Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology.
![15 Best Ways To Earn Lots of Korean Air SKYPASS Miles [2023]](https://upgradedpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Korean-Air-787.jpeg?auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=1420&height=650&fit=crop)
We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.
Korean Air is a founding member of the SkyTeam Alliance which includes Delta Air Lines, KLM, Air France, and other well-known airlines. It serves ~50 countries with its fleet of 160+ aircraft and has a hub at Incheon International Airport (ICN).
SKYPASS, Korean Air’s frequent flyer loyalty program, provides members with many opportunities to earn SKYPASS miles, other benefits, and discounts.
This guide will detail the many ways to earn SKYPASS miles. When you finish reading, you’ll be prepared to accrue SKYPASS miles as quickly as possible. Then it’s simply a matter of redeeming them for award travel!
Sign up for Korean Air SKYPASS to begin earning miles based on the following factors: route flown, booking class, and cabin. It’s important that the name you use for your account matches the name on your passport.
Unlike some airline loyalty programs, you can’t claim miles for flights you took before enrolling in SKYPASS. In addition, miles aren’t earned for award flights, discounted flights, and infant tickets.
Korean Air SKYPASS has elite membership tiers, but they don’t earn bonus miles. However, if you think you’d enjoy perks like lounge access, priority boarding, and priority baggage handling, you’ll want to qualify.
Plus, members who have elite status with any SkyTeam carrier (including Korean Air) are eligible for a SkyTeam elite membership without meeting any other requirements.
A great reason to fly Korean Air is its first class award availability. However, with cash tickets, you can still earn points for travel on Korean Air and its partner airlines.
Miles earned are determined by the route and booking class of each ticket. Here is the mileage accrual chart for North America to give you an idea of the mileage earned by route (based on one-way economy class):
| Route | Mileage | Route | Mileage |
|
Incheon – Atlanta
| 7,132 |
Incheon – New York
| 6,879 |
|
Incheon – Boston
| 7,047 |
Incheon – San Francisco
| 5,636 |
|
Incheon – Chicago
| 6,538 |
Incheon – Seattle
| 5,196 |
|
Incheon – Dallas
| 6,824 |
Incheon – Toronto
| 6,602 |
|
Incheon – Honolulu
| 4,560 |
Incheon – Vancouver
| 5,088 |
|
Incheon – Las Vegas
| 6,009 |
Incheon – Washington, D.C.
| 6,944 |
|
Incheon – Los Angeles
| 5,973 |
Tokyo – Honolulu
| 3,831 |
The table below shows the accrual rates for each fare class from January 1 to March 31, 2023:
| Domestic Within Korea | International | Accrual Rates | |
| First Class | – | F | 200% |
| – | A | No accrual¹ | |
| Prestige Class | – | J | 135% |
| C, D | C, D, I, R | 125% | |
| Z | Z | 100% | |
| O | O | No accrual | |
| Economy Class | Y, B, M, S, H, E | W, Y, B, M, S, H, E, K, L, U | 100% |
| G | G | 80% | |
| Q, T² | Q, T | 70% | |
| K, L, W U, X, V | X, V | No accrual |
The table below shows the accrual rates for each fare class as of April 1, 2023:
| Domestic Within Korea | International | Accrual Rates | |
| First Class | – | F | 300% |
| – | A | No accrual¹ | |
| Prestige Class | – | J | 200% |
| C | C | 175% | |
| D | D | 150% | |
| – | I, R | 125% | |
| Z | Z | 100% | |
| O | O | No accrual | |
| Economy Class | Y, B, M, S, H, E | W, Y, B, M, S, H, E | 100% |
| K, L, U | K, L, U | 75% | |
| G | G | 50% | |
| Q, W, T, V | Q, T | 25% | |
| X | V, X | No accrual |
While there is no shortage of Korean Air co-branded credit cards, most of them are from Korean and Japanese banks, so they aren’t available in the U.S.
Luckily, there are several credit cards to choose from in the U.S., shown in the table below:
| Korean Air U.S. Credit Card | Earned Miles |
| SKYPASS Visa® Business Card |
1 mile for every eligible $1 spent
|
| SKYPASS Select Visa Signature® Card |
1 mile for every eligible $1 spent
|
| SKYPASS Visa Signature® Card |
1 mile for every eligible $1 spent
|
The U.S.-issued Korean Air credit cards are from U.S. Bank. For the vast majority of us, earning Korean Air SKYPASS miles via its transfer partner Marriott Bonvoy is much more viable.
Here are the co-branded Korean credit cards that can be used to earn Korean Air SKYPASS miles:
Here are the co-branded Japanese credit cards that can be used to earn Korean Air SKYPASS miles:
There is even a credit card option available in Vietnam with Shinhan Bank Vietnam.
