requires 50,000 qualifying miles and 50 qualifying segments within the same calendar year — both thresholds, not either one. [5]
Frequently asked questions
Can you upgrade a GOL flight with Smiles miles?
The programme rules let a Smiles award represent any product, service, advantage or benefit of GOL or its partners, at GOL's discretion and on the member's request, redeemed with miles. [5] The specific availability and mileage price appear in the Smiles channels when you search. [5]
How many miles does a Smiles upgrade cost?
There is no published fixed price, because GOL says it does not apply pre-determined prices to awards; the miles required are shown in the Smiles channels and reflect availability, demand, advance purchase and peak dates, among other factors. [5]
Does a flight booked with Smiles miles earn miles?
A ticket issued as an award, including one redeemed with Smiles miles, is not a mileage-earning event under the programme regulation. [5]
When do Smiles miles expire?
The regulation in force from 17 June 2026 sets 36 months for Smiles and Prata, 48 months for Ouro and 120 months for Diamante and Diamante Magno, counted from the credit date. [5] The validity page gives periods by earning source, from six years for GOL flights in the base categories to 20 years for Diamante. [4]
Can you extend Smiles miles that are about to expire?
The Smiles app lets members extend the validity of miles that are expiring by 30, 60 or up to 90 days, and expired miles can be reactivated. [4]
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. It covers the Smiles programme only; other programmes, including LATAM Pass and TudoAzul, are not covered, and neither are paid upgrades, complimentary upgrades or upgrades on partner airlines.
- Smiles: miles earned when flying GOL, rules from 17 June 2026, checked 18 October 2026
- Smiles: mileage validity by earning source, checked 18 October 2026
- Smiles programme rules in force from 17 June 2026, checked 18 October 2026
- GOL: Smiles loyalty programme and category benefits, checked 18 October 2026