Booking domestic flights with miles transfers
Last updated April 23, 2025
While U.S. airline miles average around 1.2 cents in value per mile, redeeming your Rove Miles through partners (as Rove is not directly partnered with any U.S. airline) for the same flights can often yield a much higher value. Airlines often charge higher redemption rates for their own flights than their partners do.
Delta Domestic Flight Example
• A Delta flight from Detroit (DTW) to New York (NYC) might cost 30,000-50,000+ Delta SkyMiles round trip. • The same exact route, booked through Flying Blue (Air France-KLM’s loyalty program and a Rove partner), can be as low as 7,000 miles each way, totaling 14,000 miles round trip! • Spending 14,000 miles (instead of 30,000) results in a substantially better deal.
Rove often has competitive rates directly booking domestic U.S. airlines, but if you cannot find a favorable deal through our platform, it may make sense to make a transfer.
1. Booking United Flights Through Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles or Air India Maharaja Club (Star Alliance)
Why It’s Valuable
Domestic United flights can be booked via Turkish Airlines or Air India (which are in the Star Alliance network), sometimes requiring fewer miles than you’d pay with United MileagePlus directly.
Steps to Book
1. Search on Miles&Smiles or Maharaja Club (these programs are not supported on Rove's search yet)
2. Select United Availability
• Compare the mileage requirements with any direct options (if you have them) to see the value difference.
3. Transfer Rove Miles
• Once you find a suitable flight, confirm the mileage cost, and complete your booking by transferring your miles to the partner program.
• After booking, you’ll receive a confirmation email and can manage your flight using the provided reservation code.
2. Booking American Airlines Flights Through Etihad Guest
Why It’s Valuable
American Airlines partner awards via Etihad can sometimes match or beat the cost of using AAdvantage miles directly, especially on short-haul domestic flights.
Steps to Book
1. Search on the Rove Miles Platform
• As with United, start in the “Search Flights” tool, enter your trip details, and look for American Airlines flights.
2. Compare Partner Rates
• The Rove results show how many Rove Miles you need for each potential itinerary. Etihad’s mileage chart for AA flights can be more generous than American’s own redemption rates.
3. Book Through Rove
• After selecting your desired itinerary, finalize your booking by transferring and booking on Etihad.
• You’ll receive a confirmation email and can verify your ticket on AA’s website with the provided record locator.
3. Booking Delta Flights Through Flying Blue (Air France-KLM) 3+ weeks in advance
Why It’s Often the Best Value
• Delta frequently charges high SkyMiles rates for domestic tickets, especially last-minute bookings.
• Flying Blue (Air France-KLM) often offers lower, more predictable award rates for the same Delta flights—like the DTW–NYC example where Flying Blue may charge 7,000 miles each way while Delta might charge 30,000-50,000+ SkyMiles.
Current Limitation on Rove’s Search Tool
• Our search tool does not currently display partner availability on Delta. We only show Air France-KLM-operated flights in the tool.
• You’ll need to check Delta award space directly on Flying Blue’s own website, then transfer your Rove Miles to Flying Blue to complete the booking. Results will only show starting 3 weeks in advance.
Steps to Book
1. Search on flyingblue.com
• Create or log in to your Flying Blue account.
• Enter the U.S. route (e.g., DTW to NYC, ATL to LAX, etc.) and check for flights operated by Delta.
• Note the mileage cost and confirm availability. Keep in mind that Flying Blue often requires bookings at least 3 weeks in advance for the best deals.
2. Transfer Points to Flying Blue
• Back on Rove, go to the “Transfer Miles” page.
• Choose Flying Blue, enter the number of miles needed, and initiate the transfer. (Transfers can be instant or take up to 48 hours.)
3. Complete Booking on Flying Blue
• Once the miles appear in your Flying Blue account, finalize your award booking for Delta flights directly on the Flying Blue site.
Maximizing Rove Miles Value
• Plan Early: Partner award availability (especially at the lower mileage levels) disappears fast. Book as early as you can to get the best deal.
• Keep an Eye on Short-Haul Flights: Shorter flights often cost fewer miles. Programs like Etihad have distance-based charts for certain airlines (like AA), which can be very competitive.
• Compare Redemption Options: Always compare how many Rove Miles you’d spend via each partner for the same flight. The differences can be striking, as with the Delta example.
• Remember the 1.2 Cents Benchmark: If you consistently beat the typical 1.4 cents-per-mile value, you know you’re getting excellent redemptions.
Using Rove Miles to book U.S. domestic flights can be a better deal than redeeming directly with United MileagePlus, American AAdvantage, or Delta SkyMiles. By leveraging our integrated partnerships, you’ll unlock more availability and potentially significantly lower mileage costs. Whether it’s a 7,000-mile award seat on Delta via Flying Blue or a Star Alliance booking on United for fewer miles, Rove Miles helps you capture better redemption value than any other rewards currency out there.