Aeroplan recognized with Best Redemption Ability & Top Trending in the latest Freddie Awards

Air Canada’s Aeroplan loyalty program has been recognized for Best Redemption Ability and, for a third time, as the top trending program in delivering value to members in the Americas in a survey of global frequent fliers by the Freddie Awards, which celebrate the world’s leading loyalty programs.

“We’re thrilled to be recognized by our members for the unbeatable value we offer,” said Scott O’Leary, Vice President, Loyalty and Product at Air Canada. “With flight rewards starting at just 6,000 points and more airline partners than any other airline program in the world, Aeroplan truly enables you to travel more and travel better.”

The transformed Aeroplan program was launched in November 2020. It is designed to put the member experience first and to offer exceptional value. As part of its improved value on flight rewards, Aeroplan offers flight rewards to thousands of destinations worldwide on Air Canada and 45 partner airlines. The program offers predictable pricing, with access to every seat available on Air Canada flights and no cash surcharges, plus the option to pay with Points + Cash. Members also have an integrated booking experience, with the ability to search and redeem for flight rewards at aircanada.com or on the Air Canada app which includes the ability to add a stopover to an international itinerary for just 5,000 points.

In addition to flight rewards, Aeroplan Members can also redeem points for other notable items including:

Extra travel perks such as upgrades and in-flight Wi-Fi for as low as 1,000 points;

More than 1,200 merchandise items at the Aeroplan eStore where you can find the latest electronics, gift cards and ecards, housewares, and much more;

More than 300,000 hotels and 11,000 car rentals worldwide;

Booking a scenic rail journey with Rocky Mountaineer or when booking a vacation with Air Canada Vacations;

A brand-new capability for members to convert Aeroplan points to Starbucks Stars to redeem for Starbucks coffee, food items and more, starting at 1,000 Aeroplan points for 200 Starbucks Rewards stars

At a ceremony for the Freddie Awards in New Orleans, Air Canada’s Aeroplan was presented with the Best Redemption Ability and the 210 Award for the airline in the Americas whose program value vote rating was trending higher. The awards this year were based on 2.5 million ballots submitted by frequent travellers from across the globe. Known as the “Voice of the Frequent Flyer”, the Freddie Awards are the most prestigious member-generated awards in the travel loyalty industry and were established in 1988 and are named for Freddie Laker, who revolutionized the global travel industry in the 1970s. 

Want me in your inbox? Follow here for email updates Air101 here.

Air Canada is donating 100 million Aeroplan points to support the Canadian government's initiative to bring Ukrainians to Canada.

Air Canada is donating 100 million Aeroplan points to support the Canadian government's initiative to bring Ukrainians to Canada. The points will contribute towards facilitating transportation and can be used on flights operated by Air Canada and its Star Alliance partners including Lufthansa, LOT Polish Airlines, SWISS, United Airlines and other carriers.  The Shapiro Foundation is also contributing to this effort and Miles4Migrants, a non-profit charity will manage and facilitate the flight bookings.

"Together with our employees, we are ready and prepared to assist and support the Canadian Government's plans to bring Ukrainian people to Canada. With our 100 million Aeroplan points donation, we offer our global network and the strength of our Star Alliance partnerships, in facilitating travel to Canada. We are proud to work with other organizations and international programs to contribute towards a goal to enable up to 10,000 people to travel to Canada as quickly as possible," said Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada.

"Our vision at Miles4Migrants is a world where displaced persons of all backgrounds can find safety and community in new homes. As we have been seeing Ukrainians become displaced, our community of donors has once again responded, donating to support flights for Ukrainian families to reach safety over the past weeks," said Diane Padilla, Executive Director of Miles4Migrants.

"We are honoured and ready to join the Government of Canada, The Shapiro Foundation, and Air Canada to expand our impact and help fly thousands of Ukrainians to their new homes. We are confident that the Canadian public and private sector will join us in our effort to fund their flights."

"We are humbled to be able to play a part in assisting Ukrainian families who are being so warmly welcomed by Canadians. We know that access to flights is a critical need and we are proud to partner with Air Canada. We will double Aeroplan member donations towards Ukrainian travel, and donate the equivalent of up to 50 million Aeroplan points to help more people travel to Canada," said Ed Shapiro, trustee for The Shapiro Foundation.

