By Joseph Hellman-Benjamin, Founder and CEO of The Points King. Last updated: October 11, 2026. Editorial Policy
Can you sell Air China airline miles? Air China will not buy them back, and its PhoenixMiles member guide names “the sale of mileage” as a violation that can get an account frozen or closed. The program is also harder to sell out of than most: award tickets can only be issued to the member and up to ten people registered in advance, and each new name waits 30 days. My company buys miles from many airline programs, but PhoenixMiles is not one of them: The Points King does not buy or sell Air China miles. If you also hold a balance with United, ANA or another large program, those we do buy, and I list them below.
I am Joseph Hellman-Benjamin, and I have run The Points King since 2017. We buy miles and points, so I have an interest in this subject, and you should weigh what I say with that in mind. There are no affiliate links on this site. This page covers what Air China’s rules say, why this balance is awkward to use, and how to get value from it.
Air China PhoenixMiles at a Glance
| Question | Answer in October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Program name | PhoenixMiles, used by Air China and its group airlines |
| Currency | Kilometers, not miles. A balance of 100,000 is 100,000 kilometers. |
| Alliance | Star Alliance, so awards can be booked on partners such as United |
| Can you sell the mileage? | No. The member guide lists the sale of mileage as a violation. |
| Penalties named in the guide | Membership frozen or terminated, mileage cancelled, a bill for award tickets already used, legal costs |
| Does Air China pay cash for mileage? | No |
| Does The Points King buy or sell Air China miles? | No. We buy other airline programs, listed below. |
| Validity | 36 months from the month of the flight. The guide gives no way to extend it through activity. |
| Who can fly on your awards | You, plus up to ten registered assignees. A new or changed list waits 30 days. |
| Before you can book | Four qualifying flight segments on your account |
| Transfers in | Marriott Bonvoy: 60,000 points become 25,000 kilometers. None of the big US card programs. |
What the Rules Say as of October 2026
The English PhoenixMiles member guide on Air China’s site, checked on October 11, 2026, states that it took effect on November 25, 2023. Four points in it matter to anyone holding a balance today:
- Selling is named. The legal section lists the sale of mileage among the breaches of the award and membership rules.
- Ten assignees, 30 days. Each member can register up to ten people to receive award tickets. After a list is created or changed, a 30 day validation period applies before a new assignee can redeem. Older pages around the web still quote eight nominees and 60 days, so go by the guide.
- Four segments first. A member must complete at least four qualifying flight segments before redeeming for award tickets or upgrades. A balance built only from hotel point transfers cannot book a flight until that is met.
- No refunds of mileage. Once mileage is redeemed for an award it is not refunded on a voluntary cancellation. Changes cost CNY 100 per ticket on domestic awards and CNY 300 on international and regional ones.
Air China can change these rules, and the Chinese version of the guide may be newer than the English one. Read the current text before you act.
What Air China Can Do if You Sell
Under the guide, when Air China finds a violation such as a sale, it can act with or without notice. It can:
- ask the member to pay for its losses
- freeze or terminate the membership
- cancel the mileage in the account
- demand payment for award tickets that were already used
- recover legal and court fees, and take legal action
That list reaches tickets that have already been flown, which is a heavier remedy than losing the mileage alone. I set the wording of other programs side by side in what airline program rules say about selling miles.
What Air China Miles Are Worth
There is no published cents-per-kilometer figure for PhoenixMiles from the large valuation sites, and Air China does not post a cash value. I am not going to quote a buy price here either, because a price in a blog post goes stale.
The public evidence is thin. Upgraded Points’ guide to the program, last updated on October 16, 2025, gives one example of 200,000 kilometers for a round trip in Air China business class to mainland China, and its overall verdict is that most people will not get much value from the program. The same guide says Marriott transfers take at least five days.
Three things hold the value down: the 36 month clock that activity does not reset, the four segment rule, and the assignee list. For the general method of putting a number on a balance, see how airline miles are valued.
How to Get Value From Air China Miles: 6 Steps
- Check the oldest mileage first. Each batch is valid for 36 months from the month of the flight. Find the date your oldest kilometers lapse and plan around it.
