Unveiling the Intricacies: Airline Loyalty Programs, Their Perks, and Strategies for Selecting the Best

Frequent-flyer programs (FFP) have become a staple for many Indian travelers, offering a rewarding experience for those who take to the skies regularly. In this article, we delve into some of the most popular FFPs in India, their benefits, and how they work.

The Emirates Skywards program and Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyer program are favoured choices among Indians due to the India-UAE travel corridor and travel to Southeast Asia respectively. These programs, part of the Skyteam and Star Alliance coalitions respectively, offer points for flying with member airlines, spending at associated retail outlets, using co-branded bank cards, car hire services, hotels, and other linked businesses.

India's domestic market is booming, with approximately 136 million being domestic O&D passengers in 2024. Two major airlines in India, Air India and IndiGo, run their own FFPs, the Maharaja Club and BluChip respectively.

The Maharaja Club, a member of Star Alliance, allows passengers to earn "Tier Points" and "Maharaja Points." Tier Points help passengers climb tiers (Red, Silver, Gold, and Platinum), unlocking benefits like priority check-in and lounge access. Maharaja Points can be redeemed on booking flights, cabin upgrades, and more. The program also offers a family pool function, allowing groups of people to combine their points.

IndiGo BluChip, a program built for frequency and simplicity, rewards passengers with BluChips (equivalent to INR 100) on flights. Passengers can climb up from tier Blu 3 to Blu 1, earning up to 16 BluChips per flight. Unlike most FFPs, BluChips do not expire after a specific period of time; instead, they have lifetime validity as long as the account is active. The program, launched just six months ago, has already amassed two million members. IndiGo BluChip members do not experience blackout dates.

Air India Express runs a separate FFP called Tata NeuPass, where passengers earn "NeuCoins" and slot into badge-based tiers.

Star Alliance is the world's biggest airline coalition with 25 member airlines, followed by Skyteam (18 active carriers) and Oneworld (15 members). Notable members of Star Alliance include Lufthansa, United Airlines, Singapore Airlines, ANA (All Nippon Airways), Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and ITA Airways (since 2025). Their respective frequent flyer programs offer a variety of rewards, such as Miles & More (Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways), MileagePlus (United Airlines), KrisFlyer (Singapore Airlines), ANA Mileage Club (ANA), among others.

Rewards can be redeemed for air travel, other goods or services, or increased benefits such as travel class upgrades, airport lounge access, fast-track access, or priority bookings. Whether you're a frequent domestic traveller or a globe-trotter, these FFPs offer a host of benefits to make your travel experience more rewarding.

Unveiling the Intricacies: Airline Loyalty Programs, Their Perks, and Strategies for Selecting the Best