Silver
10,000 qualifying miles in 12 months or 15,000 in 24 months
- 5% bonus miles on THAI flights
- Extra checked baggage
- Priority handling at THAI airports
Airline
Thai Royal Orchid Plus
Star AllianceHUBSBKKLast reviewed May 2026
Thai Royal Orchid Plus (ROP) is the loyalty program of Thai Airways International, the BKK-based Star Alliance carrier that emerged from court-supervised business rehabilitation in June 2025 and is rebuilding around its "Silk Hub" Bangkok strategy. The fleet is a mix of A350-900, 777-300ER, A330, and 787 widebodies - around 80 aircraft today, growing toward roughly 100 by end-2026 with 10 leased 787s arriving from March 2026. AMS resumed in July 2026, and the China network is expanding (Shenzhen, Wuhan, Chongqing) under CEO Chai Eamsiri. Annual passengers run around 16 million, and the iLoyal digital loyalty platform launched in 2025.
For US travelers, ROP is a niche currency. None of Amex MR, Chase UR, Capital One, Bilt, or Wells Fargo transfer to it. The practical bridges are Citi ThankYou (1:1 from premium cards, less from non-premium) and Marriott Bonvoy (3:1 with the 5,000-mile bonus at the 60K tier). The reasons to bother are very specific: Thai Royal Silk on the A350-900 to Europe is a strong product, and Star Alliance partner business class through ROP can occasionally beat United or Aeroplan pricing. Be ready for heavy fuel surcharges on THAI metal and most Star partners, and expect to pick up the phone for partner award booking.
Award chart
The actual numbers. Get your nerd on, memorize the cheap ones.
The cheat sheet.
See the rates →
Award chart
The actual numbers. Get your nerd on, memorize the cheap ones.
The cheat sheet.
ROP uses a region-based published award chart with two THAI-metal subcharts (direct ex-BKK vs connecting via BKK) plus a separate Star Alliance partner chart. Sample saver one-way pricing as of May 2026:
| Route | Cabin | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| US-BKK Star partners | Business | 80,000-90,000 |
| Europe-BKK THAI metal | Royal Silk | 60,000-70,000 |
| Intra-Asia Star partners | Business | 25,000-35,000 |
| Domestic Thailand THAI | Economy | 7,500-10,000 |
| Australia-BKK Star partners | Business | 60,000 |
Check current pricing on thaiairways.com - region edges and per-cabin pricing nudge occasionally.
Sweet spots
Where your points punch above their weight.
Where this currency genuinely shines.
Show me the picks →
Sweet spots
Where your points punch above their weight.
Where this currency genuinely shines.
- Marriott to ROP for Star Alliance redemptions - the practical US path when stockpiling Bonvoy.
- Transatlantic and intra-Asia partner business class on Star Alliance metal at competitive ROP pricing - check each route.
- THAI Royal Silk A350-900 BKK to Europe: a strong own-metal business-class product.
- Domestic Thailand on THAI at low mile prices for a layover splurge.
- Off-peak partner availability can produce sharper pricing than United's dynamic chart.
Transfer in
Programs that transfer points in.
6 programs that transfer in.
See inbound paths →
Transfer in
Programs that transfer points in.
6 programs that transfer in.
Programs that transfer points or miles into Thai Royal Orchid Plus.
| From | Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|
premium1:1 standard1:0.7 | Thai Royal Orchid Plus. | |
| 2:1 | 4,000 Reward points = 2,000 Royal Orchid Plus Miles. | |
| 5:2 | Standard World of Hyatt conversion at 5,000 points to 2,000 miles (5:2). Minimum 5,000 points, then 1,250 point increments. | |
| 5:1 | Convert IHG points to Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus by calling IHG One Rewards. Airline transfers are phone only, never online. Standard rate is 5,000 IHG points for 1,000 miles and can take up to six weeks to arrive. Airline conversions are usually weak value, so keep IHG points for hotel nights unless topping off a specific balance. | |
| 3:1 | Base 3:1 with a 5,000-mile bonus per 60,000 points transferred (effectively ~2.4:1 in 60K increments). | |
| 1:1 | Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus, 1:1. |
Tier benefits
The status ladder. 3 rungs, each unlocking better lounges, bags, and bragging rights.
3 status levels.
Climb the ladder →
Tier benefits
The status ladder. 3 rungs, each unlocking better lounges, bags, and bragging rights.
3 status levels.
Gold
50,000 qualifying miles in 12 months, 80,000 in 24 months, or 40 sectors
- Star Alliance Gold
- 10% bonus miles on THAI
- Royal Orchid Lounge access plus 1 guest
- 2 cabin upgrade certificates per year
- Priority check-in, boarding, and baggage worldwide
Platinum
80,000 miles on THAI in Royal Silk or First class in each of two consecutive 12-month periods
- 20% bonus miles
- Dedicated check-in at BKK
- Top priority on waitlists
- All Gold benefits
- Highest-tier recognition on THAI metal
Lounge access
Where to vanish before takeoff. Your status (or ticket) opens which doors.
