Why people leave Smiles
- Award seat redemption rates have crept up on the most-searched routes (GRU-MIA, GIG-LIS), with reddit and Forum Mundo das Milhas threads documenting jumps of 30-50% on the same route year over year.
- Tap-da-Sorte and the discounted Smiles Club fares have shrinking inventory at the lowest tiers, so the program’s flagship savings appear only on off-peak days.
- Bradesco and Banco do Brasil partner crediting can take 5-10 business days, which makes timing a redemption around card spend unreliable.
- Customer support during peak season routes through chat with long queues, and refund timelines on cancelled awards stretch beyond what was promised.
- Recent partner removals from the rewards catalog have reduced where points actually buy real value, pushing users toward cashback or convertible programs.
If any of that pushes you to compare, here are 7 Smiles alternatives worth installing.
Which app should you choose?
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LATAM Pass if you fly LATAM or want oneworld partner redemptions.
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TudoAzul if you fly Azul or live near a Viracopos/Confins hub.
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Livelo if you accumulate points across cards and want bonus transfers.
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Méliuz if award inventory is empty and cash plus cashback wins.
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KAYAK if you want cash-fare comparison and price tracking.
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AAdvantage if you redeem long-haul out of GRU or GIG.
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Skyscanner if your travel dates are flexible.
Stay on Smiles if you have a substantial Smiles balance, your home airport is a GOL hub like Congonhas or Salvador, or you fly Smiles Club routes frequently enough to keep the Smiles Club fixed-price tier alive. Smiles still wins on regional GOL inventory.
Comparison table
| App | Best for | Inventory | Cancellation | Loyalty | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LATAM Pass | LATAM and oneworld redemptions | Loyalty program | Award cancel fees apply | Yes | 4.6 |
| Azul (TudoAzul) | Domestic Brazilian flights | Loyalty program | Award cancel fees apply | Yes | 4.6 |
| Livelo | Convertible points across partners | Multi-program rewards | N/A, points only | Yes | 4.3 |
| Méliuz | Cashback on purchases | Cashback portal | N/A, refunds in BRL | Yes | 4.8 |
| KAYAK | Cash fares with price tracking | Flight meta-search | Partner-set | No | 4.8 |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | AA + oneworld awards | Loyalty program | Award cancel fees apply | Yes | 4.7 |
| Skyscanner | Flexible dates and budgets | Flight meta-search | Partner-set | No | 4.7 |
1. LATAM Pass -- LATAM and oneworld redemptions
LATAM Pass is the direct competitor to Smiles in Brazil, and the program covers LATAM plus the oneworld alliance for awards out of South America toward North America, Europe, and Asia. The redemption rates on intra-South America routes regularly beat Smiles by 10-20%, especially on the BR-AR and BR-CL corridors LATAM dominates.
The app handles status, miles balance, partner transfers, and award booking in one flow. Smiles vs LATAM Pass on domestic Brazilian routes is usually a Smiles win on inventory; LATAM Pass wins on long-haul and Star-Alliance-free itineraries.
Advantages:
- Strong LATAM domestic and intra-South America awards
- Oneworld partner redemptions
- Status tiers (Gold, Platinum, Black) unlock lounge access
- Itaucard LATAM Pass earns at standard rate
Disadvantages:
- Long-haul economy awards have shrinking inventory
- Award cancellation fees stack up
Pricing: Free app; miles purchased optionally during promotions.
2. TudoAzul (Azul) -- Azul domestic and Portugal redemptions
TudoAzul is the loyalty program inside the Azul Linhas Aéreas app, and the redemption sweet spots are Azul’s domestic Brazilian network plus the Lisbon, Porto, and Fort Lauderdale routes. For travelers based in second-tier Brazilian cities where Azul flies more frequently than GOL, TudoAzul redemptions beat Smiles on availability alone.
The Clube TudoAzul subscription buys discounted point packs monthly, which can lower the effective cost per mile below Smiles Club tiers. Smiles vs TudoAzul on a GOL hub (Congonhas, Salvador) favors Smiles; TudoAzul wins out of Viracopos, Belo Horizonte Confins, and Recife.
Advantages:
- Strong Azul domestic and Portugal awards
- Clube TudoAzul subscription lowers per-point cost
- Status benefits stack with Itau partnership
- Fewer blackout dates than Smiles on peak routes
Disadvantages:
- Long-haul partner network is thinner than Smiles or LATAM Pass
- Some redemption flows still bounce to web
Pricing: Free app; Clube TudoAzul subscription priced monthly.
3. Livelo -- convertible points across travel and retail
Livelo is the largest convertible-points program in Brazil and partners with Bradesco, Banco do Brasil, and dozens of retailers to credit points that transfer into Smiles, TudoAzul, LATAM Pass, or Iberia Plus during regular promotions of 80-100% bonus. For travelers who earn points across multiple cards and want to time the best transfer rate, Livelo is the better holding ground than Smiles itself.
The Livelo Shopping mall surfaces accelerated earn rates on partner stores. Smiles vs Livelo is a hold-versus-redeem question: Livelo accumulates, then transfers to whichever airline program is running a bonus.