You can earn Marriott Bonvoy points and transfer those points to Korean Air at a transfer rate of 3:1. The time it takes to transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to Korean Air can vary wildly from 1 business day up to 3 weeks!
Recommended Marriott Bonvoy Cards
A great option for Marriott hotel fans who want a no annual fee card and automatic Marriott Bonvoy elite status.
Casual travelers who like to frequent properties that are part of the Marriott Bonvoy collection of brands may want to consider the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card.
The Marriott Bold card rewards cardholders for Marriott stays and gives them a boost towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status.
Marriott loyalists will love this card's annual free night award, automatic elite status, and up to 17x points per $1 on Marriott hotel stays.
If you’re a frequent traveler and a Marriott loyalist, there’s a lot to love about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card. The card comes packed with several great benefits like a free hotel night once a year, automatic Silver Elite status (with a fast-track to Gold Elite status), and multiple options for redeeming points.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThe Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.
The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, the latest mid-tier offering in the Marriott Bonvoy lineup of cards, offers cardholders automatic elite status and ways to earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on each of their stays and daily purchases.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesA premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card is a premium card designed with road warriors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalists in mind.
So is the card a worthwhile addition to your wallet?
Fly with carriers in the SkyTeam alliance and earn up to 150% in mileage bonuses! Each airline has its own earnings rate.
You must include your SKYPASS number when booking to receive mileage bonuses and show your SKYPASS card to receive discounts from SKYPASS partners.
The Mileage Accrual Chart per Route displays all domestic and international routes.
It’s a good idea to keep your ticket receipt and boarding pass until the miles are applied (typically 3 to 14 days from the date of travel). SKYPASS and SkyTeam miles expire 10 years from accrual.
Code-share flights must be issued on a KA flight number to earn miles if serviced by a partner carrier. Also, you cannot transfer miles between carriers.
Hot Tip: Need help finding award space? Check out our guide to searching for SkyTeam award availability.
Other Korean Air-affiliated carriers also offer up to 150% in mileage bonuses:
Mileage can only be credited to one frequent flyer program at a time. Miles are not earned on complimentary tickets, award tickets, any tickets discounted 50% or more, or other special discounts.
| Marketing Airline | Operating Airline | Mileage Accrual |
| Alaska Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Emirates, Etihad Airways, GOL, Hawaiian Airlines, Japan Airlines | Korean Air | Eligible |
| Non-Korean Air | Ineligible |
Hot Tip: For more information, check out our in-depth guide to help you know where to credit your airline miles.
Choose from a variety of rental car partners to earn additional SKYPASS miles, including Alamo, Avis, Hertz, National, and Rentalcars.com.
Here is the earning structure for all car rental partners with SKYPASS:
| Car Rental Company | Earning Structure | Car Rental Company | Earning Structure |
| Alamo | 500 miles per rental | National | 500 miles per rental |
| Avis | 500 miles per rental and 250 miles for commercial contract rates | Rentalcars.com | 500 miles per rental |
| Hertz | 500 miles per rental, 250 miles per rental in some Asian countries (Bangladesh, Brunei, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand), and 250 miles for commercial contract rates | SK Rent-a-Car | 100 miles per 24 hours with a maximum of 1,000 miles per rental |
| Lotte rent-a-car | 100 miles per 24 hours with a maximum of 1,000 miles per rental |
As always, provide your SKYPASS membership number when making reservations and show it at pickup. Miles are credited to the renter (driver) only 2 to 4 weeks from the date of service. Again, hang onto your receipt or voucher until the miles are credited to your SKYPASS account.
SKYPASS members can earn miles with a variety of tour partners.
| Tour Company | Earning Structure |
| JTB MyBus | 1 mile per ¥100 spent |
| KLOOK | 1 to 2 miles per $1 spent |
| Veltra | 1 mile per ¥100 spent |
Stay at SKYPASS partner hotels in the table below and receive miles! It takes 2 to 4 weeks for miles to be applied to your SKYPASS account.
| Hotel | Offer | Hotel | Offer |
| Agoda | 1 mile per $1 | Okura Nikko Hotels |
250 to 500 miles per stay
|
| Booking.com | 2 miles per $1 | Paradise City |
500 miles per stay
|
| Dusit Hotels & Resorts | 300 to 500 miles per stay | Seogwipo KAL Hotel |
500 miles per stay
|
| Grand Hyatt Incheon | 500 miles per stay | Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts |
500 miles per stay
|
| Hotels.com | 1 mile per $1 | The Shilla Seoul |
500 miles per stay
|
| Hyundai Card PRIVIA Travel | 100 to 300 miles per night | TOURVIS |
100 to 300 miles per night
|
| IHG Hotels & Resorts | 1 to 2 miles per $1 | Trip.com |
3 miles per $1
|
| InterContinental LADT | 2 miles per $1 | Waikiki Resort Hotel |
500 miles per stay
|
| Lotte Hotels & Resorts | 500 miles per stay | World of Hyatt |
500 miles per stay
|
| Marriott Bonvoy | 1 to 2 miles per $1 |
You can also transfer miles from ALL – Accor Live Limitless at a rate of 2,000 miles per 4,000 ALL points (once a day).
