China Airlines has teamed up with Plusgrade to roll out new “loyalty currency retailing” features for its Dynasty Flyer frequent flyer programme, giving members more ways to manage their miles beyond flying.
The update introduces three capabilities that are new to Dynasty Flyer, Buy Miles, Gift Miles, and Reinstate Miles (reactivate expired miles). The products are powered by Points, Plusgrade’s loyalty business unit, and are positioned as part of China Airlines’ push for a more flexible, digital-first member experience.
What’s new for Dynasty Flyer members
Instead of waiting to earn miles the slow way (one flight at a time, one boarding pass at a time), Dynasty Flyer members can now:
- Buy Miles to top up their balance and reach a redemption faster
- Gift Miles to friends and family (useful when someone is just short of an award)
- Reinstate Miles to bring back miles that have expired
Plusgrade says this is a meaningful step in its Asia-Pacific expansion, arguing that frequent flyers in the region are highly engaged and expect more control over how rewards are earned, used, and managed.
Why this matters (even if you are not a hardcore points nerd)
For regular travellers, these features typically solve three annoying real-life problems:
- You are a few miles short of a redemption, and now you can buy the gap rather than abandon the booking.
- You want to consolidate value within a family, gifting miles can help someone else redeem sooner.
- You forgot about your miles, and they expired. Reinstate is effectively a second chance (usually for a fee, depending on programme rules).
China Airlines frames the launch as part of its wider effort to upgrade the Dynasty Flyer experience and create new growth opportunities through seamless online engagement.
Quick explainer
| Feature | What it does | When you’d use it |
|---|---|---|
| Buy Miles | Purchase miles directly | You are short for an award ticket or upgrade |
| Gift Miles | Send miles to someone else | Family pooling vibes, or helping a friend hit a redemption |
| Reinstate Miles | Reactivate expired miles | You missed the expiry date and want them back |
The bigger picture
Airlines have been moving loyalty programmes beyond “fly more, earn more”, into tools that behave a bit more like digital wallets. With these additions, China Airlines is aligning Dynasty Flyer with features already common in many global programmes, while giving members more options to squeeze value out of miles (or rescue them from the dreaded expiry trap).