MilesBuzz! - Plastic Cards

A quick question for you all...

Which programmes issue a plastic membership card upon enrollment instead of after a certain number of miles or flights have been taken?

Regards,

Barella

AA give a flimsy plastic card.
UA give a rigid plastic card, just like a credit card.
CO used to give a flimsy card a few years ago.
I've take a couple of flights with air indy but have yet to receive any sort of card.

The WorldPerks card I got from NW 15 years ago is creditcard-like plastic. Not sure if the newer ones are the same now.

When you reach elite status, the airlines send you a rigid card with expiration date printed on it. When happens when you lose your status? Do they send you a new "no status" card?

I lost my status on AA & DL early this year and never got a new card for non-elite status. :confused:

If you nicely request a replacement card the airlines will issue it once your privileged card expires.

Many offer a computer printed temporary card now until you actually fly with them. The hotel chains also do it this way. Why spend money on someone who has yet to use your services.

Alaska, Midwest sent cards before actual use to me.

DL issues real plastic

A quick question for you all...

Which programmes issue a plastic membership card upon enrollment instead of after a certain number of miles or flights have been taken?

Regards,

Barella

I know you are asking your question based on airlines, but thought I would post here anyway...

Holiday Inn Group sends you a credit card like plastic card, for all members, "regular," "gold" & "plat"

If you purchase Ambassador membership ($150/annually) they send you a nice metal tag, very nice imo.

Hope this helps :)

Ric

Actually, I was interested in any sort of loyalty scheme, so thanks for kicking off the hotel list RCC :)

Sofitel sent me a card just for signing up. I was planning a few stays with them so I signed up, but then my plans changed.

And I'm pretty sure Independence Air doesn't have a physical card at all. The closest would be if you printed out something from the webpage.

ive gotten a plastic card from Marriott rewards just for enrolling

ive gotten a plastic card from Marriott rewards just for enrolling

I got my card from them this week - flimsy paper stock type. The kind that peels off the letter it comes attached to. :td:

HHonors sends a medium-grade plastic card even to their new enrollees. ^

Starwood also sends a nice colorful card for base members.

I find my newer Gold SPG card kind of flimsy compared to my old base member SPG card. But there is something to be said for flimsy plastic or even temporary paper FF cards--they fit in my wallet better. I often prefer to carry these paper temps unless I'm going to need the "swipeability" (for example for the magnetic strip on the AA card that allows me to get AA miles at a JL kiosk check-in) of a full-thickness card.

My experiences:

UA: Plastic (w/o mag stripe), no flights required
DL: Plastic (w/ mag stripe), 1 flight required (4-6 week wait as is typical)
AA: Flimsy plastic (w/o mag stripe), mileage activity required (not necessarily a flight--mine are all from cereal coupons)

I have FF accounts also with US Air, Southwest, Northwest, and Continental (most with little or no active miles). These all just do the temporary paper cards and require a flight before issuing a "real" card.

As for hotels:

Marriott: Plastic card (w/o mag stripe), no stay required
Hilton HHonors: Plastic card (w/o mag stripe), no stay required
Six Continents: Plastic card (w/ mag stripe), no stay required
Radisson: Plastic card (w/ mag stripe), no stay required

Wyndham does require a stay, but as they STILL haven't sent my card (for an April '04 stay) and have even deactivated my account online, I can't say what their card is like. My SPG card is "in the mail" and didn't require a stay. Not sure about Choice Hotels as I've never stayed there and only recently signed up for their program.

I actually like the thinner, "Flimsy" cards. I have too darn many cards in my wallet already, and carrying 3 FF cards, 5 hotel cards, and a couple auto rental cards makes my butt lopsided.

I used to put all my numbers on a small laminated card that I just carried around, but a number of airlines have started getting persnickety about it, and will only let me confirm FF#'s at the checkin counter if I have the actual card. And since my company travel agency screws up about half the time, it's a must that I confirm at the counter.

So give me those thin flimsy cards so I can shove them all in my wallet to make the check-in people happy.

I am with the previous poster. These programs should never issue a card. You should get a membership number, which you can plug into your palm pilot or write in your organizer along with every other membership number. I have about fifty or sixty plastic cards in a messy pile in the drawer. It seems awfully presumptuous of these bazillion membership programs to think they are so important to you that you'd carry around their card everywhere; they're like a pitiful high-schooler with a crush.

Remember when Southwest Airlines would refuse to give you credit for a flight segment unless you presented a physical card? Thankfully, they changed that ridiculous policy.

I am with the previous poster. These programs should never issue a card. You should get a membership number, which you can plug into your palm pilot or write in your organizer along with every other membership number. I have about fifty or sixty plastic cards in a messy pile in the drawer. It seems awfully presumptuous of these bazillion membership programs to think they are so important to you that you'd carry around their card everywhere; they're like a pitiful high-schooler with a crush.

A nice card is part of a very cheap promo opportunity for the program - the goal being to get you to send more of your business to that program. A simple email or "print me!" webscreen may tell the prospective customer they don't really have interest in their business...

A nice card is part of a very cheap promo opportunity for the program - the goal being to get you to send more of your business to that program. A simple email or "print me!" webscreen may tell the prospective customer they don't really have interest in their business...

I am with you on this one. Its a fairly cheap way to give something to the customer. Granted, 50%+ of the cards are in a drawer somewher, but they often remind me of programs I am enrolled in. National Car Rental is a prime example for me. I had signed up for Emerald Aisle, but forgotten about it. I recently found the card and decided to give them a try.

Nothing like getting your new card when you hit a new Elite level!