Aeroplan members may elect to contribute towards this initiative facilitating Ukrainians travelling to Canada by donating Aeroplan points at Ukrainian Relief Fund.  From April 20 2022 until July 2022, members who donate Aeroplan Points to the Ukrainian Relief Fund or to Miles4Migrants will double the impact of their contribution as the value of the points donated will be matched, by a donation equal to up to 50,000,000 points, by the Shapiro Foundation.

Air Canada's support for Ukrainian relief aid to date includes:

An Air Canada donation of $10 per booking made on its website starting March 22 for a total donation of $250,000 to Ukraine relief aid;

Air Canada employees and the Air Canada Foundation donated $170,000 to support Ukraine relief;

On March 9 Air Canada operated a humanitarian special cargo flight on behalf of Airlink and other aid partners transport hospital beds, humanitarian and medical supplies to Warsaw, Poland and medicines destined for Lviv, Ukraine;

Ongoing transportation of medical supplies to Europe with a final destination in the Ukraine;

Transportation of rapid response teams to scale up operations in Europe to help arriving Ukrainian families.

Want me in your inbox? Follow here for email updates Air101 here.

Chase and IHG® Hotels & Resorts Launch New Business Mastercard and Enhanced Benefits Across the Chase IHG® Rewards Consumer Mastercard Portfolio

This week, Chase, the largest co-brand card issuer in the U.S., and IHG® Hotels & Resorts announced the launch of the new IHG® Rewards Premier Business Mastercard®, with Mastercard as the exclusive payments network, designed to help small business owners turn everyday expenses into meaningful travel rewards. In tandem with this news, Chase and IHG also activated new and enhanced benefits across the IHG® Rewards Traveler and Premier Consumer Mastercard® products.

All three cards feature benefits allowing cardmembers to earn points faster than ever before, as well as simplified pathways to IHG Rewards’ new Elite tiers and optimized ways to use points. This includes the new industry-leading ability for Premier and Premier Business cardmembers to add unlimited points to Anniversary Free Night certificates, increasing the flexibility of where the Anniversary Free Night certificates can be used across IHG Hotels & Resorts’ growing global portfolio of 17 brands and 6,000 destinations. These updates to the card portfolio align with IHG® Hotels & Resorts’ new vision for the IHG Rewards loyalty program, beginning with new tiers launching in April 2022.

“With the addition of the new IHG® Premier Business Mastercard and updates to the Premier and Traveler cards, we’re excited about what our strong cards offer those who love traveling,” said Ed Olebe, President of Chase Co-Brand Cards. “The cards complement IHG’s reimagined loyalty program, providing an accelerated way to earn points and benefits that will help create more memorable travel experiences for our cardmembers.”

“We set out to offer our members reimagined benefits to meet their needs for today’s environment and are really proud of what we have delivered with our new consumer and business cards,” said Heather Balsley, Senior Vice President of Global Loyalty and Partnerships, IHG Hotels & Resorts. “By offering the fastest way to earn rewards, including new benefits like 5X points on purchases at gas stations, up to $50 United® TravelBank Cash each calendar year, we’re helping turn everyday expenses for consumers and small business alike into meaningful travel rewards that can be applied at our more than 6,000 destinations across the world, including leading global brands such as InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton® Hotels & Restaurants and Holiday Inn Express®.”

“Mastercard is thrilled to continue the partnership with Chase and IHG Hotels & Resorts, to support the product travelers choose for rewards that help fuel their passions, and now the product small business owners can rely on for benefits that are meaningful to them as well,” said John Levitsky, Executive Vice President, Mastercard. “People are looking for card benefits that match their lifestyle and through our Chase and IHG Hotels & Resorts portfolio, we’re creating propositions that they find truly rewarding and that are accessible simply by going about their every day or operating their business.”

On the IHG® Rewards Traveler Mastercard (no fee), updates and enhanced benefits include:

American Airlines and JetBlue bring in more perks for loyalty status members

Starting today, AAdvantage status members and TrueBlue Mosaic members will have access to complimentary Main Cabin Extra or Even More Space seats when checking in for a flight on American Airlines or JetBlue.

Select status members can also request a same-day confirmed flight change when traveling on either carrier.

Admirals Club members can access Admirals Club lounges when flying on JetBlue.

