I've been thinking about the combination of the two frequent flyer programs and what direction that might take. Although we know Frontier has quite a few more members, I'd be curious to know how many elites both programs have, versus the number of members who fly just a few times per year.

With some recent streamlining between Midwest Miles and Frontier Early Returns, several things have happened already which I like. These include the complementary upgrades to premium seating, free onboard amenities, and the introduction of a dual-tier elite system which makes it easier to get basic status but differentiates the true road warriors.

However, there are still some changes or additions I’d make if I ran the world. Obviously getting more partners to earn and spend miles is kind of a given wish-list item. But here are some ideas on other fronts.

New Awards I'd Like to See

2,500 mile Confirmed Upgrade
Confirmed upgrade to Stretch, available to anyone from any fare class, including FF reward.

30,000 mile Best Care Club Access
Membership for one year

3,500 mile Best Care Club Pass
Pass for a calendar day

20,000 mile Freedom Elite Companion
Companion travel award with no capacity control, one per year for Aspire and two per year for Executive. This would help high-status members use rewards in markets where seats are hard to find, but it still requires them to buy a seat and is limited to only once or twice per year.


Additional Ways to Earn or Retain Status

Purchase Elite-Qualifying Segments for $79, up to ten per year
Except for modest administrative cost, this is pure bottom line profit for the company. It’s essentially allowing people to do “mileage runs” to accrue or keep status without actually have to transport them. Limiting it to ten keeps people who rarely fly from buying status, and nobody can buy top-tier status without also flying a fair number of flights.

Translate MasterCard Purchases into Elite Credits, up to twelve per year
One segment for every $1,500 charged (cumulative from month to month). Limit of 1 credit per billing cycle to avoid someone charging their new Honda and getting elite status out of it. This would award high-level card usage, but again it takes a fair amount of flying to get into elite status.

Second Chance for Non-Requalification
Flyers with at least 12 segments at year-end who failed to re-qualify for Elite status can maintain Aspire status by earning six segments in the first quarter of the new year. These can be accrued by any combination of flying, charging, or purchasing them. This grace only extends for one year…they must compile 20 segments in this new calendar year to continue their status. Midwest has quietly done things like this some years, but I'm not sure it's been public. One can of course argue that people whose flying decreases should not be elites. But people whose business trails off might have migrated to another carrier for much of their business. Giving them an incentive to keep and bring more business over is a good thing. Losing elite status might encourage the person to fly more to regain it, but in a case like this I think it's more likely that losing elite status brings less business from this customer since now F9/YX is just another also-ran where they're earning "wasted" miles.


Differentiation between Aspire and Executive
With making it easier to obtain or maintain elite status, I think there should be just a little more differentiation between Aspire and Executive.

Benefits to Executive over Aspire
Several of these are existing, with new suggestion in italics

--More bonus miles (50% instead of 25%)
--Complementary inflight cocktails and premium beverages
--Waived change fees
--Waived standby fee
--Waived MM redeposit and other fees
--Complimentary Stretch seating at booking (give it to Aspire at check-in only)
--Additional Freedom Elite Companion award (2 for Executive, 1 for Aspire)
--Executives board with pre-boards, Aspires board next with all Stretch passengers

Whatever they do, I think when it is rolled out as a single program it would be a good opportunity for some FF specials in terms of earning miles, earning status, or using rewards. I'm surprised at the number of travelers here at work who feel a little "iffy" about things in spite of acknowledging that their miles are safe and will transfer. A re-launch of a combined program...rather than just quietly enrolling all the YX people into Early Returns...is another opportunity to generate some buzz and show people what a good program it could be.

We know that the total FF base for Frontier is somewhat larger than that of Midwest. However I'd be curious to know what portion of YX traffic is from elite level travelers versus F9.