With the SKYPASS Family Plan, up to 5 members (including the SKYPASS member) can pool miles and redeem awards. You must register your family before endorsing an award to them or redeeming an award through the Family Plan.
Members must be immediate family, including spouse, children, parents, siblings, parents-in-law, children-in-law, grandparents, or grandchildren.
Applications with family proof documents can be submitted through the website, fax, or a local office. The U.S. and Canada fax number is 310-417-5696 for reference.
If you are in Korea, there are several opportunities to earn SKYPASS miles.
Specifically, if you exchange or transfer money from these partners, you can also earn Korean Air SKYPASS miles:
| Money Exchange/Transfer Company | Offer | Money Exchange/Transfer Company | Offer |
| Citi Bank |
| NongHyup Bank |
|
| KB Kookmin Bank | Earn 1 to 3 miles for every $5 when exchanging over $500 and 1 to 3 miles for every $10 when transferring over $1,000 with a maximum of 30,000 miles per transaction | Shinhan Bank |
|
SKYPASS also has 2 insurance partners you can earn miles with.
| Insurance Company | Offer |
| Assist Card |
|
| DB Insurance |
|
The miscellaneous shopping and points partners you can earn SKYPASS miles with are:
| Company | Earning Structure | Company | Earning Structure |
| BMW Korea | Transfer at a ratio of 1 mile:20 coins | Hyundai Department Store |
|
| eMart |
| Lotte Members L.POINT | Transfer at a ratio of 220:10 with a limit of 150,000 miles per year and 1 transaction every 24 hours |
| eMart24 |
| Naver Pay | Transfer at a ratio of 220:10 with a limit of 15,000 miles per month |
| e-Xanadu | Transfer at a ratio of 1:24 | OK Cashbag | Transfer at a ratio of 22:1 with a limit of 120,000 miles per year and 1 transaction every 24 hours |
| H.Point | Transfer at a ratio of 22:1 with a limit of 1 transaction every 24 hours | S-oil | Transfer at a ratio of 20:1 with a limit of 10,000 miles per year |
| Hanjin Express | Earn 50 to 200 miles for delivery service (when paying over ₩50,000 or $50) |
Participate in ongoing SKYPASS promotions to earn additional miles. Check the Korean Air website for updates.
Earn SkyPoints for duty-free purchases you make at the e-SKYSHOP, then transfer 1,000 points for 500 SKYPASS miles.
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to earn Korean Air SKYPASS miles, whether booking travel with Korean Air and its partners or participating in non-travel partner opportunities.
Of course, one of the quickest ways to accumulate SKYPASS miles is by transferring points earned with credit cards. SKYPASS is transfer partners with Marriott Bonvoy, so that’s probably going to be the go-to method for many U.S.-based travelers. Happy earning!
The information regarding the SKYPASS Visa® Business Card, SKYPASS Select Visa Signature® Card, and SKYPASS Visa Signature® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® card, click here.
SKYPASS is the frequent flyer loyalty program of Korean Air. Members earn SKYPASS miles to redeem for travel rewards.
Earn Korean Air SKYPASS miles by booking flights on Korean Air and its partner carriers, including SkyTeam members. Other ways to earn miles include booking with travel partners (hotel, car rental, etc.) and shopping at the e-SKYSHOP.
Register for Korean Air SKYPASS on its website.
The Korean Air SKYPASS Family Plan is a program that allows up to 5 immediate family members to pool their miles. Members can also endorse awards to family members.
There is no sign-up bonus for joining Korean Air SKYPASS.
Contact Korean Air SKYPASS customer service from the U.S. and Canada by calling 800-438-5000. Customer service is available in English, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese.
The SkyTeam partner airlines can be found in our dedicated article on the alliance.
Other affiliated airlines include Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, China Southern, Emirates, Etihad Airways, GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes, Hawaiian Airlines, and Japan Airlines.
Marriott Bonvoy points can be transferred to SKYPASS miles.
Was this page helpful?
Stephen is an established voice in the credit card space, with over 70 to his name. His work has been in publications like The Washington Post, and his Au Points and Awards Consulting Services is used by hundreds of clients.
Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...
Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.
We respect your privacy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy and terms of service apply.