American Airlines and JetBlue have announced they will be adding a whole host of new perks for its most loyal travellers - AAdvantage status and TrueBlue Mosaic status members.

Starting today, when checking in for an American or JetBlue flight, AAdvantage status members and TrueBlue Mosaic members can choose complimentary Main Cabin Extra or Even More Space seats when available. American’s Main Cabin Extra and JetBlue’s Even More Space amenities include extra legroom, early boarding and dedicated overhead bin space.

 Northeast Alliance

“American and JetBlue are committed to delivering a seamless travel experience to customers through our Northeast Alliance,” said Alison Taylor, American’s Chief Customer Officer. “Part of that dedication includes making travel even more enjoyable for our loyal members, who inspired this opportunity. We look forward to their feedback about this chance to elevate their travel across American and JetBlue.”

AAdvantage Executive Platinum and Platinum Pro members and TrueBlue Mosaic members are also eligible for same-day confirmed flight changes when travelling on either carrier.

“We know our most loyal customers love the added perks and flexibility that come with being a TrueBlue Mosaic member, which is why, together with American, we’re extending more great benefits to our travelers when they are flying on American-operated flights,” said Don Uselmann, Vice President Loyalty & Personalization, JetBlue. “At the same time, we continue to add value to our Northeast Alliance by also extending additional perks and flexibility to American’s status members when they fly JetBlue. It’s another win as we continue to add value to our loyalty programs.”

These new customer benefits are in addition to the priority check-in, priority baggage, priority security and priority boarding benefits that were implemented last fall. AAdvantage status members receive up to two complimentary checked bags when travelling on JetBlue and TrueBlue Mosaic members can also now check two complimentary checked bags at American Airlines kiosks when arriving at the airport.

Also starting in April, Admirals Club members travelling on JetBlue will be able to access Admirals Club lounges, including the newly opened lounge space at LaGuardia Airport (LGA). American’s Admirals Club lounges are membership-based lounges that feature complimentary amenities like food and beverages, Wi-Fi, business centres, and kids’ rooms.

In summer 2022, the NEA will offer nearly 500 daily departures from New York’s three major airports and 200 daily departures from Boston. As part of the growth related to the NEA, American plans to launch a new nonstop service between John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Doha, Qatar, in June, becoming the only U.S.-based carrier to serve the Middle East destination. Separately, JetBlue will launch its first-ever Canadian route with a new nonstop service between JFK and Vancouver, Canada (YVR), in June. For more information about the NEA, visit www.NEAflies.com.

Follow this site here.

Qantas Frequent Flyers going green.......

Qantas Frequent Flyers can now start earning rewards for making sustainable choices at home and when they travel as Qantas switches on its new Green membership tier.

Qantas was the first airline in the world to announce that it would recognise and reward frequent flyers for taking sustainable actions on the ground as well as in the air.

The Green tier will sit alongside existing flying tiers – Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Platinum One – to encourage and reward the airline’s 13 million frequent flyers for everything from offsetting their flights, to staying in eco-accredited hotels, purchasing sustainable wine and supporting environmental initiatives.

Members who achieve Green tier status by completing at least five sustainable activities across six areas in their membership year, can choose to receive either 10,000 Qantas Points, 50 Status Credits or have three tonnes of carbon offsets purchased by Qantas on their behalf, as well as a range of other exclusive benefits. These rewards are in addition to benefits members get under their existing flying status or as part of Points Club. Qantas will also recognise certain sustainable actions taken by members since the program was first announced in November.

The six Green tier activity areas are:

• Travelling: Book an eco-accredited hotel through Qantas Hotels in Australia.
• Flying: Offset the emissions of flights through our Fly Carbon Neutral Program, with Qantas matching contributions dollar for dollar.
• Sustainable purchases: Choose from more than 200 sustainable wines through Qantas Wine, or make deliveries from both Qantas Wine and the Qantas Rewards Store climate positive for just $1.
• Lifestyle: Install solar panels or help support high quality and verified carbon offset projects in Australia and around the world when offsetting home and car emissions.
• Reducing impact: Complete the sustainability quiz in the Qantas Wellbeing App which is designed to help members understand how they can better reduce their impact, with plans to add more actions to the app in the future.
• Giving back: Make a contribution towards organisations and projects committed to sustainability, including protecting the Great Barrier Reef and supporting sustainable initiatives developed by charity partners OzHarvest, UNICEF and Kimberley Land Council.

