[2026 Parliamentary Audit] "You Said 100% Mileage Accrual, but It's 25%?"... Airlines Breaking Their Mileage Promises

534 Consumer Consultations Over the Past Five Years
235 Cases Involving Contract Failures and Unfair Practices
Disputes Also Over Miles on Partner and Codeshare Flights

Consumer disputes over airline mileage accrual are increasing every year. Cases have emerged in which airlines fail to apply the promised accrual rates or refuse to award miles even after consumers submit supporting documents themselves, prompting calls to strengthen airlines' responsibility for managing mileage programs.

An airplane landing at Jeju Airport. Unrelated to the article. Photo from The Asia Business Daily archive.

According to data submitted by the Korea Consumer Agency to Jeon Yong-gi, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker on the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, applications for damage relief related to airline mileage rose every year, from 7 in 2022 to 12 in 2023, 22 in 2024 and 27 in 2025. A further 20 cases were filed through September this year.

From 2022 through September this year, there were 534 consumer consultations related to the issue. Of these, 141 involved failure to perform or incomplete performance of contracts, and 94 involved unfair practices. The two categories accounted for about 44% of the total.

Cases of actual harm have also continued to emerge. One consumer said they had purchased a ticket eligible for 100% mileage accrual, but the accrual rate for some segments was reduced to 25%, while other segments were excluded from mileage accrual. The consumer obtained responses from the operating airline and overseas authorities confirming that the booking class had not changed, but the partner airline reportedly delayed responding on whether the miles would be credited.

Another consumer applied for damage relief, saying that miles had been credited incorrectly and that, despite submitting supporting documents as instructed, they were refused a mileage correction.

The Korea Consumer Agency said disputes arise because each airline has complex and differing rules for earning and using miles, and that it is difficult to determine responsibility for partner and codeshare flights.

“Mileage is a property right with economic value,” Jeon said. “If airlines do not properly deliver the benefits they promised and consumers have to prove the error themselves, it is difficult to trust the mileage system.” He added that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport should assess how airlines operate their mileage programs and begin systematic oversight and supervision.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.