Brazilian carrier Gol is part-owned by Delta. It can make sense to credit Delta flights to Gol. They have a number of partners — including surprising ones.
Their award chart isn’t across the board generous but it’s reasonable, what keeps this program out of the headlines the most is that much of their website is in Portuguese and that the program pages lack a great deal of information.
You’re going to want to familiarize yourself with this program because they’re running a promotion that is insane and off the charts: hotel bookings for miles worth far more than the hotel nights themselves.
This is a triple miles campaign for first time users valid for the next 4 days. And their normal offerings on the Rocketmiles platform look pretty good to begin with.
A search for New York the night of September 13th brings up 150,000 miles for the W Hoboken at $659 for the night.
Searching the same night in Chicago yields offers about as good.
Gol Smiles partners with:
- Delta, Air France, KLM
- Additional SkyTeam members Aerolineas Argentinas, Korean Air, Aeromexico
- Star Alliance carriers TAP Air Portugal, Air Canada
- Gulf carriers Qatar, Emirates, and Etihad
It’s worth checking out just to remind yourself that Delta has an equity stake in an airline that partners with Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar. And while they play American for a greater fool with that airline severing codeshare ties wih both Etihad and Qatar out of ‘consistency’ Delta is perfectly good making strategic alliances that advance its own interests.
However it’s really worth checking out for this massive mileage-earning opportunity. Be aware that Gol Smiles is a program you want to earn and burn in, that miles can expire after just 12 months and I don’t believe you are going to be able to extend these miles simply with additional activity. The point is you want to earn these miles and spend them almost immediately.
Update: you can even come out ahead if you just redeem the miles earned via a hotel booking on a hotel stay crazy as that seems!
Here’s an official response from Smiles. Looks like it’s a no go Gary…. (I’m also Gary btw)
Thank you for contacting Hotéis Smiles.
You need to have a Brazilian CPF (tax ID) in order to be part of Smiles club. For more information about being a member of Smiles, please contact them directly at 0300-115-7001.
Kind regards,
Hotéis Smiles Concierge
0800 878-5032 (Ligação Gratuita)
+55 11 4680-3565 (Internacional)
@Gary since when did you get a good answer from a random customer service rep?
Anyone managed to register for ‘Smiles’?
Errors of not all required fields completed in both Chrome and Edge.
I would say the following rules in plain English, right from the promotion web site, clearly states you must be a Brazilian citizen with a valid CPF. This means a no go for us American citizens residing in the USA.
PROMOTION REGULATION – 200% BONUS WITH ROCKETMILES
This promotional action is sponsored by SMILES SA, a publicly-held corporation, registered with the CNPJ / MF under No. 15.912.764 / 0001-20, headquartered in the city of Barueri, State of São Paulo, at Alameda Rio Negro, nº 585, Building Padauiri, Block B, 2nd floor, sets 21 and 22, Alphaville, CEP 06454-000, hereinafter referred to as “Smiles”.
I – PROMOTION
1. The participant duly enrolled Smiles Program, resident and domiciled in Brazil, with a valid CPF that between 10:00 AM (Brasilia time) on July 21, 2017 and 23:59 (Brasília time) on 07/31/2017 (“Period Of Vigillance “) to purchase a hotel daily in the Smiles area with the partner RockeMiles whose CheckOut is given until September 15, 2017, using only money (credit card) can accumulate 200% (two hundred percent) in Miles Smiles Bonus On the amount of Smiles Miles presented at the time of booking that will be accumulated with the reservation and overnight at the chosen hotel (“Bonus Miles”).
3. The Participant will be eligible for the Bonus Miles as well as the Miles arising from the after-night accumulation (check-out) at the hotel booked under this Promotion.
4. Miles accrued from the accumulation as well as Bonus Miles will be made available in the Participant’s Smiles account which has re-booked daily rates on the Smiles website with partner RocketMiles within 30 (thirty) business days after CheckOuts dates made up to 15 Of September 2017; And for non-refundable nightly rates on the Smiles website with partner RocketMiles within 10 (ten) business days after the date of reservation. The Miles arising from the accumulation will be valid according to the category of the Participant in the Smiles Program, under the terms of the regulation, and the Bonus Miles will be valid for 06 (six) months from the time they become available in the Participant’s Smiles account.
Did the promo..got all the miles they promised! Thank you Jeff for all of your hard work!!