Actually, I’m just scratching the surface, but pose a few questions to improve frequent flyer programs and make airline travel a bit more bearable for the masses.
What if the airlines …… ?

… would allow frequent flyers to use miles to pay for a bag check charge or, better yet, waive them for higher tier members? [...]

I am a frequent flyer of Delta Airlines and have a Marriott credit card and enjoy the benefits that I get from using both companies (I like free flights and frequent flyer miles). I just booked a “free” vacation using both vendors and feel pretty good about my loyalty to them, and their loyalty back.
Loyalty [...]

Almost 10 years ago, I wrote an opinion piece for COLLOQUY questioning whether Frequent Flyer miles were still the most valuable currency in the Loyalty Marketing landscape.  The premise was that the weakening value of the FF mile might open the door for a better offer to capture the loyalty imagination of consumers. The next [...]

I am often asked where to go to learn more about Loyalty Marketing. Until Mark Johnson and his crew launched Loyalty 360, it was difficult to provide a useful answer.  There are occasional tracks presented at the annual DMA event and Colloquy continues to deliver its Loyalty Marketing Workshop in conjunction with the DMA, but [...]

Citibank launched its ThankYou! Network in 2004 and in doing so,  staked out ground as the first top-tier bank to embark on a rewards program that went beyond credit card and included multiple retail bank products like checking accounts and consumer loans.
Credit to the first bank to launch a Relationship Banking program in North America [...]

One of the blogs I enjoy reading is written by Chris Brogan. He’s got some interesting takes on social media and a huge following.
Today he stepped in the Loyalty Marketing sandbox with his post The Myth of Brand Loyalty. I won’t recount the story here and encourage you to read it as well as [...]

The “conversation” about Social Media is in full swing. In addition to all of the online buzz, I ran across articles on how business is using Twitter in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and my local paper, the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel just this week.
The article in the Sun Sentinel highlighted how professional [...]

Not only are the airlines missing a significant opportunity to engage their best customers based on data they already possess, they are eroding their value proposition by adding fees to multiple aspects of the in-flight experience as well as their frequent flyer programs.
In a WSJ “Middle Seat” column dated 2/3/09, I was reminded of the [...]

Deregulation of the US airline industry in 1978 was intended to create a competitive environment that would benefit the flying public and bring profitability to the airlines. With a number of bull and bear cycles under the belt, 2009 finds the airlines continuing to struggle for profits, and consumers once again being punished just for [...]

Consumer brands are not only tough to establish, but expensive in the process. The investment and impact both have long term implications, so most companies exercise extreme care in crafting their intended message.
Brands within categories tend to share turf. Soft drinks are young and fun, while banks tend to convey safety and confidence. Contrasting messages [...]