Does a loyalty program really influence travel decisions?
Jan 24, 2013 | 4:06 pm
#16
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: EWR
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 522
I have no loyalty to any of the programs. I am a leisure traveler and usually choose the destination first then choose the best hotel option for that destination. If I can use points at that destination, then that's a big plus. If not, I will have less cash but points to use for another destination in the future. To me, it's good to accumulate points in all the programs as no hotel program is the best in all parts of the world. And at a lot of places, staying at smaller places give you much better travel experience/connection to the local culture.
Jan 24, 2013 | 4:13 pm
#17
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,077
I think even if I dropped all the way to a very infrequent traveler, I'd still play the loyalty programs. There's still *some* value there.
I have LT Gold on AA, so that's a checked bag + priority checkin on Oneworld.
I'd probably acquire and keep Aegean Blue by flying just enough UA/US for it: again, a checked bag and priority checkin on Star Alliance.
I'd keep all of my hotel credit cards. They're good general-spend cards, better than a cashback or mileage card, so I'm getting some free nights and (in the case of HH) elite status for no real cost. If hotel cards were worse than mileage or cashback cards, I'd probably say the opportunity cost isn't worth it.
I probably wouldn't change my hotel stay patterns much if any. In the places where I prefer a non-brand hotel (B&B, boutique, campsite, whatever), I already book them. In the places where I'm willing to pay a bit of a premium for a big-chain hotel (much of Asia, the Middle East, and many large cities), I'd at least have the status and some options like SPG, PC, or HH Cash & Points to use to stretch the pool of points across more leisure stays.
I wouldn't chase elite status at hotels via stays, of course, so I'd be giving up SPG Platinum. That's really the one status I'd miss.
I have LT Gold on AA, so that's a checked bag + priority checkin on Oneworld.
I'd probably acquire and keep Aegean Blue by flying just enough UA/US for it: again, a checked bag and priority checkin on Star Alliance.
I'd keep all of my hotel credit cards. They're good general-spend cards, better than a cashback or mileage card, so I'm getting some free nights and (in the case of HH) elite status for no real cost. If hotel cards were worse than mileage or cashback cards, I'd probably say the opportunity cost isn't worth it.
I probably wouldn't change my hotel stay patterns much if any. In the places where I prefer a non-brand hotel (B&B, boutique, campsite, whatever), I already book them. In the places where I'm willing to pay a bit of a premium for a big-chain hotel (much of Asia, the Middle East, and many large cities), I'd at least have the status and some options like SPG, PC, or HH Cash & Points to use to stretch the pool of points across more leisure stays.
I wouldn't chase elite status at hotels via stays, of course, so I'd be giving up SPG Platinum. That's really the one status I'd miss.
Before the credit card angle changed the game as much as it has, the outcome of dropping out of the game in some ways would have come with a harder landing and increased missing out on status benefit goodies.
Jan 24, 2013 | 4:50 pm
#18
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Hilton, United, Gold DL
Posts: 993
I think for the average flyer, price and schedule are the two priorities. Most if them have loyalty to any carrier. Just as long as they and their baggage arrive. Most fail to pay attention to any perks, or just the basic benefit of reaching 25,000 miles for a free ticket. Even if it took them 5 years to get it of occasional flying, it is still a free ticket.
I've got friends who fly once or twice a year and just look at me with glazed over eyes when I talk about my travels and getting upgrades and free checked bags.
I've got friends who fly once or twice a year and just look at me with glazed over eyes when I talk about my travels and getting upgrades and free checked bags.
Jan 24, 2013 | 7:57 pm
#19
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA GLD, Marriott PLT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,900
It would be hard for me to select an airline that wasn't AA for domestic flying. Maybe even international, if I was paying cash for it. Having elite status on AA has value. I lose out on that if I flew someone else.
Jan 25, 2013 | 4:05 am
#21
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: K+K
Programs: *G
Posts: 5,083
Hotels: no. spread usage for low-to-mid level status across most programs. benefits are negligible
Air: yes. maybe 1/20 segments are on non-alliance carriers. i will and have paid a premium to stick within the network... too much to lose, too much to gain
Air: yes. maybe 1/20 segments are on non-alliance carriers. i will and have paid a premium to stick within the network... too much to lose, too much to gain
Jan 25, 2013 | 7:37 am
#22
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 53,012
So maybe the original article was going after this question: now that the FFP's are all in a fairly mature state, with the differing rules and perks between them being somewhat minor nuances, is there anything that a loyalty program could do to pry you away from your primary airline today? That is, your current airline is and still would have a better schedule and route structure for your needs...but the less-convenient airline introduced an FFP perk or benefit that made you switch.
