Loyalty Programs Still Show Some Life for Decimated Hotels and Airlines
Skift Take
In the past two months, travelers have bought roughly 100 million points and miles a day, on average. That's good news for cash-strapped airlines and hotels. They're using promotions to transform potentially costly refunds for canceled travel into less costly miles and points.
With so many people housebound, you might assume travelers have ignored their loyalty programs. But that's less true than you might think: loyalty programs are still showing some activity, which is good news for cash-starved airlines and hotels.
Many travelers have been continuing to buy frequent flier miles and hotel points. Between the start of February and the end of March, travelers bought more than 100 million points and miles a day, on average, according to Points, which runs loyalty currency sales for more than 55 airline and hotel loyalty programs.
What Points won't offer up is how that 100 million compares with an average two-month period. A spokesperson declined to disclose a number that would serve as a way to gauge the activity during the coronavirus crisis.
Just the same, airlines and hotels have been coming up with creative loyalty efforts to both keep customers engaged and also to smoo