The program will continue to evolve and offer members more ways to be rewarded for other environmentally friendly activities like walking or cycling to work and choosing sustainable aviation fuel when they travel.

Qantas Loyalty CEO Olivia Wirth said frequent flyers have said they would welcome support and rewards for being more sustainable.

“This program makes it easier for frequent flyers to make more sustainable choices, at home and when they travel, and rewards them when they do,” Ms Wirth said.

“We know that points influence behaviour, we’ve seen that when we’ve provided points for walking and sleeping through the Wellbeing App as well as to reward those who got vaccinated. We also know that small changes by many, can have a big impact.

“Like many Australians, our frequent flyers are concerned about climate change, as are we. As a business, we are working towards net zero emissions by 2050 and later this month, we will be releasing more details on our interim 2030 emissions target and the steps we are taking to get there.”

The Qantas Group is committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and was the second airline in the world to make that commitment. The airline will reach this target through four main actions: the use of sustainable aviation fuel, reducing fuel burn through operational improvements, utilising new, low emission technology and carbon offsetting.

Benefits of Green tier status

As well as choosing either points, Status Credits or carbon offsets for reaching Green tier status, members will also unlock additional bonus points. These include earning 150 points for every night they stay at an eco-accredited hotel booked via Qantas Hotels, and 250 bonus points for every case of six eco-wines purchased through Qantas Wine.

Other benefits include invitations to exclusive events and a green digital Qantas Frequent Flyer card within the Qantas app.

Eco-accredited hotel examples

More than 30 hotels have been selected based on their commitment to sustainability against seven criteria including water and waste management, design innovation, conservation, ethical food, clean energy and community engagement.

• Alto on Bourke, Melbourne: First hotel in Australia to receive the coveted EarthCheck Gold Certification and first city hotel in Australia to offset all calculated carbon output to become carbon neutral – 1 night from $410.
• Daintree Wilderness Lodge, Daintree: Committed to sustainable and regenerative travel; from conservation and community initiatives, to integrating green technology and sustainability into every aspect of operations – 1 night from $345.
• Crystalbrook Byron: Focussed on sustainable luxury, from the restaurant to the in-room amenities, the hotel is dedicated to using locally sourced items and produce – 1 night from $505. (pictured above)

Prices based on two people, with a check-in date of 18 May 2022 and a check out date of 19 May 2022. Prices are correct as at 25 February 2022.

Eco-wine examples

To help members choose wines with strong eco-credentials, Qantas Wine is working with Sustainable Winegrowing Australia who annually measure, monitor and report members’ carbon footprint and sustainability practices in six key areas: land and soil, waste, energy, water, biodiversity, people and business.

When purchasing eco-wines through Qantas Wine, frequent flyers are choosing wines from certified wine businesses exhibiting excellence in sustainability practices as verified by an independent audit against Australian wine industry standards.

• Tahbilk Marsanne 2020
• Penfolds Bin 28 Shiraz 2019
• Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay 2018

Follow this site here.

Qatar Airways Privilege Club adopts Avios as its new rewards currency from late March

Ground-breaking new partnership will open a new world of reward opportunities for Privilege Club members, in addition to their current redemption options

Qatar Airways has today announced that it will be adopting Avios as the reward currency for all members worldwide from late March 2022.

Qatar Airways has today announced that it will be adopting Avios as the reward currency for all members worldwide from late March 2022. All Privilege Club members will experience a seamless transition into the loyalty programme's new reward currency, Avios, with their existing Qmiles balances changing automatically to Avios on a 1:1 ratio basis.

Privilege Club members will be provided even greater opportunities to accumulate rewards and leverage exciting new innovations in managing and spending with the change to Avios. In addition, members will retain their well-earned rewards balance and will be able to continue enjoying the redemption opportunities they currently have. Further details are available on  www.qatarairways.com/Avios. and more will be announced by Qatar Airways Privilege Club next month.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, stated: "The transition from Qmiles to Avios marks a ground-breaking new era for Privilege Club, enabling our loyal members to participate in the most compelling loyalty network and the largest portfolio of partners in the industry.

