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The "Frequent Flyer Program" is a passenger loyalty program jointly operated by an airline or several airlines to reward frequent passengers with additional services and prizes, and provide specific airlines with facilities to assist in air travel. The history of the modern frequent flyer program began in the 1970s and involved the rapid evolution of best practices around the world. Therefore, the most common flight plans are very similar and designed along the same lines.
Please note that although frequent flight plans provide attractive benefits to participants, most of these flights are only provided to truly frequent business flyers. Commercial flying groups not only fly frequently, but also spend a lot of money on air travel. Satisfying the conditions required to obtain maximum revenue can be difficult for leisure travelers, and frequent flight procedures are designed to shift away from seeking the best solution, such as using competing operators or buying the cheapest tickets. Browsing the peculiarities of frequent flight procedures requires a lot of research and attention to maximize your benefits and avoid pitfalls. The frequent flyer programs of the largest airlines in the world’s top rankings will include partners other than the airlines, the most common service providers such as hotels, catering, credit cards and car rental companies. Therefore, you don't actually have to be able to earn miles only by flying. Although the number of miles you can earn from consumption other than these flights is usually not high, and the redemption rules may also be different. Air travel is still the most important way to accumulate mileage.
Principles and benefits of participating in the plan
Like many other retail businesses, airlines set aside a certain percentage of revenue on each ticket sold to provide reward programs for loyal customers. Frequent flight procedures are used to entice travelers to consistently choose one airline in another airline, as well as to entice additional travel.
Frequent Flyer Programs sometimes charge membership fees, after which you receive benefits through the purchase of tickets and services. The tariff rules of air tickets determine the amount of benefits you can get, that is, cheap air tickets found on travel websites often do not accumulate mileage or accumulate a little bit of mileage that is almost unusable.
On the other hand, please remember that it is the airline (or its affiliated airline group) that has the final power to interpret the plan, and they also make the rules. Without a binding contract signed by you, your right to receive any benefits is purely a delusion of the program operator. This means that if the operator decides to change the rules halfway or even end it unilaterally, they can operate without notice, punishment or any compensation, which is very fascinating for the most mile-long hunting with rewards in sight The game can become very disappointing.
Airline alliances and partner airlines
Airlines that are part of a worldwide airline alliance usually allow passengers to accumulate and use points/miles on other airlines in the alliance, but there may be some restrictions. Providing frequent discounts to the project members of the entire alliance is actually one of the founding ideas of the airline alliance.
In addition, some plans are common in smaller airlines. For example, Lufthansa's "Miles&More" frequent flyer plan is shared in Central Europe (including "Austrian Airlines" and "Swiss Airlines") as other Star Alliance members, Other Star Alliance members operate separate systems, such as Virgin Atlantic, which provide cooperative programs. Although they are not part of airline alliances, airlines often have bilateral agreements to separate frequent flyer programs from airline alliances that allow passengers to accumulate miles. For example, Qantas Airways and China Eastern Airlines, although Qantas is a member of oneworld and China Eastern Airlines The company is a member of the SkyTeam alliance, but because of a bilateral agreement, their flight points are allowed to be used in the other party's frequent flyer program with restrictions.
There is one more trick. Because the reward program in an alliance recognizes each member airline's flights mutually, but each project still has its own rules on income and redemption. Therefore, it may happen that the airline you fly the most flights will earn more miles for your alliance partner airline together with your flying airline. On the other hand, mileage is not equal in the two programs-one may require more miles than the other to obtain a subtle benefit or reward. Experienced flying friends will carry out arbitrage and take advantage of these imbalances to their benefit.
How to collect miles
Take a flight
Who can earn miles? Note that for most frequent flyer programs, the person who buys and pays for the ticket is irrelevant. The only thing worth noting is who actually flew, and since your identity was checked and the name of the ticket bought at most airports was blown, the airline has a high chance of knowing who actually flew. This means that, on the one hand, you collect your frequent flight deals, air travel paid for yourself, and travel paid for by others, for example. Your employer/company, or a ticket purchased for you as a gift. On the other hand, if you buy tickets for someone else, even if they travel with you, you can only earn miles for the personal flights you complete. Your companion or the person you bought the ticket can only collect miles in your own name. |
The most direct way to collect miles is to take a flight. As mentioned above, some programs allow participants to collect miles by flying with other selected airlines, especially participating in the sameAviation AllianceAirlines.
Mileage claim Sometimes your mileage may not be accumulated by the system, especially when flying with partner airlines. If you don't get your mileage within a few weeks, most airlines provide mileage reclaim through their website. Keep your boarding pass, it will be easier to find your flight and the exact flight number and date when you need to redeem your mileage. |
You usually only earn miles after the flight is actually completed, and it may take a few days to be credited to your account. If you fly with a partner airline, your mileage may take a long time to show up. If you pay for the ticket but don't actually take the plane, you generally won't get miles.
Certain flights may have a predetermined amount of miles, which will be added to your account after completion. When you are arranging a trip, the airline’s reservation system usually displays the number of miles per flight and booking class so that you can consider this factor when deciding on a particular connection.
Expenses with partners designated by airlines
Common frequent flyer programs allow people to collect miles for their partners, most travel-related services such as hotels, car rental companies, airport retailers, etc. Many partners keep their own loyalty programs and allow them to collect points on any of them-that is, the mileage charged for booking a hotel will not allow you to collect points in the hotel chain loyalty program, so please read carefully about mileage accumulation Terms.
Frequent Flyer Class
The second type of benefit is one of the most attractive, and is usually awarded to frequent flyer participants who meet certain conditions in the program. In addition, this level derives additional benefits for participants, and there is no need to "spend" on any additional "miles"; most airlines' frequent flyers will be divided into levels and grades. In fact, this level is determined by the amount of "miles" provided by the participants in a certain period of time. In addition, some airlines’ award tiers will be set for participants based on flight duration/flight volume. Usually people can get grades in any way.
The general procedure will evolve into a structure that provides multiple levels, that is, according to the number of miles/flights, many different levels can be obtained. In theory, the higher the level (and more miles/flights are needed to achieve it), the more benefits and higher attractiveness will usually be.
Different levels will enjoy different treatments and services
Many benefits can be gained by obtaining a certain level in the frequent flyer program, which brings benefits to passengers who tend to offer business flights or first class.
By obtaining a certain level in the frequent flyer program, the benefits that can be obtained usually include:
- Fast boarding
- lounge
- Priority appointment
- Waitlist priority
- Professional customer service
- Exit row seat configuration
- Possibility upgrade
Please note that the service you encounter is still dependent on the type of seat that the individual actually occupies. If you have a "top of the pyramid" status, but want to travel economically, then the comfort level of meals and other aspects will be exactly the same as the economical level. On the other hand, regardless of the ticket category, first-class services (airport lounges, showers, etc.) can still be provided in your situation before and after the flight.