- Confirm you can redeem. If the account does not yet show four qualifying flight segments, flight awards are locked. Non-flight rewards can be redeemed straight after joining.
- Register assignees now. If a spouse, parent or child might use an award, add them today. The 30 day wait starts when the list changes, not when you want to book.
- Price a Star Alliance award. PhoenixMiles kilometers can book flights on partners, which matters if you do not fly to China often. Upgraded Points lists 800-882-8122 as Air China’s phone line for bookings and service.
- Do not transfer hotel points in on a guess. Marriott Bonvoy points convert at 60,000 to 25,000 kilometers, and the move is one way. If the Marriott points are what you want rid of, we buy those directly: see selling Marriott Bonvoy points.
- Sell a different balance. We do not buy PhoenixMiles. If you also hold 50,000 or more miles in a larger program that you will not use, that balance can be sold. Read the risk section below first.
The same choices for other airlines are in my guide to turning airline miles into cash.
Selling Air China Miles to a Broker: the Risk
Brokers, including The Points King, buy airline miles for cash. Selling miles is against the terms of the programs on this page, and a program can take the miles back or close the account of a member who sells them. With Air China, the guide adds a bill for award tickets already used, and the assignee rules limit what any buyer could do with the kilometers in the first place. I cannot promise that an account will be left alone, and nobody who buys miles can. The risks of selling miles and points page sets this out in full.
We Do Not Buy Air China Miles: the Programs We Do Buy
The Points King does not buy or sell Air China PhoenixMiles, so please do not send a quote request for them. If you fly Air China and also hold a balance in a larger program, these are the airline programs we buy that cover similar routes:
- United MileagePlus miles, Air China’s Star Alliance partner in the US
- ANA Mileage Club miles
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
- Air Canada Aeroplan points
- American AAdvantage miles
- Delta SkyMiles
We also buy bank and hotel points, including American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards and World of Hyatt points. The full lists are on the sell airline miles and sell points pages. The terms are the same for each of them: a minimum of 50,000 miles or points, the price agreed by email is the price paid, and payment is by PayPal. Selling any of these is against that program’s own terms as well, so the risk section above applies to every one of them. Holders of Copa miles are in the same position, and I cover that program in can you sell Copa Airlines miles for cash.
Air China Miles FAQ
Does The Points King buy Air China miles?
No. We do not buy or sell Air China PhoenixMiles. We do buy miles from larger programs, including United, ANA, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Aeroplan, American and Delta, with a minimum of 50,000.
Are Air China miles really miles?
No. PhoenixMiles counts in kilometers. One mile is about 1.6 kilometers, so a PhoenixMiles balance looks larger than the same balance would in a program that counts miles.
Do Air China miles expire?
Yes. Redeemable mileage is valid for 36 months, counted from the month of the flight. The member guide does not offer a way to extend that by earning or spending.
Can I use my Air China miles for someone else?
Yes, for people on your assignee list. You can register up to ten, and a new or changed list has a 30 day validation period before those people can redeem.
Can I use Air China miles on United?
Yes. Air China is a Star Alliance member, so kilometers can book award seats on United and other alliance airlines once you have four qualifying flight segments.
Can I get cash from Air China for my miles?
No. The program offers award tickets, upgrades and non-flight rewards. It has no cash payout.
Do Chase, Amex or Capital One points transfer to Air China?
No. None of the big US card programs lists PhoenixMiles as a partner. Marriott Bonvoy is the main route in, at 60,000 points for 25,000 kilometers.
What happens if Air China decides I sold mileage?
The guide lets Air China freeze or close the membership, cancel the mileage, and charge for award tickets that were already used, along with its legal costs.
Sources
- Air China, PhoenixMiles member guide (English), effective November 25, 2023, read October 11, 2026
- Upgraded Points, Air China PhoenixMiles loyalty program guide, updated October 16, 2025
Update Log
- October 11, 2026: Rewritten in the first person by Joseph Hellman-Benjamin. Added the member guide rules on selling, penalties, the 36 month validity, the ten assignee limit with its 30 day wait, the four segment rule and change fees, with sources. Removed an outdated video link.
- October 11, 2026: Stated plainly that The Points King does not buy or sell PhoenixMiles, and listed the airline programs it does buy.