Founder @ Loyalty Status Co, the creator of StatusMatch. Helped our airline partners acquire over $1B in new customer value. Editor at TravelDataDaily 🍊✈️🎉
Etihad sent a survey to my 6-year-old daughter about her recent flight experience in business class.
I let my daughter answer the survey without any influence.
It was a bloodbath.
Some of the feedback...
- Flight was bad because her school friends were not on it.
- Kids
Emirates continues to impress.
Plane lands, and the manager immediately comes to see me.
"You made it to Platinum status. Congratulations. This is for you."
Hands me a personalized Platinum welcome kit containing a letter, membership card, and bag tags.
That flight was THE
Many airlines are trying to get rid of boarding passes.
Paperless.
Environmentally friendly.
Ughhhh!!!
I want the opposite.
I want thicker cardboard.
I want bigger, brighter airline logos on the pass.
I want my elite status highlighted for everyone to see.
I want to feel
Do you want to know how to get top-tier airline elite status without flying or getting an airline co-brand credit card?
Or maybe you want to know how to get a status match with ANY airline, at ANY time, even when they don't publically offer a status match?
I'm considering
Do the mileage run.
Drink the champagne.
Pay for the upgrade to first class.
Spend those miles.
Take the limousine transfer.
Stay in the 5-star hotel.
Life is for living.
Everyone should get out there and fly.
Catch up with a friend.
See something new.
Explore.
The
The next big thing in airline elite status coming super duper soon.
Someone has to make airline loyalty interesting for the millions of global travellers who don't have elite perks.
Like this post, and I'll post the update here when the next big thing in airline elite status
This week, I was seated next to an airline CEO on a United Airlines flight.
We geeked out for the entirety of the flight.
Airline nerd stuff. Loyalty stuff. Bounced around new concepts and came up with some cracker ideas.
Heck, we even shared an Uber.
3 days later, a deal
Plane arrives just short of the gate.
Seatbelt sign remains illuminated.
Pax stand up to get their overhead bags.
Plane moves forward.
Pilots hit the breaks.
Pax falls over.
Satisfaction level over 9000
According to my 6-year-old, Etihad is now 'Chocolate Airlines'.
Recently, my daughter expressed feedback to the airline that she likes chocolate.
Etihad - aka Chocolate Airlines - listened to the feedback from one of their youngest flyers.
It's common knowledge that a
I believe that you can't objectively rate an airline until you've flown them at least 10 times within a year when you understand how they do things.
Every airline has nuances, and learning them is part of the game.
For example:
- SQ won't let you wear headphones on
Something new is launching soon.
The world's first airline loyalty subscription that people will be lining up to buy.
Follow me to find out what and when!
Over the past 2 years - about 20% of my flights have been with
@emirates
, but I think it's time to move as much international travel to them as possible.
It's difficult to articulate why Emirates is consistently better than other airlines because it's all about how they make you
@superruserr
Every time I fly through DXB, the conversation goes like this:
EK: "Sir, do you have a mobile phone?"
Me: "No"
EK: "Ok here is your printed boarding pass"
No matter how many loyalty managers try to sell us on how dynamic redemption might be good for members, it's not. It sucks. It's a devaluation. It's a sign that loyalty lost the internal battle with finance. The downward spiral of the program begins as finance now has the power.
Star Alliance just launched what might be the largest-ever Status Match offer in airline history.
13 Star Alliance carriers are Status Matching eligible SAS EuroBonus members.
Get Star Gold Status for up to 2 years, depending on the airline/offer chosen.
An incredible time to
Etihad upgraded me to first-class apartments for free.
It wasn't luck or a secret handshake.
No shortcuts or bidding wars.
The magic words?
Platinum Status.
Status holders are at the top of the upgrade queue.
Non-status holders.....are....last.
This is what loyalty is all
@OnEdgeOfWonder
Genuinely sorry to hear the news guys. I see how much work you & team put into creating mainstream-friendly versions of your content. Your work isn't going unnoticed. Congrats on the success, and thanks for having me as your latest .tv subscriber. Stay strong boys.
Who is ready for a week of non-stop status match launches next week?
Christmas is coming early for folks!
Follow me to be first to know when they launch.
You'll want to get in fast.
Limited supply.
My mother, a
@Qantas
Platinum member just cancelled 2890 status credits worth of future biz class flights because Qantas downgraded her to economy class *on her birthday* so that a staff member could sit in biz. She was on a full J fare. Feeling helpless...any ideas twitter?
I always request a late checkout, even if I have an 8am departure and can't utilize it.
Probably 50% of the time I request it (in person, never via phone), the desk agent does the...