"As the World's Best Airline, Qatar Airways continues to redefine loyalty through the adoption of exciting digital innovations to create unique world-class experiences for our members. We look forward to revealing more details of this exciting change over the coming weeks, as we explore even more ways to reward our valued members both on and off the ground."

IAG Loyalty owns and manages the Avios currency. CEO of IAG Loyalty, Mr. Adam Daniels, said: "Qatar Airways have recognised the power of Avios. By adopting Avios they will be able to offer their customers a wider range of benefits and support their business development ambitions. It's an exciting step for IAG Loyalty as we extend our leadership in loyalty, increase Avios' global reach, and build out our partnership strategy even further."

Avios is the global loyalty currency used by British Airways Executive Club, AerClub, Iberia Plus and Vueling Club, and will soon be the new Qatar Airways Privilege Club currency. Through its existing programmes, Avios can be collected across a wide mix of consumer sectors, including aviation, travel, leisure, shopping and financial services. IAG Loyalty currently partners with over 200 leading global brands such as American Express, Nectar, Avis Budget Group and Marriott. Further information is available at iagloyalty.com.

IAG Loyalty and Qatar Airways are working to introduce new customer benefits from the partnership, as well as more ways to earn and collect Avios around the world in the coming months.

Privilege Club has recently honoured the loyalty of its valued members by extending their tier status. This initiative benefits all Silver, Gold and Platinum members whose tier status is due for renewal between December 2021 and December 2022. The tier validity of these members would be automatically extended to 31 December 2022.

Additionally, the airline's loyalty programme has launched multiple partnerships over the past year to provide members with increased opportunities of earning Avios. Privilege Club members can earn Avios when flying with Qatar Airways, oneworld® airline partners, and other airline partners, as well as with a number of financial and lifestyle partners. Avios can be used towards a range of rewards including award flights, cabin upgrades, extra baggage and much more.

Qatar Airways Privilege Club is the Official Frequent Flyer Programme of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, and has recently commenced the one-year countdown to the highly-anticipated tournament with rewarding opportunities for members.

More top stories you might be interested in.....

Follow this site here.

JetBlue making changes to its TrueBlue Loyalty Programme for next year

JetBlue  announced a series of new enhancements to its award-winning TrueBlue® loyalty program for Mosaic® members – the airline’s top earning loyalty group. Starting in January 2022, Mosaics will be eligible for an expanded list of perks to enhance their JetBlue experience throughout the year. JetBlue is also introducing an all-new loyalty experience – Mosaic+ – rewarding its most engaged customers. All Mosaics who qualify in 2022 will be eligible for special new perks which are only available in 2022 until the end of the year.

“TrueBlue has always been about giving our customers new ways to get even more of the JetBlue travel experience they already know and love, which is why in 2022 we’re rolling out additional benefits for our most frequent fliers to look forward to,” said Don Uselmann, vice president of loyalty and personalization. “With new perks on the way in the new year we’re making sure our Mosaic program always offers our most loyal customers something new to look forward to.”

More for Mosaics

Beginning January 5, 2022, and available through December 31, 2022, JetBlue Mosaic members will be able to utilize new and exclusive benefits including new opportunities for Even More® Space seat upgrades, access to FoundersCard benefits and new ground transportation perks. These expanded benefits are in addition to the existing suite of benefits already enjoyed by Mosaic members. New Mosaic benefits for 2022 include:

100% rebate on Even More® Space points redemptions.

Purchase an Even More Space seat with points at time of booking or check-in. In 2022, it will never exceed 200 points—and Mosaics will be given a 200-point rebate after flying. This benefit is available for Mosaic members and travel companions on the same reservation. Points and rebates apply per person, per segment.

Exclusive FoundersCard Membership

Enjoy 500+ premium travel, business, and lifestyle benefits, including exclusive member pricing and privileges, loyalty status upgrades, and more. Once members qualify for Mosaic, they will receive an email with an enrollment link.

Complimentary unlimited upgrades on Heathrow Express

Upgrade from Express to Business First on the Heathrow Express between Heathrow and Paddington Station. Mosaic members can purchase any Express ticket and must show their same-day boarding pass which reads “MOSAIC” or displays the Mosaic logo to a Heathrow Express member of staff upon boarding.