Loyalty programs have proven to be one of the most effective marketing tools to date in the whole consumer industry. The airline industry is no exception to this rule: close to 200 different Frequent Flyers Programs (FFPs) have been launched since American Airlines rolled out the 1st Airline Loyalty Program in 1981.

As powerful as they might be as marketing tools, many FFPs have lost some of their shine near the travelers during the past few years. This relative decrease in attractiveness is due to several reasons, the main one been certainly the ever greater difficulty for loyal customers to redeem miles on flights of their choice. This relative decrease in interest in FFPs often reveals however more subtle and hidden flaws in the design and management of the FFPs.

Yet, if properly designed, implemented and managed, FFPs bring very valuable benefits to airlines. They also constitute the corner stone of the airline’s future CRM (Customer Relationship Management) strategy.


Airsource Partners’ marketing experts help airlines design and implement best-of-breed FFPs. They build FFPs attractive to both passengers and airlines. Most importantly they help airlines avoid the traditional pitfalls hidden in some FFPs.

Airsource Partners’ experts also give existing FFPs give a new birth by making them more attractive. Alternatively they can help airlines currently under other airline’s FFPs build their own.

In all cases Airsource Partners’ experts help you build a program that will meet the goals commonly assigned to FFPs:

=> Build and expand loyalty among core customers
=> Create an additional source of revenue for the airline
=> Introduce an element of company and product differentiation vis-à-vis competition
=> Expand visibility and attractiveness of the airline
=> Serve as a starting point to Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Other more airline-specific goals can be added for the design and implementation of a customized FFP.


First and foremost the resulting FFP needs to be competitive. Here again our experts can help you through:

=> Benchmark studies: to get the best out of the 200 FFPs present on the market and identify best practices in the design & management of FFPs
=> Program development: to identify the strategic objectives of your own FFP and the its components (miles or points accrual, rewards and benefits policy, partners, communication, implementation, etc..)
=> Operational program management: organization, IT solutions, partnership management, promotions, rewards management, promotional offers, performance assessment, fraud prevention, link to CRM etc.


Airsource Partners is NOT in the business of supplying Airline IT Solutions and does not offer IT systems for the management of FFPs. Our aviation marketing experts can however help you make your way through the crowded world of airline IT solutions providers through a detailed appraisal of all major FFP system providers.

Airsource Partners’ intervention can be limited to the drafting of the requirements of the new system to come. At the airline’s request Airsource Partners can also be more deeply involved in the search and selection of the best-suited vendor. Last but not least Airsource Partners can assist airlines and their selected vendors during the actual implementation of the retained solutions (see the « IT Vendors Appraisal » project in the Project Board).

Do not hesitate to contact us for a detailed estimate for the design and implementation of your new FFP.