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The Death and Rebirth of Airline Loyalty – 25 Moments in 2015


Skift Take

25 Moments that Mattered in 2015: To make our selection of 25 moments, we thought back to the stories that drove reader engagement and sparked discussion among both travel experts and the general public. Some stories were quick blips that represented bigger things while others were narratives that built slowly through out the year. Each one, though, spoke to where we are right now when it comes to the big business of global travel.

Airline loyalty programs for the big three U.S. carriers Delta, United and American Airlines are now about dollars spent versus miles flown.

Delta first moved from a system that awards miles based on flight distance to one that recognizes how much a customer spends with the airline. United followed, matching a revenue-based scheme that had been used previously by airlines such as JetBlue and Southwest.

Last month American became the latest carrier to change-up its program, now awarding passengers miles based on the price of the ticket purchased. And award redemption levels will be calculated on a flown basis, so whatever a passenger’s status is when they fly those actual segments, that will be the multiplier used for that segment.

The Full Story:

American Airlines’ New Loyalty Program Makes Big Changes to AAdvantage

Why Airline Loyalty Programs Are More Confusing Now

5 Charts Showing Pros and Cons of Spend-Based Airline Loyalty Programs

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