"OHHHHHHH WE ARE FULLY BOOKED TOMORROW BUT LET ME CHECK... *FAKE TAPS* NOPE SORRY BEST I CAN
What makes a great cabin crew?
@emirates
doesn't serve pre-departure champagne ex KUL in first class.
Yet, every time I ask for the bubbles and every time I get the 'sorry we cannot...'
Except this one time, the cabin crew said something different "when the door closes we will
I think most airlines do lifetime status very poorly, costing them millions in lost revenue opportunities, and they don't even know it.
Lifetime status incentivizes spend behavior with a specific group of travellers.
- Accelerates spend behavior
- Drive incremental spend that
Back in the day when I was interviewing for the head of loyalty role at Malaysia Airlines, HR asked what my expected salary was.
My response:
"Pay me the minimum you're legally allowed to as a salary plus 2% of the new revenue I create for the loyalty program".
They didn't
Airlines that are switching from 'frequent flyer programs', to 'lifestyle programs' have some kind of weird woke mind virus thing going on.
I am yet to see 1 profitable airline lifestyle loyalty business.
Yet, there are plenty of billion-dollar 'FFP' loyalty businesses.
Rarely do I utilize 20% of my checked-in baggage allowance when flying.
On most trips, I'm alone.
I never take a guest into the lounge.
I'm usually in the lounge based on the cabin of travel and not my status tier.
I've done the hard slog of daily and weekly commutes.
Up at
In the past 2 years:
- Transformed status matching from a free 'on the side' thing airlines did into the 3rd largest revenue generator for loyalty programs (after co-brand and selling points directly to members)
- Brokered the worlds first status match campaign funded by a
Wait a year, and AA will launch a new subscription product, "Earn Everywhere". $199/yr and earn loyalty points wherever you book your flight.
This move has 'big tier consulting firm' written all over it.
Zero innovation.
Destroys loyalty.
I've consecutively held elite status with an airline, sometimes 2 or 3 airlines, for the past two decades, dating back to when I first joined
@Qantas
Club in 2001 when I was barely 20 years old.
Since then, I've flown around 1,300 flights, and I still have the boarding passes
We’re deeply disappointed by
@USDOT
ruling on issuance of vouchers for flight cancellations due to gov’t travel restrictions. This decision risks 750,000
#airline
jobs, each of which supports 13 additional jobs in the wider US economy.
➡️
.
@AmericanAir
making a big mistake by ending this agreement. American needs to see the bigger picture and turn on Awardwallet again. I agree with
@garyleff
comments
Most airline/hotel loyalty managers are underpaid.
I believe that the lack of a proper compensation structure is significantly holding back the virtually unlimited profitability nature that loyalty businesses can bring to the world.
The misaligned incentive structure means that
@CraigKellyMP
Now consider how many bots are on twitter, and how easy it is to influence gov decision making under the guise of 'this is what the public wants'.
People are not loyal to businesses because of the perks or benefits. They're loyal because of how those benefits make them feel.
Loyalty programs are in the business of human connection.
The airline industry won't stop talking about AI, and yet:
- There is no clear example of how AI will be used.
- For some reason it takes 8 weeks to get a ticket refund with some airlines.
- My miles get lost in the ether.
- Losing bags seems normal.
- Airlines try to sell me
According to Google Flights data over the last five years, there was no significant savings by booking your flights on any particular day of the week.
Stop believing that booking on a Tuesday is a travel hack.
It took 7-years of negotiation and a crazy amount of money but finally, we own the business. Maybe I wasn't ready to own it all those years ago but now is absolutely the right time. Big things to come.
I tried my best to like
@united
this past couple of weeks with many flights in first/biz both domestic & intl.
The airline seems fine, but it will never be extraordinary.
It's like eating Mcdonald's at a highway stop. You don't feel amazing afterwards, but it got you there.
I
Starting today, Frontier Airlines is offerring 20K elite status, without any flight requirement, to anyone with a credit card issued in USA that can earn travel rewards. That includes Delta Amex cardholders, United Chase.... Amex charge cards and many more.
Check if your
@JTTsteve
@united
.
@JTTsteve
if you're ever looking for a new home for your airline spend, would be glad to hook you up with whatever top-tier status you're interested in. DM when the time is right.
2023 is probably my biggest travel year yet.
StatusMatch deals don't happen by sitting at home on Zoom calls... getting out there face to face, and visiting clients is the best strategy.
IHG nights: 50 (Diamond)
Accor: 49 (Gold)
Marriot: 17 (Gold)
Hilton: 5 (Gold)
Airbnb: 6
Some airlines and hotels are seeing the light.
Got loads of new brands launching status match related things in 2023.
