Traveler sign-ups for hotel loyalty programs have soared in the past five years, and Hilton and Marriott have enjoyed some of the greatest gains.
14.12.2023 - 15:59 / skift.com / Marriott Bonvoy
The business of loyalty rests on making customers’ lives easier so that they come back for more. Partnerships help a lot and airlines and hospitals are a natural fit.
Marriott and Singapore Airlines have unveiled a new partnership that gives Bonvoy and KrisFlyer members more ways to maximize benefits.
Effective immediately, eligible members of the two programs will receive a status match to a comparable tier in the other program. Both have also launched an accelerated path to earn higher elite status.
For instance, those with Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite or Ambassador Elite status can earn KrisFlyer Gold status (equivalent to Star Alliance Gold) by flying just four revenue flights on Singapore Airlines in any cabin. That’s significantly lower than the requirement to earn 50,000 elite miles in a year.
Similarly, members of Singapore Airlines’ Solitaire PPS Club, PPS Club and KrisFlyer Elite Gold can qualify for Marriott’s Platinum Elite status by staying with participating properties for just 10 nights (instead of the usual fifty). It’s a significant reduction to bring in new customers for Marriott International properties.
Here is a summary of the benefits being offered by both sides.
Marriott International had over 177 million Marriott Bonvoy members as of year-end 2022 and nearly 8,700 properties around the globe that participate in the program. KrisFlyer is dominant in Singapore, but is a prominent airline program with a member base of over 7.5 members.
The partnership is not exclusive from either side: Marriott Bonvoy and its predecessors, Starwood Preferred Guest and Marriott Rewards were among the first to create such partnerships in the hospitality industry.
Marriott Rewards partnered with United Mileage Plus back in 2013 to launch the Rewards Plus program, where Marriott elites could access United’s elite status.
Similarly, United’s elite members could access Marriott’s elite benefits. Starwood (now merged into Marriott) also signed a similar partnership with Emirates in 2014 called Your World Rewards. Both these partnerships still exist.
Singapore Airlines also partners with luxury hotel chain Shangri-La as a part of the Infinite Journeys partnership, where Singapore Airlines and Shangri-La offer benefits and shortcuts to earn status for each other’s customer base.
Nowadays, airlines and hotel chains frequently collaborate to grow their loyal member base and increase business. Accor’s ALL loyalty program collaborates with Qantas Frequent Flyer, Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Air France/KLM’s Flying Blue programs.
At the same time, World of Hyatt has partnered with American Airlines AAdvantage. In India, Club Vistara and ITC Hotels’ Green Club also tried a
Traveler sign-ups for hotel loyalty programs have soared in the past five years, and Hilton and Marriott have enjoyed some of the greatest gains.
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