7 Loyalty Programs with Surprising Perks for Basic Members
7 Loyalty Programs with Surprising Perks for Basic Members - American Airlines AAdvantage Boarding Priority
American Airlines' AAdvantage program continues to offer valuable perks for its basic members.
With the ability to earn Loyalty Points through various means, including flights, credit card spending, and partner purchases, members can unlock rewards such as systemwide upgrades, bonus miles, and Admirals Club day passes.
The program's new Loyalty Point Rewards feature also allows members to accelerate their path to elite status by earning additional points through select spending activities.
American Airlines offers a unique feature called "Loyalty Point Rewards" that allows AAdvantage members to earn bonus Loyalty Points when they make purchases with select American Airlines partners, such as AAdvantage eShopping and AAdvantage Dining, helping them reach elite status faster.
The new AAdvantage status year runs from March 1, 2024, to February 28, 2025, requiring significantly fewer Loyalty Points to achieve elite status compared to previous years, with only 40,000 points needed for Gold, 75,000 for Platinum, 125,000 for Platinum Pro, and 200,000 for Executive Platinum.
AAdvantage credit card holders can earn additional rewards, such as 25,000 bonus miles or a $250 trip credit, providing valuable perks for basic members of the loyalty program.
Interestingly, American Airlines has introduced the ability for AAdvantage members to redeem their Loyalty Points for additional points towards their elite status, offering a unique way to accelerate their journey to higher tiers.
Despite being a basic member, AAdvantage participants can earn Loyalty Points through a variety of means, including flying with American Airlines, using the AAdvantage credit card, or making purchases with the airline's partners, providing ample opportunities to climb the elite status ladder.
An intriguing aspect of the AAdvantage Boarding Priority is that the majority of the early boarding groups are reserved for elite members, allowing them to board the aircraft even in economy class, a perk that can greatly enhance the travel experience for these loyal customers.
What else is in this post?
- 7 Loyalty Programs with Surprising Perks for Basic Members - American Airlines AAdvantage Boarding Priority
- 7 Loyalty Programs with Surprising Perks for Basic Members - British Airways Free Advance Seat Selection
- 7 Loyalty Programs with Surprising Perks for Basic Members - Starbucks Rewards Stars for Free Drinks
- 7 Loyalty Programs with Surprising Perks for Basic Members - Tim Hortons Tims Rewards Redemption
- 7 Loyalty Programs with Surprising Perks for Basic Members - Marriott Bonvoy Point Redemption Flexibility
- 7 Loyalty Programs with Surprising Perks for Basic Members - Starbucks Stars Sharing with Family and Friends
7 Loyalty Programs with Surprising Perks for Basic Members - British Airways Free Advance Seat Selection
British Airways offers free advance seat selection to Executive Club members with Bronze, Silver, and Gold status when traveling on British Airways flights.
This perk is not available to non-members or Blue members, who must pay for advance seat selection or wait until 24 hours before their flight to select their seats for free.
The selection is available from seven days before departure and excludes exit row seats, providing a valuable benefit for loyal British Airways customers.
British Airways offers free advance seat selection to Executive Club members with Bronze, Silver, and Gold status when traveling on British Airways flights, allowing them to choose their seats up to 7 days before departure.
The free advance seat selection perk excludes exit row seats, which typically have additional legroom and come with an additional fee.
Bronze and Silver members do not have any special seating privileges when flying with a partner airline, as the free advance seat selection is limited to British Airways-operated flights.
British Airways does not charge for seat selection at the time of booking for everyone on the booking, except for exit row seats on long-haul flights.
In addition to free advance seat selection, British Airways offers one piece of checked baggage in economy for everyone on the booking, excluding the Basic fare, which comes with no checked baggage included.
Blue, Bronze, Silver, and Gold, with increasing benefits as the membership level rises.
To attain Bronze, Silver, or Gold status, members must earn 1500 Tier Points and fly with British Airways on at least four eligible flights per year.
7 Loyalty Programs with Surprising Perks for Basic Members - Starbucks Rewards Stars for Free Drinks
Starbucks Rewards is a loyalty program that allows customers to earn "Stars" for eligible purchases, which can be redeemed for free drinks, food, and other perks.
Members can earn two Stars for every dollar spent using a registered Starbucks Card or the Starbucks app, and Stars can also be earned through participating partners' loyalty programs.
The program offers various benefits, such as free refills on coffee and tea, a birthday reward, and access to exclusive events and promotions.
Starbucks Rewards members can earn Stars not only from purchases at Starbucks stores but also through participating partner loyalty programs, allowing them to accelerate their path to free drinks and other rewards.
While customizations to drinks may incur additional costs, Starbucks Rewards members can redeem as little as 25 Stars for a completely customized beverage, providing significant value for loyal customers.
Interestingly, the Starbucks Rewards program has multiple tiers, and the benefits tend to increase with higher levels, incentivizing members to engage more with the program to unlock greater perks.
Starbucks has introduced "Star Days," exclusive events for Rewards members that offer even more ways to earn Stars towards free favorites, showcasing the program's commitment to rewarding its most loyal customers.
An intriguing aspect of the Starbucks Rewards program is that members can redeem their Stars not only for drinks but also for food items, such as hot breakfast sandwiches and oatmeal, further expanding the redemption options.
Starbucks has recently enhanced the Rewards program by introducing more ways to earn Stars, including through special offers and bonuses, making it easier for members to reach their desired reward tiers.
Despite the program's versatility, it is essential for Starbucks Rewards members to be aware that some store locations may not honor all the tiered rewards, so it is crucial to check before placing their orders to ensure a seamless experience.
