Travel Loyalty News

Allowing guests to skip the application process would ruin the expedited security check, so while loyalty members will still have to sit through interviews, they won’t have to pay for them.

It's more of a hassle, but travelers who don't have upper-tier frequent flyer status, can get into TSA precheck through U.S. Customs and Border Protection Trusted Traveler programs.

Business travelers are often reward members but taxi between a limited number of cities. The campaign should suggest ways for points earned on business to be turned into vacations in new destinations.

Delta could work out a solution with AwardWallet and other tracking sites, but the airline would rather limit access to preferred partners and relegate most member engagement to its own websites.

Delta says it wants to improve the customer experience by participating in the Apple Passbook program, but it risks alienating these same customers already using TripIt Pro and AwardWallet.

Delta believes through such actions it is protecting its intellectual property, but its actions alienate loyal customers who don't want to be locked into Delta's clunky services to access their loyalty information.

While legacy carriers seem intent on alienating their most loyal customers with expiring points and fewer seat options, JetBlue and Virgin see the programs for what they are: a way to retain their best customers.

United’s new ad appeals to the growing number of fliers with few mileage points that hope to snag a free seat. But fliers should be aware that the claim is based on a single survey and only stands up when compared to U.S. carriers.

The trends are clear as consolidation takes hold in the U.S. and global alliances become all-powerful. Fewer, more stable airlines, maybe, but it's not necessarily advantageous for passengers trying to get from here to there with a reasonable fare.

Award seats are harder to find than ever due to schedule cuts causing fewer flights and higher fares. This means mileage holders are fighting for a seat months before their travel dates.