HeyMax has a lot of transfer options, and those transfer options all have a variety of different partners. Today I wanted to explore the different partners that you could be flying with your Max Miles, which ones are my favourites, and which ones I've heard great things about (I haven't flown every airline in the below list).

I figured I'd focus mainly on longhaul business class redemptions, since this is one of the most aspirational ways we recommend using your Max Miles. I'll also focus on the products that I've had experience finding Max Miles availability with, and comment on how easy or difficult it is to find – I've left out options such as EVA Air and ANA business class, which are awesome products, but difficult to redeem using Max Miles alone.

I'll arrange it in roughly what I consider to be the best product available with Max Miles, though this isn't a definitive ranking.

1. Qatar Airways business class (QSuite)

Qatar Airways features an awesome business class product on some of their 777s and A350s. This was debuted in 2017, and called the QSuite – the seat is one of the best in the industry. The airline debuted business class suites with doors, and I still find these to be the most spacious seats out there. Qatar Airways also has a different type of suite on their 787-9, as well as great reverse herringbone seats on their A350s, 787-8s and A380s, which aren't quite as good as the QSuite, though still great.

The catch is that Qatar Airways has some other different types of aircraft, with inferior business class seats (especially on their 777).

Onboard, Qatar Airways has an amazing soft product as well, with Starlink WiFi, pajamas, dine-on-demand, and great cocktails and mocktails on offer. If you're on the A380, you'll even have access to the onboard bar.

In Doha, I also really like Qatar Airways' lounges. They're big and expansive, and also feature great a-la-carte menus, where you can get items ranging from lamb, to salmon, to a filet mignon.

Who to transfer your Max Miles to? I'd personally recommend using either Qatar Airways Avios or American Airlines AAdvantage to redeem flights between Europe/the U.S. and Asia. You may have to be flexible and not fly directly out of your home city, but instead be alright with trying to fly out of any city in Asia or to any city in Europe/U.S. where there's award space, as it can be quite hard to find Qatar Airways award space these days. I tend to be able to find some award space to Manila, Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur here in Asia, to Dallas or Los Angeles in the U.S., or to Madrid or other secondary cities in Europe.

2. Etihad business class

Etihad's hard product is not as exciting as Qatar Airways – the 787s and A380s feature an elegant staggered business class product, whereas their A350s feature an enclosed, though not incredibly spacious reverse herringbone seat.

While the seat itself is nothing special, I do find Etihad's onboard soft product to be exceptional. They have amenities from Casa Armani, including great bedding, and their catering is some of the best I've had in the air. They have great lounges in Abu Dhabi as well (the new Abu Dhabi airport opened after the last time I flew Etihad, so I haven't visited those lounges yet).

Who to transfer your Max Miles to? In this case I'd also recommend using American Airlines AAdvantage to redeem flights on Etihad. The catch is that you can't redeem Etihad business class flights until 30 days before your flight. Once you hit that 30 day window, though, I find availability to be better on Etihad than it is on most other carriers, including Qatar Airways. You may have to be flexible with which airports you fly out of as well.

3. Cathay Pacific business class

I've flown Cathay Pacific longhaul business class numerous times, including on their older 777s, A350s, and their new 777 with Aria Suite. Their A350s and new 777s have better seats than the older 777s – I find the A350 seats to be more spacious, whereas the new Aria Suite has better tech and privacy, though both are excellent.

Cathay Pacific also has an excellent soft product, particularly if you're flying out of Hong Kong – catering is great, and they have partnerships with multiple restaurants as well, serving dishes such as rack of lamb and wok fried lobster with seafood broth (pictured below). I also find the service and amenities in Cathay Pacific business class to be very competitive. I find catering out of outstations to be still good, though a notch below what you'll get out of Hong Kong.

Their lounges in Hong Kong are also awesome (as are their few outstation lounges at selected airports), and feature great catering including a made-to-order noodle bar, as well as creative drinks. However, do note that they're much more crowded on average than they used to be in the past.

Who to transfer your Max Miles to? If you're thinking of flying Cathay Pacific, you'll get by far the most options transferring your Max Miles directly to the Cathay Pacific Asia Miles programme. Flights to Europe and the U.S. run from 88,000 miles one-way in business class.

4. Japan Airlines A350 business class

I've never flown Japan Airlines' A350 business class before (I've only flown one of their mid-haul 777s before they were retired), though I've heard nothing but good things about this product. Their enclosed suites are spacious, and they have amazing food and drinks onboard as well.

Who to transfer your Max Miles to? American Airlines AAdvantage is the best source for Japan Airlines award space for me. They fly their A350s from Haneda to London, Paris, New York, and Dallas Fort Worth, and very sporadically have award space on either of these flights. You'll have to keep a keen eye out on award space, since it can be very rare.

Be sure to check out "married segments" – sometimes a seat may be available if the itinerary involves a connection (such as Sapporo-New York via Tokyo Haneda), but the individual segment may show as unavailable.

5. Thai Airways business class

While Thai Airways doesn't have the most inspiring hard product, they have a very widely acclaimed longhaul business class product. They're one of the only airlines to serve caviar in business class, and otherwise have great amenities and bedding, as well as delicious Thai catering. This is not an airline to miss if you're trying to fly between southeast Asia and Europe, though they don't really fly to the U.S..

Just note that they don't have the most inspiring lounges in Bangkok, so don't get your hopes up when it comes to the ground experience.

Who to transfer your Max Miles to? I'd personally suggest Aeroplan, where you can transfer 80,000 Max Miles to Aeroplan miles for a one-way business class flight between Asia and Europe.

6. Air France business class

I haven't flown Air France's longhaul business class, though I've heard it heralded as one of the best products in Europe. They have great enclosed business class suites with great tech (at least on their 777s and A350s), great bedding and amenities, great catering, and a good ground experience in Paris CDG.

Who to transfer your Max Miles to? I'd have the most luck finding availability on Flying Blue. Do note that it's a far better value flying Air France business class if there's saver award space – try and find a flight on Flying Blue that will cost you 85,000 miles, not 300,000 miles.

7. Starlux business class

This is another product I haven't flown before, though I've heard such great things. They have an awesome business class seat, free WiFi, good amenities and bedding, and very creative food and drinks. Starlux is an airline I'd love to fly, though they only fly to the U.S., and not to Europe (which has made it quite difficult for me to fly them as someone based in Europe). Generally you'll be redeeming flights out of the U.S., through Taipei, to certain destinations throughout southeast Asia (or Japan, if you prefer).

Who to transfer your Max Miles to? Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan allows you to redeem for Starlux business class, though do note that most of your options are out of the U.S..

Conclusion

Here are a few of the best aspirational business class flights you can redeem with your Max Miles. These are my personal favourites based on the overall experience, though there could be some sweet spots that I'm missing as well.

What's your favourite way to redeem your Max Miles for longhaul business class travel?

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