Can Maharaja Points be earned/redeemed on Air India Express?2. How to get points from booking and upgrade tier?3. Does redemption start at 1500 points, different route rates?4. Will there be priority check-in/boarding benefits in the future?
New Delhi: A very exciting and very good news has emerged for the passengers traveling by air. Air India has expanded the scope of its ‘Maharaja Club’ loyalty program and has decided to extend its direct benefits to the passengers of its budget airline, ‘Air India Express’. With this masterstroke of Air India Group, frequent travelers are now going to be rewarded. Below is a detailed description of this major change and the benefits it will provide to passengers in 10 key points:
The rise of Air India Express’ new ‘reward network’
- Benefits on over 55 routes: Maharaja Club members will now be able to earn and redeem Maharaja Points on Air India Express flights covering over 55 destinations in South Asia, South-East Asia and West Asia.
- Speed of tier upgrades will be faster: Points earned from Air India Express flights will count towards both ‘Tier Points’ and the minimum number of flights required to upgrade the status level, resulting in faster status advancement for passengers.
- ID will be linked at the time of booking only: To avail this facility, members will have to enter their Membership ID while booking tickets through Air India Express’ official website, app or select travel agents.
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New mathematics of earning: Who will get the most benefit?
- Bumper Rewards on Direct Booking: Members who book directly through the Air India Express website or mobile app will earn much more Maharaja Points as compared to third-party or online travel agencies (OTAs).
- Rates vary by tier: When booking through official channels, ‘Red’ tier members will get 8 points per Rs 100 spent, while ‘Platinum’ members will get up to 12 points per Rs 100 spent.
- No-entry at airport counter: The company has clarified that Maharaja Club ID can be added or changed only during online booking. There will be no facility to update ID at airport counters and contact centres.
- Opportunity for special categories also: Passengers who book tickets at special concessional fares such as students, senior citizens or defense personnel will also be able to earn points. Rewards will be calculated on the basis of base fare and fuel surcharge.
- No-Claim on Previous Flights: Passengers should note that in the current phase of this facility, the option to claim points (Retrospective Claims) for old or previous Air India Express flights is not available.
The thrill of redemption: The journey will start with just 1,500 points
Domestic and International Redemption: Points can be redeemed on flights covered by codeshare agreements between the two airlines. Redemption starts at just 1,500 points on select domestic routes (like Bengaluru-Chennai), while redemptions start at 7,000 points for Delhi-Bengaluru and 12,000 points for international routes like Amritsar-Dubai or Bengaluru-Bangkok.
Suspense of the upcoming phase: What are the big promises of the future?
VIP facilities awaited: Air India has indicated that in the next phases of this integration, premium benefits like priority check-in, priority boarding, free seat selection, ‘Fly Prior’ services and huge discounts on cancellation/rescheduling fees will also be added for passengers on express flights.