Keep these tips in mind to maximize your airline loyalty programs!

Many travel brands have loyalty programs that reward customers with points for buying eligible services or products. These points can then be redeemed for exclusive benefits and various perks related to travel.

Oftentimes, flyers like to stick to a single airline loyalty program so they can concentrate all their efforts and purchases in one place and build up a larger balance. This way, they can use their accumulated points and miles sooner, and enjoy more perks and rewards.

It sounds like a good deal—you get extra rewards for spending money on flights while the travel company, in turn, gets an increase in sales and customer loyalty because of their generous incentives! However, there are also disadvantages to being loyal to a specific travel brand’s loyalty program.  

The downside of being loyal to a single airline company for rewards and points:

1. Loyalty programs tend to benefit the company more than the customer.

One thing to keep in mind about loyalty programs is that the requirements, rules, and guidelines in earning and spending points are all written by the company alone. The rules can change instantly and you won’t always learn about it.

This lack of flexibility and unpredictability often leads to the company’s gain rather than the customer’s. 

An example of a company making quick changes to their loyalty program specifications is how reward points and miles can devalue over time. The value of reward points and miles are based entirely on the company’s discretion. If the airline decides to make changes, they can easily take value away from your points and miles. This means if you’re not quick enough in spending your points, the eventual devaluation can make it difficult for you to make the most out of your rewards.

2. The casual traveler can only enjoy a limited number of perks.

In loyalty programs, there are usually tiers of membership. For example, the Delta SkyMiles program has 4 tiers of medallion memberships—silver, gold, platinum, and diamond. Each level has their own list of requirements and perks. The higher your status, the more benefits you can enjoy.

To be part of the first 3 tiers, members must spend USD 25,000 or more in eligible purchases in a year. For the top tier, the Diamond MQD Waiver, you need to spend USD 250,000. 

For the ordinary person, these are expensive purchases to make. Even the low-tier memberships may be difficult for most people to achieve because of the purchase requirement. Unfortunately, most travel brand loyalty programs only offer customers who spend a lot of money the best rewards and perks.

This means casual, ordinary flyers don’t really get much out of these deals because it’s very unlikely for them to reach the status with great benefits in an airline loyalty program.

3. Loyalty programs might make you think it’s worth it to spend more.

Loyalty program statuses and membership levels only last for a certain amount of time. Even if you’ve reached a certain tier, it’s bound to expire. After expiration, you have to start from scratch and complete all the requirements to reach that tier membership level again.

Sometimes, people would opt for more expensive flight options so they reach their target tier faster, or so they can retain their status in the program. They spend more money for perks and benefits. 

This strategy is ineffective. It’s important to remember that loyalty programs stop being beneficial to the customer when the customer has to spend more money than their usual expenses just to meet certain requirements. Most of the time, high-tier memberships aren’t even worth it for the casual flyer.

Overall, loyalty programs and their exclusive offers and points can definitely help you save money on your next flights and other flight-related purchases. However, you have to be more strategic about it. Sticking with one loyalty program may not be the best choice to make as a casual flyer because it’s hard to achieve usable perks and rewards this way. 

Instead, you should consider branching out to other loyalty programs that can offer you more benefits without breaking the bank.

Don’t limit yourself to just one airline’s loyalty program!

As they say, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Instead of being loyal to one rewards program, try exploring your options and signing up for other reward programs as this will lead to more perks and benefits. 

1. Credit card rewards programs offer flexibility.

Credit card rewards programs usually have flexible options for using your points. Unlike travel loyalty programs where your points can only be used within that company and their few chosen partners, credit card rewards programs usually allow its customers to redeem their points and use them to purchase from a wider range of brands.

For example, Chase Bank’s Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be spent not only on airfare, but also on the Chase travel portal, powered by Expedia, which offers thousands of additional choices for your next flights and lodgings.

Furthermore, many credit card companies partner with various hotels and airlines so their customers have more options to spend their points on. This also means if an airline company’s points were devalued, your credit card points would be unaffected because the credit card company isn’t directly tied to that travel brand.  

2. Joining multiple loyalty programs allows more ways to earn miles.

When you join more than one rewards program, you get the opportunity to earn points from every flight and non-airfare purchases you make.

Many loyalty programs let their members receive points when they make purchases in chosen shopping websites, hotel chains, restaurants, and car rentals. Every airline has a different list of partners where you can spend your points on, so when you sign up for multiple loyalty programs, you can use your points in more places and establishments. 

Here are some examples of airlines partnering with other companies in their loyalty programs:

• Delta and Instacart, Lyft, and Airbnb
• American Airlines and Hyatt
• Southwest Airlines and its Rapid Rewards shopping portal

3. New members of loyalty programs receive incentives.

Joining new loyalty programs can earn you sign-up bonuses and rewards. 

For example, TAP Air Portugal offers their new members 200 Miles&Go miles upon joining their program. Meanwhile, other airlines require members to purchase airfare tickets before giving them their rewards. Etihad Guest, for instance, offers their new members 500 miles after completing their first flight with the airline.

Earning bonus rewards for signing up is a great incentive, but make sure to plan out how you’re going to use your accumulated points before they expire.

4. Linking loyalty program accounts come with benefits.

After signing up for multiple loyalty programs, you can get more rewards by connecting your various accounts with each other. Many airlines offer these kinds of rewards, so it’s best to take advantage of them for additional points and benefits.

For example, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite members can claim United Silver elite status when they link their Marriott and United accounts. Members can enjoy benefits like upgrades to first class, a free extra-lagoon seating during check-in, free checked bags, bonus miles, and more. Additionally, linked accounts allow easy transfer from United miles to Bonvoy points. 

At first, it might not be obvious, but being loyal to a specific airline or travel brand isn’t the best way to collect rewards from your purchases. 

Try branching out and joining multiple airline loyalty programs to earn miles and points whenever you fly and when you sign up for a new account! This way, you can explore the various partners of each rewards program and have the opportunity to spend your points on a wider range of brands.