Loyalty Blogs

Irrespective of the industry you are working for, gaining customer loyalty is not just an option but an essential aspect to drive revenue growth and increase repeat business. However, many often overlook airport rewards programs, making them lose the opportunity to transform travellers’ experiences and build brand loyalty.         

If you are neglecting airport loyalty programs, you are among the ones who are missing out on a significant opportunity to engage with your customers and drive loyalty. In this blog, we will learn how reliable travel loyalty software can help you build airport loyalty programs and enhance the experiences of travellers worldwide to differentiate your organization from the crowd.  

All You Need to Know About Airport Loyalty Programs 

More than 70% of airports worldwide offer some form of loyalty program today. This increase in popularity shows the growing competition among airlines and airports to attract and retain customers. Gone are the days when the travel industry made use of a customer points system for rewarding travellers with points for travel-related expenses. 

Travellers today expect personalized travel experiences such as priority check-in and security, enhanced airport experiences, etc.  Using airport loyalty programs must offer a wide range of benefits that make their journey more enjoyable and rewarding. For instance, priority check-in and security will save them valuable time and reduce stress. Other exclusive airport perks are access to the airport lounge, complimentary food and beverages, and personalized concierge services.  

Understanding How Airport Reward Programs Work 

Built to enhance the traveller experience and boost customer loyalty, airport reward programs help by offering incentives and rewards for frequently using airport services. These programs enable members to earn reward points for several activities like dining, shopping, parking and using airport services. These points can later be redeemed for different benefits like discounts on travel bookings, free services, exclusive access to the airport lounge, etc.  

Research by Harvard Business Review states that even the slightest increase in customer retention by about 5% can lead to a tremendous rise and profits ranging from 25% to 95%. This shows that having airport reward programs can be quite beneficial for enhancing customer satisfaction and driving airports’ financial success by bringing long-term loyalty and repeat business.  

Airport reward programs are designed to improve the travel experience and encourage repeat business. And that is why these programs allow members to earn points from different activities – whether it is shopping, dining, parking in airport facilities, booking hotels, currency exchange at airports and more. These points can be redeemed for various rewards like vouchers, gift cards, flight bookings and upgrades, & other airport services.  

Examples of Best Airport Loyalty Programs across the World 

To build a successful airport reward program, ensure that you offer benefits like enhanced airport experience, exclusive offers, reward points, airport lounge access, priority check-in and baggage handling, and more. Listed below are some of the successful airport loyalty programs that are doing wonders across the world- 

1. My Paris Aeroport for Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) 

• The problem was to enhance the traveller experience and increase engagement with retail and service offerings for a huge number of international passengers. 

• Program Offerings of My Paris Aeroport program were free high-speed Wi-Fi, discounts at participating airport shops, and a points-based rewards system for vouchers, parking discounts, and miles with partner airlines. 

• The program is highly successful with a large number of frequent travellers attracted by initial bonuses leading to higher registration, driving more customer engagement & overall satisfaction. 

2. Heathrow Rewards for London Heathrow Airport (LHR)  

• The problem lies in enhancing the traveller experience and boosting repeat business in one of the world’s busiest airports i.e. Heathrow Airport.  

• Program Offerings of the Heathrow Rewards program enable travellers to earn points for various airport activities, such as shopping, dining, and currency exchange. 

• Today, over 6 million members are enrolled and are using the program to earn and redeem points for shopping vouchers, tickets, and airline miles, boosting customer loyalty. 

3. The Strata Club for Auckland Airport (AKL)  

• The challenge is to enhance the traveller experience and foster community among domestic and international travellers. 

• Program Offerings of the Strata Club, the multi-tiered loyalty program help travellers to earn and redeem points for rewards for purchases, lounge access, and parking upgrades. 

• This program has a rapidly growing membership base with travellers creating a sense of community, fostering loyalty and repeat business. 

4. Thanks Again Program for the United States Airport 

• The challenge was to stand out in the competitive U.S. airport landscape and foster customer loyalty. 

• Working across 100+ U.S. airports, the Thanks Again program allows travellers to earn rewards for purchases and provides valuable customer behaviour data to tailor the airport experience. 

• Widely adopted by U.S. airports, this program enables travellers to earn rewards and redeem them for various benefits, leading to increased engagement and customer satisfaction. 

5. Changi Rewards for Singapore Changi Airport 

• The motive was to maintain its status as the top international hub by enhancing passenger experience and increasing engagement. 

• The Changi Rewards offer discounts on eligible purchases and promotions like double birthday points along with benefits like free parking, lounge access, etc.   

• The program has high membership growth and increased engagement levels, ensuring that Changi Airport remains the most preferred stopover for international travellers. 

Final Thoughts 

As we can see, airport loyalty programs have evolved tremendously over the years, delivering travellers immense benefits and rewards. Whether it’s about making members earn reward points for shopping and dining or redeeming them for flight bookings and upgrades, airport loyalty programs have come a long way to evolve the travel experience, especially for frequent travellers.  

If you are planning to boost customer loyalty and drive revenue by integrating airport loyalty programs, Novus can help. As a renowned travel loyalty program provider, we have a bunch of loyalty experts who can help in building personalized loyalty programs to improve the engagement of your travellers and build stronger relationships. Connect with us to open up new opportunities with the airport loyalty program and deliver a more personalized and engaging experience for travellers.