The big airlines like AA/UA/DL still don't understand that status matching has almost nothing to do with getting people to fly your airline, and that the
The StatusMatch team grows in headcount to 8 with today's announcement of former points dot com VP joining as CMO.
We have 8 major travel brands as partners.
Announced on the 8th day of the 8th month of the year, at 8am.
Big things to come!
If cabin crew steal a $20 bottle of wine from the airline, they'll face disciplinary action and likely be fired.
Yet, if someone in corporate ignores a status match request from a potential new customer, the airline loses $1000s, and nobody seems to care.
Airlines are usually
Every Status Match we've launched for an airline/hotel brand has an incredible story of how it transpired.
ZERO of the Status Matches you see in the market powered by SM result from "traditional business development".
For example, the Air Canada Status Match came about from
I'm 6'5/195cm, and have probably flown almost 1,000 flights in economy class on 20+ airlines around the world in my adult life.
I don't understand why airlines still can't figure out that legroom is not the most important thing for taller folks in economy class.
Quads + Neck
Today I requalified
@IHGOneRewards
Diamond status for 2025.
To celebrate the milestone, the hotel I'm staying at wanted to charge me 4 bucks for a bottle of water after I asked why a suite didn't at least have one free.
Instead of paying the ludicrous water extortion fee, I
@smh
Australian passports are useless at this point. Can't get into Oz and can't leave. I'd gladly trade the Oz passport for another country that gives a damn about its people.
Etihad Guest Platinum member. Residences to LHR, cash ticket. IFE didn't work most of the flight... How many bottles of champagne should I receive as compensation? I'm thinking 5 but I'm interested to see Twitter's thoughts..
Pro-tip for airlines/hotels: Send an email to your non-elite member base offering them a status match.
This is probably the fastest and easiest way to reclaim share of wallet and you'll see more flights/nights booked from that audience as a result.
Each time I see an airline or hotel make significant changes to the loyalty program...
I put my industry hat on.
I put my frequent flyer hat on.
I put my business owner hat on.
I put my common sense hat on.
If I know someone at the airline, I'll ask them the logic behind the
If you are a travel blogger, youtube, tiktok, instagram or travel influencer - send me a DM with your website/handle to get on the STATUS MATCH affiliate program waitlist.
Finally, you can get paid to promote status matches with big global travel brands.
You must have an
I took my first
@lufthansa
flight this week to visit the Miles&More team in FRA.
I now understand why LH has a strong cult-like following. The brand presence oozes strength and status.
Unrelated news my bags are now full of LH merch: sneakers, hoodie, belts...
Picked up this Lufthansa hoodie in Frankfurt. Goes well with my Lufthansa sneakers...and Lufthansa belt... and...well this airline needs to start paying me.
As airlines transitioned from frequent flyer programs to "lifestyle programs", airlines focused more on the masses of customers who get the credit card and don't necessarily fly much.
This focus on non-frequent flyers has resulted in constant devaluations of the miles currency
I find it crazy that Oman Air First Class has nowhere to store your carry-on bags.
No space within the suite.
There are no overhead lockers.
Bags are stored by the crew in some secret place that you don't have access to.
Delta is extending elite status for all members by 1 year. This is a significant move, as Delta now the world's first airline with calendar year qualifications to extend status.
It's either a Genius move or Risky as hell. We will find out next year!
You know when airlines & hotels are serious about their sustainability efforts when the initiative costs them money and the extra cost is not passed onto the customer.
If the initiative saves them money with no clear consumer benefit - it's bogus green washing.
New & exciting Status Match offers are on the way... some cool brands we're working with!
2 out of 3 alliances are covered.
Follow me to see them first.
I successfully saved the planet by denying housekeeping for a week.
Instead of the 4 new water bottles each day housekeeping would otherwise leave for me, I stayed hydrated by drinking champagne at the hotel lounge.
The water bottles were from the Netherlands, and the champagne
Airlines have tried to sell me $33 travel insurance, hotel bookings, car rentals, and junk upsells via their website for the past 20 years.
I finally bought something.
It was a $2.5K upsell that I thought was relevant.
Why can't airlines get it right and sell high-value,
Statusmatch beats 130 travel startups to win best travel startup of 2022 at the world aviation festival...and the only loyalty company on the list
#AviationFest
The best part of my job is when clients ask how we can juice up their status match offer with something different. That 'something different is on the way.
@JTGenter
you'll like what's coming...
United & Delta the latest to extent elite status for all.
But what happens once every airline and hotel has extended status?
Enjoy the sugar-high whole it lasts!
They’re back!
@British_Airways
@VirginAtlantic
on their way to across the pond to
#NewYork
🇺🇸 Let’s hope this is yet another example of our industry returning to some form of normality