Find Award Flights with Ethiopian Airlines ShebaMiles

What is ShebaMiles?

ShebaMiles is the frequent flyer program of Ethiopian Airlines, a member of the Star Alliance network. Members earn miles by flying with Ethiopian Airlines, Star Alliance partners, and other affiliated carriers like ASKY, Malawian Airlines, and GOL. Miles can be redeemed for award flights, cabin upgrades, hotel stays, and more. ShebaMiles offers a four-tier elite status system—Blue, Silver, Gold, and Platinum—each providing increasing benefits such as bonus miles, lounge access, and priority services.

Key changes to ShebaMiles in 2025

• Updated Award Chart: Ethiopian Airlines has revised its one-way award chart to make redemptions more competitive. Notably, stopover charges have been removed from all award tickets on Ethiopian-operated flights.
• Tier Qualification Adjustments: Flights on partner airlines no longer count toward tier qualifying segments. Only Ethiopian Airlines international flights contribute to tier progression, with the number of qualifying segments varying by booking class.
• Flexible Mileage Top-Up: Members can now purchase additional miles to top up their accounts, facilitating easier redemptions when balances are slightly short.

How many ShebaMiles for a flight?

ShebaMiles employs a zone-based award chart for Ethiopian Airlines flights, with one-way redemptions starting from 15,000 miles. For Star Alliance partner flights, award tickets begin at 30,000 miles.

Example redemptions:

• 15,000 miles: One-way Economy Class within Africa.
• 30,000 miles: One-way Economy Class between Africa and Europe.
• 45,000 miles: One-way Business Class between Africa and the Middle East.
• 60,000 miles: One-way Business Class between Africa and Asia.

Note: Actual mileage requirements may vary based on specific routes and availability.

How much are ShebaMiles worth?

The estimated average value of a ShebaMiles mile is between 1.1 and 2.0 US cents per mile, depending on the redemption type. The value can increase significantly on long-haul flights in Business Class with Ethiopian Airlines or Star Alliance partners. The best value is typically found on early redemptions for intercontinental routes in Business Class. The worst value is found on short flights within Africa in Economy Class or when redeeming miles for non-flight-related services.

Key features of ShebaMiles

• Tiers and Elite Status: Blue, Silver, Gold, Platinum.
• What We Love: Access to a vast Star Alliance network, competitive redemption rates, and the ability to earn miles through various partners.
• Exclusive Perks: No stopover charges on Ethiopian flights, flexible mileage purchase options, and comprehensive upgrade opportunities.
• Best Redemptions: Business Class upgrades starting from 15,000 miles. Award tickets on Star Alliance partners starting at 30,000 miles.
• Award Release Dates: Award seats are typically released up to 330 days in advance. For more details on award availability and planning your redemptions, visit our Ultimate Guide to Award Release Dates.