Who gets in, who doesn't, and the carve-outs.
See the rules →
Lounge access
Where to vanish before takeoff. Your status (or ticket) opens which doors.
Who gets in, who doesn't, and the carve-outs.
Thai Airways operates Royal Orchid Lounges at BKK and select outstations, plus a Royal First Lounge at BKK for First Class passengers and top-tier members. Gold members get Royal Orchid Lounge access on same-day THAI or Star Alliance flights, plus Star Alliance Gold reciprocal lounge access worldwide. Silver does not get standard lounge access. There is no published day pass program for ROP lounges.
How to spend
The high-leverage moves. Read this before you transfer a single mile.
The smart-money plays.
Get the playbook →
How to spend
The high-leverage moves. Read this before you transfer a single mile.
The smart-money plays.
- Thai Royal Silk on A350-900 to Europe - the program's flagship own-metal product.
- Star Alliance partner business class via the ROP partner chart - sometimes beats United or Aeroplan pricing.
- Intra-Asia short-haul on THAI and Star partners at modest mile prices.
- Marriott Bonvoy bridge for US travelers without Citi premium - 60K Bonvoy yields 25K ROP.
- Citi premium-card 1:1 transfers for travelers targeting a specific Star Alliance award.
Tips & quirks
Stopover rules, surcharges, the stuff nobody tells you until you've been burned once.
The fine print, decoded.
Spill the gotchas →
Tips & quirks
Stopover rules, surcharges, the stuff nobody tells you until you've been burned once.
The fine print, decoded.
- Miles expire 36 months from earning quarter - per-batch expiry, no activity-based reset. One of the stricter rules in Star Alliance.
- Heavy fuel surcharges pass-through on THAI metal and most Star partners - factor fuel surcharges into any redemption math.
- Online award booking has expanded: THAI awards and many Star partners book online, though some complex itineraries still need a phone call.
- No US co-brand card - earning is by flying or transferring from Citi or Marriott.
- No formal pooling; family plan is limited - do not count on combining balances.
- Distance-based earning on THAI metal - fare class and distance both matter.
- Region-based published award chart with two THAI-metal subcharts (direct ex-BKK vs connecting via BKK) plus a separate Star Alliance partner chart.
- Citi transfer ratio depends on your Citi card: premium cards get 1:1, non-premium cards get less (card-dependent).
- Star Alliance member since 1997 - one of the founding members.
- iLoyal digital loyalty platform launched in 2025 - some account features have moved off the legacy ROP portal.
- Completed business rehabilitation in June 2025 - the program is stable, but check for operational changes on thaiairways.com before booking.
- Some partner awards can be booked online; complex routings may still need a call.
Frequently asked questions
- Which points transfer to Thai Royal Orchid Plus? The practical US routes are Citi ThankYou (1:1 on premium ThankYou cards, reduced on non-premium and card-dependent) and Marriott Bonvoy (3:1, with a 5,000-mile bonus per 60,000 points, so 60,000 Bonvoy yields 25,000 ROP miles). US Amex, Chase, Capital One, Bilt, and Wells Fargo do not transfer to ROP. Accor (2:1), World of Hyatt (5:2), IHG (5:1), and Rove Miles (1:1) also convert in.
- Do Thai Royal Orchid Plus miles expire? Yes, and the rule is strict. Miles expire 3 years (36 months) from the quarter in which they were earned, with no activity-based reset, so each quarter's miles have a hard deadline.
- What alliance is Thai Airways in? Thai Airways is a Star Alliance member, and one of the five founding members from May 1997. ROP can book Star Alliance partner awards, though ticketing partner space can require a phone call.
- Are there fuel surcharges on Thai Royal Orchid Plus awards? Yes, and they can be heavy. ROP passes carrier-imposed surcharges through to you on award tickets, and THAI-operated flights carry them, so factor the surcharges into the total before you book. Some Star partners, like United, do not add them.
- What is the best Thai Royal Orchid Plus redemption? A flagship redemption is Thai Royal Silk business class on the A350 from Bangkok to Europe, the airline's premium own-metal product to the region.
- Can I book Thai award tickets online? Yes, for many awards, which can now be booked online at thaiairways.com, though some complex or partner itineraries still need a phone call. THAI-operated awards use zone-based published charts (non-stop, connecting via Bangkok, and connecting beyond Bangkok), and Star Alliance partners use a separate 12-zone chart.
Alerts
No alerts match your filters.
Try clearing your filters or check back later.
Last reviewed: May 2026
Loyalty programs change rules, fees, transfer ratios, and award pricing all the time — sometimes without warning. We do our best to keep these pages current, but the program's own site is always the final word. Always confirm specifics directly with Thai Royal Orchid Plus before transferring miles or booking an award. Treat anything on this page as a starting point, not a guarantee. Crazy4Points is not responsible for actions taken based on information here — see our Terms of Service for full details.