7 Loyalty Programs with Surprising Perks for Basic Members - Tim Hortons Tims Rewards Redemption
The Tim Hortons Tims Rewards program allows customers to earn 10 points for every dollar spent, with the ability to redeem 300 points for a free food or drink item.
Recent updates to the program have aimed to improve the loyalty experience, including changes to how quickly points can be earned and redeemed.
The program is considered one of the top loyalty initiatives in its industry, offering a straightforward system for customers to earn and use their rewards.
Tim Hortons Rewards members can earn 10 points for every $1 spent, with just a 50-cent minimum purchase required to start earning points.
The program offers 7 different points redemption levels, allowing customers to redeem their points for a wide variety of food and drink items on the Tim Hortons menu.
One of the best value items to redeem points for is the extra-large French Vanilla, which can be obtained for just 300 points, while smaller beverage sizes provide less favorable redemption rates.
Tim Hortons has a special promotion called "Timbits Tuesday," where Rewards members can redeem 50 points for a free order of 10 Timbits, a popular donut hole treat.
The Tim Hortons Rewards Visa card enables customers to earn double the points on all purchases made at Tim Hortons locations, helping them reach higher reward levels faster.
Despite being a basic member, Tims Rewards participants can earn bonus points through various promotional offers and partnerships, further enhancing the value of the program.
Tim Hortons Rewards has been recognized as one of the top loyalty programs in its industry, offering a straightforward and user-friendly system for customers to earn and redeem their points.
Interestingly, the Tims Rewards program rewards customers after their seventh visit with a free coffee, tea, or baked good, encouraging repeat business and loyalty among its members.
7 Loyalty Programs with Surprising Perks for Basic Members - Marriott Bonvoy Point Redemption Flexibility
Members can choose to use only points, a combination of points and cash, or pay directly with points for hotel stays, dining, spa experiences, and more at participating properties.
This level of redemption versatility is a standout feature of the Marriott Bonvoy program, allowing basic members to maximize the value of their earned points.
Marriott Bonvoy members can redeem their points not only for free hotel stays but also for a wide range of experiences, including culinary events, concert tickets, and exclusive travel packages.
The program offers seven different membership tiers, each with its own unique benefits, and members can move up the tiers by earning a certain number of points or nights per year.
Marriott Bonvoy members can purchase up to 100,000 points per year, allowing them to top up their accounts and access higher-value redemptions.
The program's "Cash + Points" redemption option enables members to use a combination of points and cash to book hotel stays, providing more flexibility and control over their redemptions.
Marriott Bonvoy has partnerships with over 7,000 hotels worldwide, giving members a vast network of properties to choose from when redeeming their points.
The program's "Moments" feature allows members to redeem their points for unique experiences, such as private chef dinners, behind-the-scenes tours, and once-in-a-lifetime events.
Marriott Bonvoy members can convert their points into airline miles or other travel currencies, providing additional options for using their rewards.
The program's "Points Advance" feature allows members to book hotel stays without having enough points, and they can then earn or purchase the required points later.
Marriott Bonvoy offers a mobile app that enables members to manage their accounts, book stays, and redeem points directly from their smartphones.
The program has been consistently ranked as one of the top hotel loyalty programs, with a high level of customer satisfaction and a wide range of redemption options.
7 Loyalty Programs with Surprising Perks for Basic Members - Starbucks Stars Sharing with Family and Friends
Starbucks Rewards members can now share their earned Stars with family and friends, allowing them to pool their rewards and redeem them collectively for free drinks, food, and other perks.
This new "Stars Sharing" feature further enhances the value of the Starbucks Rewards program, making it easier for customers to maximize their loyalty benefits.
Starbucks rewards members can earn Stars not only through their own purchases but also by linking their accounts with other loyalty programs, such as Delta SkyMiles, allowing them to accelerate their Stars earning.
The Starbucks Rewards program has multiple tiers, and the benefits tend to increase with higher levels, incentivizing members to engage more with the program to unlock greater perks like exclusive events and promotions.
Starbucks has introduced "Star Days," exclusive events for Rewards members that offer even more ways to earn Stars towards free favorites, showcasing the program's commitment to rewarding its most loyal customers.
While customizations to drinks may incur additional costs, Starbucks Rewards members can redeem as little as 25 Stars for a completely customized beverage, providing significant value for loyal customers.
Interestingly, the Starbucks Rewards program allows members to redeem their Stars not only for drinks but also for food items, such as hot breakfast sandwiches and oatmeal, further expanding the redemption options.
Starbucks has recently enhanced the Rewards program by introducing more ways to earn Stars, including through special offers and bonuses, making it easier for members to reach their desired reward tiers.
Despite the program's versatility, it is essential for Starbucks Rewards members to be aware that some store locations may not honor all the tiered rewards, so it is crucial to check before placing their orders to ensure a seamless experience.
The Starbucks Rewards program has over 7 million active members as of April 2024, representing a 16% year-over-year growth, indicating its growing popularity among customers.
New Starbucks Rewards members can receive a bonus of 4,500 Stars upon spending $500 in their first three months, giving them a head start on earning free drinks and other rewards.
Starbucks encourages engagement through promotional offers, data-driven insights, and personalized recommendations to maximize redemption and loyalty among its Rewards members.
In April 2019, Starbucks introduced changes to its rewards program, increasing the amount of Stars needed to redeem items, but members can still redeem a brewed hot coffee for 50 stars, and an extra espresso shot, dairy substitute, or a dash of syrup for 25 stars.