The writing is on the wall, and the clock is ticking. If you are sitting on a stash of Asiana Airlines miles in December 2025, you are holding a depreciating asset with a concrete expiration date on its utility.
With the Korean Air and Asiana Airlines merger finalized in late 2024, the Asiana Club program is currently in a “zombie” phase. It still exists, and incredibly, it still offers some of the most lucrative Star Alliance redemption rates in the world. But this window is closing fast.
Most travelers ignore Asiana miles because they are hard to earn. That is a mistake. For the efficiency-obsessed travel hacker, Asiana’s award chart is one of the last remaining “arbitrage” opportunities where you can fly to Europe or Asia for nearly half the miles charged by United or Air Canada.
This is your operational playbook for liquidating Asiana miles before the program likely exits Star Alliance in 2026.
The Merger: What You Need to Know
The “Asiana Club” you know is disappearing. Following the finalized acquisition by Korean Air, the two airlines are in a transition period. For us, this creates a unique urgency.
Korean Air is a SkyTeam member. Asiana is (currently) a Star Alliance member. When the loyalty programs fully integrate—projected for 2026/2027—Asiana miles will convert to Korean Air SKYPASS miles. While SKYPASS is a decent program, you will lose access to Star Alliance partners like United, Singapore Airlines, and Lufthansa.
The Conversion Ratio
Regulatory filings from the merger approval suggest a likely conversion ratio of 1:1 for flight-earned miles and potentially 1:0.82 for partner-earned miles. If you hoard your points hoping for a better deal later, you are betting against the house. The mathematically optimal strategy is to burn these miles on high-value Star Alliance awards now while the old award chart is still honored.
How to Earn Asiana Miles in 2025 (The Hard Part)
Inefficiency usually stems from a lack of options, and earning Asiana miles is painfully limited for US-based travelers today. The golden days of the Bank of America Visa Signature card are over; that card is no longer available to new applicants.
Your primary pipeline is Marriott Bonvoy.
The Marriott Transfer Math
Marriott points transfer to Asiana at a 3:1 ratio. However, you get a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred. This is the only scalable way to generate Asiana miles without flying.
- Standard Rate: 3,000 Marriott = 1,000 Asiana Miles.
- Sweet Spot Transfer: 60,000 Marriott = 20,000 Miles + 5,000 Bonus = 25,000 Asiana Miles.
Is it worth it?
Let’s run the numbers. If you value Marriott points at 0.8 cents each, 60,000 points are worth ~$480. You are trading $480 of value for 25,000 airline miles. This effectively means you are “buying” Asiana miles for 1.92 cents per mile ($480 / 25,000). Since we can redeem these miles for 5.0+ cents in value (see below), the math unequivocally supports this transfer.
Internal Link Opportunity: If you are sitting on other points, check if they transfer to Marriott first. See our guide on Marriott vs Hyatt vs Hilton: Who Wins on Value? to decide if your hotel points are better spent on flights.
The “Last Call” Award Chart: Sweet Spots
This is why we are here. Asiana uses a region-based award chart that feels like it belongs in 2015. While Delta and United have moved to dynamic pricing (charging 200k+ for business class), Asiana’s prices are fixed and absurdly low.
| Route | Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|
| US to Europe | 50,000 | 80,000 | 100,000 |
| US to Korea (Asiana Metal) | 70,000 | 105,000 | N/A |
| US to SE Asia | 90,000 | 135,000 | 180,000 |
| US to South America (South) | 70,000 | 90,000 | 140,000 |
Note: One-way tickets are allowed for 50% of the round-trip price. This is crucial for flexibility.
Winner #1: US to Europe in Business (40k Miles)
This is arguably the single best sweet spot in the entire Star Alliance network. You can fly United Polaris, Lufthansa Business, or Swiss Business from the US to Europe for just 40,000 miles one-way.
- Competitor Cost: United charges ~80k-100k miles. Air Canada Aeroplan charges ~60k-70k.
- The Math:
- Ticket Cost: $4,200 (JFK to Frankfurt One-Way Business).
- Miles Needed: 40,000 Asiana.
- Taxes/Fees: ~$200 (varies by carrier).
- Value per Point: ($4,200 – $200) / 40,000 = 10.0 cents per point.
Winner #2: Lufthansa First Class (50k Miles)
This is a legendary hack that still technically exists on the chart: 50,000 miles one-way for First Class between “US/Canada” and Europe. However, finding availability is the bottleneck (usually only opens T-14 days out). If you find it, you are paying Economy prices for a $10,000 seat.
The “Gotcha”: Fuel Surcharges
Asiana passes on carrier-imposed surcharges (YQ). This is where the efficiency calculation can break down if you aren’t careful.
If you book Lufthansa or Swiss, expect to pay $900-$1000 in surcharges per round trip. While the mileage cost is low (80k RT), the cash copay hurts.
The Fix: Book airlines with low or no surcharges.
- United Airlines: Low surcharges.
- Air Canada: Moderate surcharges.
- LOT Polish: Reasonable surcharges.
- Avianca: No surcharges.
Step-by-Step Booking Guide
Asiana’s website is notoriously clunky. It often fails to show partner availability that clearly exists on other tools. Do not trust the search engine blindly.
- Find Availability Elsewhere: Use a tool like Seats.aero or the United/Aeroplan website to find “Saver” level award space (X for Economy, I for Business, O for First). If United sees it, Asiana should see it. (See our review of the Top 6 Award Booking Tools for help).
- Log in to Asiana: Go to the “Star Alliance Mileage Redemption” page, not the standard booking page.
- Input Dates: You must enter the exact dates. Asiana does not have a functional calendar view for partners.
- Call if Necessary: If the website errors out (which happens 30% of the time), call the Asiana US reservation line. Feed the agent the specific flight numbers and dates you found in step 1.
Conclusion: The Final Verdict
Asiana miles in 2025 are a “use it or lose it” asset. The merger with Korean Air is proceeding, and the Star Alliance exit is the next major domino to fall.
If you have the miles, or a stack of Marriott points, booking a 40,000-mile Business Class ticket to Europe is one of the smartest operational moves you can make this year. Do not wait for the integration to complete—history shows that loyalty program mergers rarely result in better value for the consumer.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Asiana miles expire after the Korean Air merger?
According to the merger terms approved by the KFTC, existing Asiana miles will remain valid for 10 years from the date of integration. However, they will eventually convert to SKYPASS miles, likely losing their Star Alliance utility in 2026.
Can I still earn Asiana miles with a credit card in 2025?
No, the Bank of America Asiana Visa Signature card is no longer available to new applicants. The only major way to earn Asiana miles in the US is by transferring points from Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio.
What is the best use of Asiana miles right now?
The best value is redeeming 40,000 miles for a one-way Business Class ticket from the US to Europe on Star Alliance partners like United or LOT Polish. This price is significantly lower than most other programs.
Does Asiana pass on fuel surcharges on award tickets?
Yes. Asiana passes on all carrier-imposed surcharges. To minimize cash costs, avoid redeeming on Lufthansa or Austrian Airlines and prioritize United, Avianca, or Air Canada.
