This Month
What the Virgin-Qatar deal means for your Velocity points
The winners and losers from new long-haul loyalty scheme arrangements are taking shape.
March
Meet the frequent flyers breaking up with loyalty programs
Is elite status losing its shine? With Qantas’ flagship status credits promotion ending on Wednesday, more savvy travellers – particularly women – are turning their backs on loyalty.
With new CEO, Virgin clears big step to possible June float
Virgin’s appointment of Dave Emerson to replace Jayne Hrdlicka along with the final approval required for the Qatar Airways deal are final steps ahead of a public float.
February
What the Qatar-Virgin deal means for frequent flyers
This year should bring ever more ways to earn and burn points, and to rack up those status credits – even if the fine details are still in play.
The lucrative business of airline loyalty schemes
As loyalty businesses become increasingly powerful profit centres for airlines, there are warnings that some have forgotten why they exist in the first place.
Virgin has the ear of ‘The Points Whisperer’
Flight concierge Steve Hui may not have a business relationship with Velocity, but he has a personal one.
Cass-Gottlieb still gets Qantas VIP treatment
Qantas’ perks system is as hard to quit as the mob, it seems.
January
Three ways to win with Qantas’ frequent flyer overhaul
The key takeaway from the loyalty program revamp is that flights will cost more. But we have found three ways frequent flyers can win from the overhaul.
Qantas hits frequent flyers with more expensive flights
More frequent flier points will be needed to secure Classic Reward seats under changes the airline is introducing to its popular loyalty program.
November 2024
Woolworths suppliers put on ‘holiday’ for price pushback, ACCC hears
The competition regulator’s public hearings have been told some producers did not receive any orders from the supermarket if they refused to drop prices.
Supermarkets face earnings crunch if loyalty schemes are dismantled
Macquarie warns of a drag on the performance of Coles and Woolworths if the competition watchdog disrupts their customer retention programs.
June 2024
Qantas snaps up 100pc of TripADeal as travel package bookings boom
Qantas Loyalty said the deal – increasing the airline’s stake from 51 per cent – would help the division hit its ambitious earnings targets for 2030.
April 2024
Qantas says app now stable, still investigating malfunction
The Flying Kangaroo is investigating a system malfunction that gives passengers access to other Qantas customers’ data.
April 2024
US inflation lessons; Guzman y Gomez’s believers; Qantas’ points shakeup
This week, James and Anthony consider what the US inflation print means for US president Joe Biden, compare the turnover of a Guzman y Gomez store to its competitors, and discuss changes to Qantas’ loyalty program.
Qantas’ ‘world’s best’ loyalty scheme battles points hoarders
The airline’s frequent flyers are great at accumulating points – they always have been. But Qantas has to help them get better at spending the points to shore up its loyalty proposition.
March 2024
How loyalty saved Myer from the retail graveyard
In 2019 Myer’s loyalty scheme was terminal. Five years later, it is central to driving sales at the recharged department store.
Qantas closes in on biggest frequent flyer revamp yet
Under the changes being discussed internally, customers would be able to exchange one point for 1¢ on almost any flight across the network, sources said.
February 2024
Four ways to work your frequent flyer and airline loyalty points harder
The more you fly, the more you need to care about selecting the right program.
January 2024
Qantas names Olivia Wirth’s successor to run Frequent Flyer
Qantas promoted another “lifer” to run its lucrative frequent flyer business when Olivia Wirth departs the airline at the end of February.
December 2023
What the Qantas-Ticketek deal means for frequent flyers
The deal, which will allow events to be booked using frequent flyer points, comes as Silver Lake considers its options for the business.