Unveiled: Airline Loyalty Systems, Perks They Offer, and Selecting the Ideal One Among Options
In the bustling aviation landscape of India, two prominent frequent-flyer programs (FFPs) have gained significant popularity among domestic and international travelers – Air India's Maharaja Club and IndiGo's BluChip.
Frequent-flyer programs offer customers the ability to accumulate points or miles that can be redeemed for air travel or other rewards. The Maharaja Club and BluChip are no exception, providing members with opportunities to earn points through various means, such as flying with the airline or its partners, spending money at associated retail outlets, using co-branded bank cards, using car hire companies, and checking into hotels or other linked businesses.
Air India's Maharaja Club, a member of the Star Alliance, offers Tier Points and Maharaja Points. Tier Points help passengers climb tiers, unlocking benefits like priority check-in and lounge access. Maharaja Points can be redeemed on booking flights, cabin upgrades, and more. The family pool function in the Maharaja Club enables groups of people to combine their points.
On the other hand, IndiGo's BluChip program, which does not belong to any global coalition, offers BluChips. Unlike most FFPs, BluChips do not expire after a specific period of time; instead, they have lifetime validity as long as your account is active. IndiGo BluChip members do not experience blackout dates, making it easier to redeem points for desired flights. The program received two million members just six months after launch, highlighting its appeal.
In 2024, India saw around 174 million origin and destination (O&D) air passengers, making it the world’s third biggest market by departing passenger journeys. With approximately 136 million domestic O&D passengers in the same year, the demand for FFPs in India has grown rapidly alongside increased air travel. However, specific market size data for these programs is limited in available sources.
The Emirates Skywards program, with 35 million members worldwide for 2024-2025, is another popular choice with Indians due to the India-UAE travel corridor. Malaysia Airlines has also expanded a free bonus side trip offer for global travelers.
When choosing an airline rewards program, it's important to consider mapping routes to alliances/currencies, pricing out "miles" and taxes and surcharges, checking the app and service quality, looking at surcharges on "free" tickets, ensuring the program has liquidity, using one airline rewards program most frequently, and making a family pool account. It's crucial to remember that redeemed points can be used for air travel, other goods or services, or increased benefits such as travel class upgrades, airport lounge access, fast-track access, or priority bookings.
For Indian travelers who split time between domestic and international travel, the Maharaja Club is considered the most beneficial loyalty program. Its easy-to-use and transparent nature, global reach, and attractive domestic value make it a preferred choice.
As the aviation industry in India continues to grow, so does the competition among FFPs, offering travelers more opportunities to maximise their rewards and enhance their travel experiences.
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