When I look at the different loyalty programs I belong to, it's pretty clear what loyalty means from the corporate side: They want my dollar, and they want it as exclusively as possible. Pretty clear.

From my consumer perspective, however, I wonder if A) consumers expect the same kinds of things in return for their loyalty, and B) if the companies actually provide that?

I'd be curious (and grateful) if members here would provide some perspective... I'm posting here because AP is probably the most important program to me personally, so I'm happy to have answers specific to them or AC, but also curious about the question generically....

I'm pretty logical.

I expect to be rewarded with awards (free upgrades etc) in relation to how much they ask me to spend with them.

For example, if the price of flex, latitude etc goes down, and the AC metal requirements go do, I expect to get less.

If the price of flex goes up to 2-3x of tango and the ac metal requirements go up, etc etc, then I expect to get more.

Basically: If you want me to spend more with your company, I expect more in return.

Clarity and transparency--I want stability so I can make informed choices about who I want to be loyal to and how I want to be loyal. I know there will be change over time but there should not be constant and significant change in the program to the downside for the customer.

I expect an airline loyalty program to do some combination of the following:

1. Induce me to make irrational decisions that result in the airline getting more of my money than they otherwise would have.
2. Induce me to make selfish decisions that I hope whoever is paying for my flight no not notice or not care, resulting in the airline getting more of their money than they otherwise would have.

If these things aren't happening then the airline is not doing a good job.

So I take advantage while I can before they smarten up, which they always do.

Not to devalue the program every year or so and calling it "Enhancements" thinking that every FF is stupid by trying to sell it as a "good thing".

+1. I expect a loyalty program to extract as much $ as possible from me - furthermore, I expect that a loyalty program causes me to make irrational decisions - such as performing a mileage run (at lowest cost possible OR not.) which I have done so in the past (random YYZ YVR flights) to hit the next rung of status.

I also expect a loyalty program to incentivize me to want to hit the next tier of status - something that AC has failed to do for me this year as I will shortly hit E35K and then all bets are off and I don't care after that.

As our colleague Braiski just posted, I expect the program not to be devalued year over year and definitely not using the word "enhancements" when in fact it's just marketing spin.

A good example is the SPG program. I actually go out of my way to spend money with them. If the hotel is farther than where I need to be, I still stay with SPG. If the hotel is worse than a Fairmont, Hilton, Marriott, I still stay with them (albeit I stay at the other properties a LOT too enough to hit top tier by way of nights of promotional programs).

What AC is trying to do today is what Fairmont is trying to do. I know they have a worse off loyalty program but I still choose to stay with Fairmont (at times when I want to splurge) because the overall product is MUCH better (aka the Palliser vs the Westin/Sheraton in YYC).

So I get the concept, but the Fairmont program still rewards me with a LOT. AC is trying to be the Fairmont while being a scrooge.

All in all, the key takeaway is that for me, a loyalty program should make me want to spend more and encourage me to make stupid decisions to give that company more money. Altitude 2015 has made me spend less and make me not want to give AC more money than I have to. So AC loyalty program = fail.

I expect the loyalty program to not dissuade me from flying the airline.

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Here's my complete list in order of importance:

1. Upgrades

Not extra baggage allowance on economy tickets for example? Or lounge access on a Y ticket, or F lounge access on a J ticket?*

* on airlines that have F lounges.

I think the biggest thing for me is the ability to skip the lines.

Whether that's on the phone, at check-in, at security, or at the gate, I don't want to stand around waiting.

Lounge access and concierge service are both useful at times.

In terms of things I don't have, I'd like better IKK.

I actually think Star Alliance benefits could use some improving. I hope it's on-topic enough for this thread.

For my domestic US flights, I really don't care what airline I'm on, and almost always choose based on price. For the few flights in this category, the miles I lose out by flying DL or AA don't offset several hundred dollars in difference. And if I happen to be in Y, the only benefit I get on UA is lounge access.

I'd like to see a level above *G that includes things like free preferred seats alliance-wide. That would actually encourage me to book UA if I'm flying in Y.

Then you could throw in other things like F lounge access or whatever.

But as it stands right now, I have no reason to book a flight on UA if DL is $50 cheaper or 1 hour more convenient.

I find that people are discussing two different programs; aeroplan is a points collecting scheme and altitude is the "loyalty" program. my reasoning for this is that you can collect tons of AP points without setting foot on an aircraft, AC or others, and you can spend your AP points on things other than flights. Altitude rewards you for putting your butt in an AC seat.
So are you (OP) asking what people want from their points collecting scheme or the loyalty to an airline? there are surely different answers to each.

OW is happy to provide this at the Sapphire (*G-equivalent) level, I'd be curious to know why *A doesn't feel it's appropriate to do the same.

I'd assume it's because the airlines can charge for it. Also, how would they reconcile that with the current scheme on AC? E50K, which is *G, only gets 50% off preferred seats on international Flex fares. Only S100K gets free preferred seats on Tango. I'd be pretty annoyed as an AC Elite if a UA*G came along and got a free seat from AC. But that's where another *A level could work. If it's only given to the 100k levels, then only a UA 1K would get the free preferred seats on AC.

Even something like "free preferred seats at check-in for *G if the flight is full" would be nice. Rather than giving them to people who don't have an assigned seats, let the foreign *G take them.

Heck, a benefit I'd like is "free advance seat selection on all airlines on any fare".

It's all the little things that make the difference to me.

I think this was exactly the way I would have put it. . . . With the recent changes - #1 is not happening (or at least not really in the same way) and if they make any more changes - - #2 is not likely to occur any more either.

Do any of us remember what it was like to just ask for a flight of A-->B for the lowest price? It's now way more complicated than that and price is likely at least 3rd on the list.