GOL Smiles is the frequent flyer program of GOL Linhas Aéreas, one of Brazil’s largest airlines. While it doesn’t have the global recognition of other programs, Smiles offers valuable redemption options, including flights on American Airlines, Air France, KLM, Qatar Airways, and Aeroméxico.
However, earning and redeeming Smiles miles from the U.S. can be tricky since it lacks direct credit card transfer partners. This guide covers how to earn Smiles miles, the best redemptions, and whether it’s worth using.
Can U.S. Travelers Open GOL Smiles Accounts?
Yes, U.S.-based travelers can open a GOL Smiles account. However, the registration process is primarily in Portuguese, and some website functions (such as booking partner awards) may require Google Translate or assistance.
To sign up:
- Go to the GOL Smiles website (smiles.com.br)
- Click "Cadastre-se" (Sign Up)
- Enter your details (name, passport, email, and phone number)
- Set your country to "Estados Unidos" (United States)
- Confirm your account via email
While the Smiles website sometimes glitches for international users, creating an account is free and possible from the U.S with a passport.
How to Earn GOL Smiles Miles
Smiles miles can be difficult to earn in the U.S. due to no direct credit card transfer partners, but there are still ways to build a balance.
1. Fly On GOL / Partner Airlines
Flying GOL:
Miles are earned based on fare class and distance. For domestic (Brazil) fares, you can earn:
- Promo/Light: 1 mile per R$1 spent
- Plus: 2 miles per R$1 spent
- Max: 3 miles per R$1 spent
For international flights, you earn based on segments to the following regions:
- South America: 1,000 miles per segment
- Central America/Caribbean: 3,000 miles per segment
- North America: 5,000 miles per segment
Crediting Partner Flights to Smiles:
You can earn Smiles miles by flying with GOL's partners and crediting the flight to your Smiles account. Major partners include: American Airlines, Air France/KLM, Aeromexico, Copa, Qatar Airways, Emirates, and more.
2. Brazilian Bank Programs (CPF Required)
Smiles has strong ties with Brazilian bank loyalty programs like Livelo, Esfera, Itaú Sempre Presente, and more. These programs allow you to:
- Purchase points (often with bonuses and discounts)
- Transfer points to Smiles, frequently with 60% to 100% transfer bonuses
Important: Accessing these programs requires a Brazilian CPF number, which U.S.-based travelers typically don’t have. However, obtaining a CPF through a Brazilian consulate is possible and can unlock massive value through these discounted transfer paths.
3. Points Transfer from Avianca (Elite Only)
Avianca LifeMiles elite members with Gold or Diamond status can transfer LifeMiles to Smiles. The transfer rate varies and may change based on promotions or market conditions, but is typically around 1:3 (meaning one LifeMile earns you 3 GOL Smiles).
This is not available to basic (non-elite) LifeMiles members, and earning LifeMiles elite status generally requires significant flying or spend, so it's not practical for most travelers solely for this purpose.
4. Join Smiles Club
Smiles Club is a monthly membership that gives you bonus miles, discounts, and special perks. You can choose from 6 plans, billed monthly or annually:
Plans range from R$42 (~$7.40) for Plan 1,000 to R$299 (~$52) for plan 10,000. Plan 20,000 is only available on an annual basis at R$8,845 (~$1,500).
The Effective mile cost ranges from 0.52 to 0.74 cents per mile. The best value comes from the Plan 10,000 monthly, at about 0.52 cents per miles. The Plan 20,000 includes Smiles Diamond status, so there is higher cost for the earned miles.
Miles earned via Clube Smiles have a 10-year validity.
5. Buy Smiles Miles Directly
Another way to earn Smiles is to buy miles directly. We generally don't recommend this, as the standard purchase rate is R$0.07 (~1.23 cents) per mile. You can buy between 1,000 and 40,000 miles per transaction, with a max of 40,000 miles/year.
Smiles has offered promotional sales with up to 200% bonus miles in the past, which is a great deal, assuming you know how to redeem them. (Pro tip: find flights through Roame.
6. Other Ways to Earn Smiles Miles
Avianca LifeMiles elite members with Gold or Diamond status can transfer LifeMiles to Smiles. The transfer rate varies and may change based on promotions or market conditions, but is typically around 1:3 (meaning one LifeMile earns you 3 GOL Smiles).
This is not available to basic (non-elite) LifeMiles members, and earning LifeMiles elite status generally requires significant flying or spend, so it's not practical for most travelers solely for this purpose.
- Book Hotels: Earn miles when booking hotels via Smiles' travel portal.
- Car Rentals: Partners like Localiza Hertz offer miles per rental.
- Shopping Smiles: Earn miles by shopping through their online store.
- Fuel: Use Shell Box (Brazil only) to earn miles on fuel purchases.
- Uber Credits (Brazil): Buy Uber credits via Smiles and earn miles.
How To Earn Smiles Elite Status
Smiles offers elite status tiers and a paid Smiles Club membership that provides bonus miles and redemption discounts.
Elite Status Tiers:
BRAND
Status Level
Nights Required
Key Benefits
Silver
10,000 miles or 10 flights
25% bonus miles, priority check-in, extra baggage allowance
Gold
18,000 miles or 18 flights
50% bonus miles, lounge access, priority boarding
Diamond
30,000 miles or 30 flights
100% bonus miles, free upgrades, highest priority benefits
Who Are GOL's Partners?
GOL is not part of any airline alliance, however, GOL has several non-alliance partners. Their "main partners" are:
- Avianca
- Air France
- KLM
- American Airlines
GOL's other, less integrated, partners include Aerolíneas Argentinas, Air Canada, AeroMexico, Copa Airlines, Royal AIr Maroc, South African Airways, and TAAG.
GOL Smiles Award Chart
GOL Smiles does not have an award chart. To figure out how much a redemption will actually cost, you must search online through GOL. Or, to make it easier to search to search in English, you can search with Roame.
Do GOL Smiles Expire?
GOL miles expire along the following timelines:
- 36 months: Smiles and Silver GOL Smiles members
- 48 months: Gold GOL Smiles members
- 120 months: Diamond GOL Smiles members
Best Ways to Redeem GOL Smiles Miles
Book American Airlines Flights with GOL Smiles
One of the best ways to use Smiles miles in the U.S. is for flights on American Airlines.
AA flights can be booked directly through GOL Smiles, making it one of the few alternative ways to book AA flights without AAdvantage miles.
Redemption rates vary widely due to GOL’s dynamic pricing, but some good-value routes include:
- New York (JFK) – Miami (MIA) business class from 6,600 miles
- Los Angeles (LAX) – Dallas (DFW) from 7,500 miles
- New York (JFK) – Rio de Janeiro (GIG) from 28,600 miles in business class
Keep an eye out for surcharges, as they can be high while redeeming on partner airlines.
Redeem for Domestic Brazil Flights
GOL has one of the largest domestic networks in Brazil, making Smiles a great way to fly within the country.
- Flights between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro often price under 5,000 miles.
- Destinations like Florianópolis, Salvador, and Manaus can have solid award pricing.
If you plan to explore Brazil, Smiles miles can save a lot of money on domestic flights.
Conclusion
GOL Smiles is one of the more complex loyalty programs, but it has some unique redemption opportunities. It's worth considering if you have a way to earn GOL Smiles, or are willing to put in the effort required to build up miles.
GOL's difficult to earn miles and dynamic pricing are reasons to potentially avoid the program. However, the American Airlines partnership and frequent mileage sales make Smiles worth watching for deals. Using Roame to track award space can help find valuable redemptions that might otherwise be overlooked.
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