Find Award Flights with GOL Smiles (Argentina)

What is GOL Smiles (Argentina)?

GOL Smiles is the frequent flyer program of GOL Airlines, a major Brazilian low-cost carrier known for its extensive domestic network and select international routes. The program's accrual and redemption structure is straightforward, earning mainly through flights, over a dozen point transfer banking partners in Argentina, and partner activity. In addition, it's possible to buy miles at highly promotional prices, or subscribe monthly to Club Smiles. Smiles offers four elite tiers – Smiles, Silver, Gold, and Diamond – with benefits ranging from priority check-in and baggage allowances to lounge access, bonus miles accrual, and free companion tickets. Their Club Smiles subscription also earns qualifying miles.

While redemption rates for GOL flights can be reasonable, especially when leveraging promotions or Miles & Money options, the program's true value lies in its partnerships. GOL belongs to no major airline alliance but has individual tie-ups with a ton of carriers (57+) like Emirates, Etihad, and Air France-KLM, allowing members to book award flights on these airlines using Smiles miles. This, coupled with the relatively weak Brazilian Real, can lead to exceptional value redemptions. The lack of alliance membership and occasional sudden devaluation can also pose challenges.

What's new with Smiles Argentina in 2025?

• New Airline Partnerships: In 2024, Smiles Argentina expanded its network by establishing a new partnership with British Airways, further enhancing international travel options for members.
• Potential Merger with Azul Airlines: In January 2025, GOL and Azul announced progress towards a potential merger, aiming to create a leading airline in Brazil controlling about 60% of the domestic market. This merger is expected to enhance connectivity and operational efficiency.
• Program Eligibility: Membership in GOL Smiles Argentina is exclusive to residents or individuals possessing a national ID number (DNI). Non-residents are encouraged to join the GOL Smiles Brazil program.
• Club Smiles Membership Costs: In 2024, there was a significant increase in the costs associated with monthly Club Smiles membership plans and the purchase of miles. This change has made participation more expensive for users. It's advisable to monitor official communications for any further adjustments in 2025.
• Airline Partnerships: GOL Smiles maintains partnerships with over 50 airlines, including Delta, Air France-KLM, Aeromexico, TAP Air Portugal, and Emirates. These collaborations offer members extensive options for award travel across various global destinations.
• Dynamic Award Pricing: The program employs dynamic pricing for award redemptions, meaning the miles required for flights fluctuate based on demand, timing, and availability. Members are encouraged to book strategically to maximize value.
• Club Smiles Benefits: Club Smiles offers various tiers (e.g., 1,000, 5,000, 10,000 miles) with escalating benefits corresponding to the monthly fees. Members receive bonus miles, reduced mileage requirements for certain redemptions, and access to exclusive promotions.
• Mileage Purchase Promotions: Smiles Argentina frequently runs promotions allowing members to purchase miles with significant bonuses, sometimes up to 200%. These offers can be advantageous for those looking to bolster their accounts for substantial redemptions.
• Cash + Miles Option: The Cash + Miles feature enables members to pay for tickets using a combination of miles and cash, providing flexibility for those who may not have sufficient miles for a full redemption.

How many GOL Smiles miles for a flight?

GOL Smiles, like many airline loyalty programs, offers a dynamic pricing structure for award tickets. This means that the number of Smiles Miles required for a flight can vary significantly depending on factors such as demand, the booking time, and the ticket's cash price. As a result, during busy travel periods or on popular routes, you may need more miles to secure an award seat. Conversely, if you're flexible with your travel dates or choose less popular routes, you might find that fewer miles are needed.

In our experience, Smiles' inventory and prices can be highly volatile. To maximize the value of your Smiles miles, we recommend booking flights as early as possible, remaining flexible with your travel plans, and consistently checking for availability. AwardFares can help monitor award availability and set alerts for specific routes. Plus, keeping an eye on cash ticket prices is a good practice, as higher cash fares often correlate with higher mileage requirements in GOL Smiles' dynamic system.

Smiles also offers unique benefits, such as booking flights on partner airlines like Air France, KLM, Delta, Etihad, etc. These partnerships provide added flexibility and allow you to use your Smiles miles on many international routes. Moreover, Smiles frequently runs promotions that can offer discounted award redemptions or bonus miles on purchases.

How much are Smiles Argentina miles worth?

For GOL Smiles members in Argentina, each Smiles mile has an approximate value of between $4 and $13 ARS per mile, depending on the redemption and how far in advance you book. The value of miles can be very wide and vary depending on the route, availability, and whether it's a direct redemption or a Smiles & Money fare.

Estimated value of Smiles miles (in Argentine pesos)

In general, each Smiles mile has an approximate value of between $4 and $13 ARS per mile, depending on the redemption and how far in advance you book. Here's a more concrete estimate based on 2025 data:

| Route / Class | Miles required | Estimated value in ARS | Value per mile (ARS) | |-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|------------------------------------------| | Buenos Aires – Mendoza (economy) | 7,000 miles | $40,000 – $52,000 | $5.71 – $7.43 | | Buenos Aires – Rio de Janeiro (economy) | 51,000 miles | $221,000 – $680,000 | $4.33 – $13.33 | | Buenos Aires – Madrid (business, Aeroméxico Europa) | 325,000 miles | $2,180,000 – $3,999,000 | $6.71 – $12.30 |

How much does it cost to buy Smiles miles?

Prices vary depending on promotions. Here's an updated summary:

| Purchase Type | Total in ARS | Cost per Mile (ARS) | Comment | |-------------------------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------------------| | Without promotion (400,000 miles) | $5,360,000 | $13.40 | Not recommended | | With voucher 80% OFF (400,000 miles) | $1,072,000 | $2.68 | Featured Offer (April 2025) |

With this promotion, each mile costs you only $2.68 ARS, making many redemptions—even domestic ones—profitable. However, without the promotion, the value exceeds $13 ARS per mile, and only a few very premium redemptions would justify that expense.

Reference table of required miles (one-way)

Want to know if a redemption is worth it? Divide the ticket price in pesos by the number of miles required. If the result is over $2.68 ARS per mile, you're gaining value compared to buying miles on sale.

Key features of Smiles Argentina

• Tiers and Elite Status: Smiles, Silver, Gold, Diamond.
• What We love: Smiles & Money (pay with miles and cash), GOL Club Lounge Access for elite members, qualify for Diamond via Club Smiles, an extensive partner airline network for international awards.
• Exclusive Perks: Focus on earning Smiles Miles, more than a dozen banking partners for miles transfer, promotional discounts and offers, free companion ticket for Diamond.
• Best Redemptions: Domestic Economy Class within Brazil for low-mileage redemptions, Delta Air Lines Business Class (Delta One), American Airlines Business Class, Etihad Business Class, ANA Business Class (The Room).
• Award Release Dates: On GOL, Smiles releases seats up to 359 days in advance. Partner airlines might have different policies. Read our full guide here.