Singapore’s Changi Airport Revamps its Own Traveler Loyalty Program

Fresh on the tails of winning the 2014 SkyTrax World’s Best Airport award last week, at Passenger Terminal Expo in Barcelona, Singapore Changi Airport has decided they can do better.

Airport officials today announced a fully revamped loyalty program, Changi Rewards. Members will receive “exciting new rewards and exclusive benefits” when they shop or dine at Changi Airport.

The new Changi Rewards program is based on three membership tiers: Regular Member, Gold and Platinum. The qualifying annual net spend for the Gold and Platinum tiers are S$4,000 and S$8,000 respectively.

With each tier, returns and privileges increase. Regular members will earn one point for every dollar spent at Changi Airport, Gold Members will receive double points and Platinum members will receive triple points, and upon qualification for the year a bonus of their choice of 25,000 Changi Rewards points or Krisflyer miles on Singapore Airlines. Bonuses for Platinum will be awarded based on qualifying net spend from 2014.

Changi Rewards members can accumulate points over the program year from April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015.

Points can also be redeemed for Changi Dollar Vouchers (at a redemption rate of 500 for S$5), and those vouchers can be used at most of the 350 retail and 120 dining outlets at the airport.

Gold and Platinum members can convert their points to air miles for Singapore Airlines’ Krisflyer program at a rate of 3,000 Changi Rewards points for 1,000 Krisflyer miles.

Singapore Changi has also announced that they will raffle three tickets for flights on Singapore Airlines each week. To qualify for the draw, members must spend at least S$30 net in a single receipt. Regular members will qualify for one entry per week in the draw, while Gold and Platinum members will each enjoy five and 10 chances to win respectively.

Members will be able to earn points at almost all the shops and restaurants located in both the transit and public areas, and enjoy rebates. Beyond the duty-free savings in the departures area, Changi offers shoppers 7%GST savings in the airport’s public areas, under their GST absorption promotion. Platinum members could save up to 10% on their purchases throughout the airport (based on 7% GST savings + 3% rebates in the form of Changi Reward points).

Membership applications for Changi Rewards can be made online at changirewards.com, or at the Changi Rewards booths in the Departure Transit Malls of each terminal, as well as the public area of Terminal 3, Basement 2 (opposite NTUC Fairprice).

A Runway to Loyalty

Airport reward schemes are popular ways for airports to encourage passenger spending and increase their revenue.

Heathrow Airport, which won the 2014 SkyTrax World’s Best Terminal for their Terminal 5 and World’s Best Shopping, has a Heathrow Rewards program which, among other deals, offers 90 minutes of free Wi-Fi to members.

Copenhagen Airport, which won the SkyTrax Best Airport in Northern Europe and Best Airport Security awards offers free unlimited WiFi to its members. Members can also earn rewards when they pay the DKK169 to use the CPH Apartment Lounge.

But not all airports see the point of points.

Neither Munich Airport, awarded third-place for 2014 SkyTrax World’s Best Airport, nor Seoul Incheon, runner-up for World’s Best Airport, have loyalty programs.