News and Research

CarTrawler sponsored research explores the jumbo economics of loyalty programs at Air Canada, Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, IAG, Qantas, Southwest, and United. Co-branded credit cards deliver wheelbarrows of money for some airlines. The latest IdeaWorksCompany report explores how this has transformed frequent flyer programs (FFPs) and contemplates the effect upon customer loyalty. Many airlines have shifted from sole reliance on behavioral loyalty, which relies upon a customer’s expectations for service and quality. Carriers now embrace transactional loyalty which emphasizes exchange relationships where something is given and something is received. This 16-page report advises caution about over-reliance on the co-branding bounty and suggests focusing more on the overall customer experience.