Only thing that comes to mind is abnormally loose SWU rules - both with the SWUs going to the mid-tier type statuses and being applicable to any fare. It sounds insane in the UA or AA world, but US Airways did exactly this a few years back. I was never higher than Gold Elite (50k tier), and I applied my paper SWUs to cheap fares to Europe several times.
Not that I ever expect to get this again...I think airlines have better figured out how to sell their J seats - whether by actually trying to sell them at semi-sane fares or selling upgrades that bring in a sizable amount of revenue.
Only thing that comes to mind is abnormally loose SWU rules - both with the SWUs going to the mid-tier type statuses and being applicable to any fare. It sounds insane in the UA or AA world, but US Airways did exactly this a few years back. I was never higher than Gold Elite (50k tier), and I applied my paper SWUs to cheap fares to Europe several times.
Not that I ever expect to get this again...I think airlines have better figured out how to sell their J seats - whether by actually trying to sell them at semi-sane fares or selling upgrades that bring in a sizable amount of revenue.
Jan 25, 2013 | 7:09 pm
#23
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 721
I switched to Southwest when I found out I could get more award flights quicker for that same city pair.
Jan 26, 2013 | 4:59 am
#25
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: AADULtArer
Posts: 6,600
It does for most on FT. For most business travelers, it does not. A to B to meet is schedule is paramount over price and program. I estimate less than 5 % of biz travelers follow FT practices, which is the source of a lot of angst here as to why the airlines don't seem to run their programs to the benefit of MR and "loyalists"
Jan 26, 2013 | 11:41 am
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: south of WAS DC
Posts: 10,131
That's sort of what I'd do too. Already, the easiest, fastest and usually cheapest way to rack up a lot of airline miles/points is to do so without getting on board a plane. Combine that with lifetime elite status in some airline programs and with cheap acquisition/retention of elite status and other benefits with some other airlines/airline programs, and there's not really much for me to miss on the airline side. On the hotel side, there's far more for me to miss, but that side has become sort of increasingly easy to cheaply get/retain mid-tier or high-tier elite status or otherwise really play an insanely good game.
Before the credit card angle changed the game as much as it has, the outcome of dropping out of the game in some ways would have come with a harder landing and increased missing out on status benefit goodies.
Before the credit card angle changed the game as much as it has, the outcome of dropping out of the game in some ways would have come with a harder landing and increased missing out on status benefit goodies.
i think most people's habits change when the money comes from their pocket.
we had big status with LH and with starwood. both just made us angry, because they treated us like common, no status people, or the bene was like a lump of coal in your christmas stocking. the RCC's at iad were so lousy, we stayed in the general area. the UG's we got with spg were a joke. spend the same money at an independent and get twice the room and service, and not have to pay for breakfast.
Jan 26, 2013 | 11:47 am
#27
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Santa Cruz, CA USA
Programs: AA, UA, WN, HH, Marriott
Posts: 7,293
I disagree with those who say ff programs don't matter to the occasional traveler. With the explosion of bonuses for affinity credit cards (e.g. Chase UA Mileage Plus, Southwest), you can get enough points for a couple of free domestic tickets just for getting the card and a minor amount of spending. In addition, just having the card gets you perks (free baggage check, priority boarding) and you accumulate more mileage just by using the card.
Jan 27, 2013 | 2:11 am
#28
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,077
For most business travelers, it doesn't matter? That's a interesting claim, more so when given most frequent business travelers in OECD countries use a FFP and it is ordinary for business traveler's preference list of airlines and related FFPs to be maintained by travel managers for such persons.
Jan 27, 2013 | 2:14 am
#29
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Join Date: Jul 2001
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how do you get lifetime elite airline status without paid bis? we fly about 60K miles in biz class a year, and never earn an award point or an elite status. how we do that?
i think most people's habits change when the money comes from their pocket.
we had big status with LH and with starwood. both just made us angry, because they treated us like common, no status people, or the bene was like a lump of coal in your christmas stocking. the RCC's at iad were so lousy, we stayed in the general area. the UG's we got with spg were a joke. spend the same money at an independent and get twice the room and service, and not have to pay for breakfast.
i think most people's habits change when the money comes from their pocket.
we had big status with LH and with starwood. both just made us angry, because they treated us like common, no status people, or the bene was like a lump of coal in your christmas stocking. the RCC's at iad were so lousy, we stayed in the general area. the UG's we got with spg were a joke. spend the same money at an independent and get twice the room and service, and not have to pay for breakfast.
Most of my travel credited to FFPs has not been paid by my employers or clients. Most of my employer-/client-paid travel never got credited to a FFP account which I maintained.