The Unique Nature Of LCC Frequent Flier Programs

Many low-cost carriers worldwide do not operate loyalty programs, and they often receive little attention in discussions about miles and points.

However, some low-cost carriers (LCCs) have partnerships with major airlines, allowing passengers to earn, redeem, transfer, or utilize points and status with these major carriers. Meanwhile, certain LCCs in the United States have loyalty programs that closely resemble those offered by traditional legacy carriers.

Other budget airlines are beginning to recognize the importance of frequent flier programs and are starting to develop them, albeit in a non-traditional way – often adopting a subscription-based model.

The landscape of loyalty programs among US budget airlines

The landscape of loyalty programs among US low-cost carriers is relatively robust, with almost every low-cost carrier in the country operating some sort of frequent flier program. Notably, unlike European low-cost carriers, US budget carrier loyalty programs resemble those offered by full-service carriers (FSCs).

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Most of the US low-cost carrier frequent flier programs allow you to earn miles by flying with the airline and redeem them for free flights, bags, and seat selection. Like traditional full-service carriers, most of these budget airlines also have partnerships with credit cards to earn points.

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While similar in structure, loyalty programs from US low-cost carriers are notably simpler compared to those of full-service carriers. They typically lack additional airline partners and offer limited options for using miles. None of them belong to an airline alliance, such as oneworld, SkyTeam, or Star Alliance.

Below, find a list of US budget airlines operating a loyalty program.

It is worth noting that Avelo Airlines, one of the latest low-cost entrants in the US market, announced its plans to launch a loyalty program in 2023. But the program has yet to be launched.

Subscription-based model

Subscription-based loyalty programs are more popular among European low-cost carriers. These programs don’t offer ways to earn and redeem miles. Instead, they provide an annual subscription with various perks and flight discounts.

For example, the British-based easyJet has the ‘easyJet Plus’ program. For an annual fee of £249 ($316), passengers can access such benefits as allocated seating on each flight, dedicated bag drop desks, fast-track security, faster boarding, an additional cabin bag, a lowest-price fare promise, and more. This is a good deal for frequent fliers since the above services would cost far more if booked separately for each flight.

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easyJet also operates a Flight Club scheme, a loyalty program for its most frequent fliers, and its benefits are personal to its members and their immediate friends and family. However, the program is by invitation only.

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The Hungary-based Wizz Air has a subscription-based program called the Wizz Air Discount Club. The carrier offers three annual subscription choices, from the cheapest to the most expensive: Light, Standard, and Group.

Meanwhile, the largest budget carrier in Europe, Ryanair, announced its ‘Ryanair Choice’ program in 2019, offering benefits for £199/€199. But the program has never been launched. Initially, it was still in planning as of March 2020, but the pandemic appears to have delayed its implementation. Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has most recently rejected the idea of introducing a loyalty program into Ryanair’s operations.

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LCC partnerships with legacy carriers

Some low-cost carriers with loyalty programs partner with legacy carriers. This typically occurs when low-cost carriers are part of an airline group, such as Lufthansa, which has its own low-cost arm. This is particularly popular in Europe and Asia but less in North America.

Several examples of such low-cost carriers are listed in the table below.

Let’s take Vueling as an example. The Spanish low-cost carrier belongs to International Airlines Group (IAG), a group of carriers that includes British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus. The budget airline operates the Vueling Club loyalty program, which uses Avios miles as frequent flier currency.

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Although the carrier has its own branding for its frequent flier programs, it still allows you to earn Avios, which can be transferred to other IAG airlines’ programs. You can also combine flights with credit card programs that earn or enable transfers to Avios.

Lufthansa Group operates its own low-cost carriers, Eurowings and Discover Airlines. Eurowings focuses on destinations in Europe and Africa, while Discover Airlines serves more leisure routes, including transatlantic flights. Both airlines allow travelers to collect Lufthansa’s Miles & More points, enabling customers to achieve frequent flier status.

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