Vistara is currently in the process of merging with Air India. As part of this, the airline has announced that its loyalty program Club Vistara will be merged with Air India’s loyalty program Flying Returns. Let’s get into the details.
Club Vistara = Flying Returns
Vistara today sent an email to all the Club Vistara members sharing the details of the merger of Club Vistara into Flying Returns. The merger is underway for quite some time now, with some regulatory approvals left. The Club Vistara program will continue to exist until the integration is complete. Upon complete integration of Vistara into Air India, the Club Vistara frequent flyer program will completely merge with Air India’s Flying Returns.
Here are some of the details of the frequent flyer programs’ merger:
- Tier Status: Your tier status will be assigned based on the cumulative points of both programs. You will be able to maintain, at least, your current Club Vistara tier status or get upgraded if you qualify basis the cumulative points. Going forward, the rules of Flying Returns will apply.
- CV Points and Tier Points Balance: On the day of migration, the CV Points balance and the Tier Points available in your account will be transferred to Flying Returns program at a 1:1 ratio. This means that for example you have 500 Club Vistara points. The number will remain the same but only that they will be Flying Returns Points after the migration. The points will remain valid for at least one year from the date of migration, even if they are due to expire sooner.
- Future bookings: using CV Points and Complimentary Flight Ticket vouchers –
- All future bookings will be transferred, and you and your nominees will receive the revised flight details post migration.
- Any changes to the existing bookings will be as per Flying Returns’ rules, post the migration.
- Vouchers: All valid unutilized One-Class Upgrade vouchers and Complimentary Flight Ticket vouchers will be transferred to Flying Returns with the existing validity. The usage will be governed by the applicable program rules.
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Vistara says that update regarding Co-branded Credit Cards “will be shared in the coming weeks”.
Vistara says that as part of this integration, the personal data pertaining to the membership “will be evaluated by authorised representatives, maintaining highest level of confidentiality throughout this process”. The airline also has given an option to opt out of this integration of both your loyalty accounts, the link to which you will find in your email received from Vistara.
If you choose to exercise this option, all your points, tier status, benefits, vouchers etc. will be honoured by Club Vistara only until the program exists. The email also specifies that if the airline doesn’t receive any request for opting out within 21 days of receiving the email, they will initiate the process of migration of your data into Air India’s Flying Returns program.
Featured image by Travel Trade Journal
Are you excited for the loyalty programs’ merger? Let me know in the comments section below.
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