Advantages:
- Largest Brazilian convertible-points program
- Bonus transfers to Smiles, TudoAzul, LATAM Pass during promotions
- Pix payout option for cash redemption
- Bradesco and BB integration is automatic
Disadvantages:
- Points expire 24 months after earning
- Best transfer rates only run during promotional windows
Pricing: Free; partner card spend earns at standard rates.
4. Méliuz -- cashback in Brazilian reais
Méliuz pays cashback in BRL on partner store purchases, including travel partners like Booking.com, Hotéis.com, and Hoteis.com. For travelers tired of waiting for Smiles award seats and willing to pay cash for a flight, Méliuz layered on top of a cash booking returns 3-10% in BRL that pays out via Pix.
The Cartão Méliuz adds cashback on every card swipe with no annual fee. Smiles vs Méliuz is a cash-versus-miles decision: Méliuz wins when award inventory is empty or when the redemption rate has degraded enough that cash plus cashback is cheaper.
Advantages:
- Cashback paid in BRL via Pix
- No annual fee on Cartão Méliuz
- Hotel and travel partners earn 3-10% back
- Browser extension catches cashback even on cash bookings
Disadvantages:
- Some partner cashback rates dropped in 2024-2025
- Refund timelines on canceled bookings can stretch
Pricing: Free app; Cartão Méliuz is fee-free.
5. KAYAK -- cash fares with price tracking
KAYAK fills the role Smiles cannot when award inventory is empty: surface every cash fare across major airlines and OTAs, alert when prices drop, and let the trip move forward without burning miles. For Brazilian travelers who already hold Livelo points but cannot find the right Smiles redemption, KAYAK plus a Livelo cash-out is a cleaner path.
KAYAK Trips also organizes itineraries pulled from email confirmations. Smiles vs KAYAK is not a direct comparison; pair them. Smiles for high-value redemptions, KAYAK for everything else.
Advantages:
- Cash fares across every major airline and OTA
- Price alerts on saved routes
- Trips view organizes itineraries automatically
- Hidden fee transparency on baggage and seats
Disadvantages:
- No loyalty program, no compounding rewards
- Booking moves to partner sites for most fares
Pricing: Free; partner sites set their own fares.
6. American Airlines AAdvantage -- AA + oneworld awards out of Brazil
American Airlines AAdvantage handles the long-haul redemptions out of São Paulo and Rio that Smiles increasingly prices poorly, especially MIA, DFW, and LHR via oneworld. The AAdvantage Web Special fares appear on the app and drop the mileage cost on selected dates by 30-50%.
LATAM Pass transfers to AAdvantage at varying ratios, which gives Brazilian travelers a second redemption surface for points already in the LATAM ecosystem. Smiles vs AAdvantage on a São Paulo-North America route is often an AAdvantage win on award availability; Smiles wins on Caribbean and intra-Brazilian routes.
Advantages:
- Strong long-haul award availability to USA and Europe
- AAdvantage Web Special discounts on select dates
- Oneworld partner redemptions (Iberia, British Airways, Qatar)
- Status tiers extend to airport lounge access
Disadvantages:
- Earning miles is harder for Brazilian residents without a US card
- Award changes carry fees
Pricing: Free app; mileage purchase available during promotions.
7. Skyscanner -- flexible-date cash search
Skyscanner sits next to KAYAK for cash flight search but pulls ahead the moment dates are flexible. The ‘Whole month’ grid shows the cheapest cash fare for every day in the month at a glance, which surfaces routing options Smiles cannot match when miles availability is empty.
For a São Paulo-Lisbon trip with date flexibility, Skyscanner regularly finds a cash fare cheaper than the cash component plus award taxes on Smiles. Smiles vs Skyscanner is a strategy split: lock the trip dates first, then pick the right tool.
Advantages:
- Whole-month and cheapest-month price grids
- ‘Everywhere’ destination search
- Strong budget carrier coverage in Europe
- Carbon emissions filter on each fare
Disadvantages:
- No loyalty program
- Booking moves to partner sites for most fares
Pricing: Free; partner sites set their own prices.
FAQ
Which is better, Smiles or LATAM Pass?
LATAM Pass typically wins on intra-South America and long-haul oneworld redemptions; Smiles wins on regional GOL routes and Caribbean redemptions. Brazilian travelers often hold both programs and pick by route. Compare the actual mileage cost on the dates you want before committing.
Can I transfer Livelo points to Smiles?
Yes. Livelo runs partner transfers to Smiles regularly, with bonuses of 50-100% during promotional windows. Wait for the bonus window if the redemption is not urgent; transferred outside a bonus, the rate is significantly worse.
Are Smiles miles worth buying during promotions?
Sometimes, but the math has gotten tighter as redemption rates climbed. The break-even is usually 25-30 BRL per 1,000 miles; below that, a promotion can make sense for a known redemption. Above it, the cash fare is often cheaper.
What is the cheapest way to get from Brazil to Europe in 2026?
Flexible-date cash fares on Skyscanner regularly undercut Smiles or LATAM Pass redemptions plus taxes on São Paulo-Lisbon, especially on TAP and Air Europa. Run both options on the dates you want; the gap varies by season.
Do Méliuz or Livelo replace Smiles for flights?
Méliuz returns cashback on cash bookings, so it stacks on top of any fare. Livelo transfers to airline programs (including Smiles) at promotional bonuses. Neither is a direct substitute, but together they let a traveler pay cash and recover meaningful value.
