COMMERCIAL TRAVEL,AIRLINES AND AIRPORTS
JetBlue | December 08, 2022
JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) announced a new TrueBlue® loyalty program that offers new perks and more choices as an increasing number of customers look to JetBlue as a trusted source for travel beyond just flights. The new program maintains most of TrueBlue’s signature perks that customers have come to love while also allowing TrueBlue members new opportunities to earn perks and status along the way. The more ways customers interact with JetBlue, the more perks they can earn.
From JetBlue Vacations hotel and cruise packages, to cars, stays and activities from Paisly, to many JetBlue flight extras and add-ons, and purchases on all JetBlue credit cards, everyone from infrequent travelers to road warriors can find ways to earn and redeem in JetBlue’s loyalty program.Our loyalty program must serve the needs of the JetBlue customer today, many of whom look to us as more than just a way to get from point A to point B, said Robin Hayes, chief executive officer, JetBlue. Customers have come to love our unique combination of low fares and high-quality service, and now turn to us for more than just a flight. We are evolving our loyalty strategy to deliver even more value for customers across our entire suite of travel products and partnerships, including those who take advantage of our strategic partnership with American Airlines.
We’re rolling out a bigger, better, bluer TrueBlue program this spring that’s designed to meet the needs – and exceed the expectations – of more customers, whether they travel once a week, or just once in a while,said Jayne O’Brien, head of marketing and loyalty, JetBlue. No two travelers are alike, which is why we’ve redesigned TrueBlue to let customers customize their perks as they soar toward Mosaic status, choosing the ones that are most valuable to them along the way.
“We know our customers are booking more than just flights with JetBlue, so we are excited to have a program where travelers are rewarded throughout all aspects of their travel journey, There are so many opportunities for our customers to enjoy the signature JetBlue experience through flights, hotels, cruises, vacation packages, car rentals and more,”
-Andres Barry, president, JetBlue Travel Products.
TrueBlue will offer more value, new choices and unique personalization through a variety of all-new program aspects, including:
Tiles become the new way to track and measure progress toward Mosaic status JetBlue’s most loyal group of travelers.
Customizable Perks You Pick, available to more TrueBlue members without Mosaic status, will reward more travelers sooner.
Multiple levels of Mosaic, each with Mosaic Signature Perks and Perks You Pick, bring expanded perks to JetBlue’s most loyal customers.
Combined spend counts with all JetBlue credit cards. Add up JetBlue travel spend and any JetBlue credit card spend to unlock perks.
New JetBlue credit card enhancements on select cards bring new perks to cardholders.
The new TrueBlue will still carry over many of the perks customers know and love:
All TrueBlue members will continue to earn TrueBlue points on JetBlue and eligible American Airlines flights, and can redeem those points for award travel on JetBlue, including any seat at any time, with no blackout dates or expiration dates.
TrueBlue points will never expire.
Use Cash + Points to pay for JetBlue flights and JetBlue Vacations packages.
Pool points with family and friends.
Earn 2X points on jetblue.com or the JetBlue app.
Select reciprocal loyalty benefits for Mosaic members traveling on American Airlines.
The new program is set to go live in spring 2023 and will make TrueBlue more rewarding than ever before in its 20-year history.
Perks You Pick for TrueBlue Members
The new TrueBlue program is designed to ensure that all TrueBlue members have the opportunity to get rewarded, even before achieving Mosaic status. For the first time ever, travelers can start earning and enjoying perks before earning Mosaic status. TrueBlue members can customize their experience with Perks You Pick, choosing their first perk with just 10 tiles, then add more perks when they reach 20, 30 and 40 tiles. For every 10 tiles TrueBlue members earn, until they reach 50, they will get to choose a new perk from the following:
Early boarding.
Get settled sooner with Group B boarding (excluding Blue Basic fares).
Priority security.
Access an expedited lane to security at dozens of airports where available.
Alcoholic drink.
First beer, wine or liquor is free each flight (21+).
JetBlue Vacations® bonus.
2X points bonus on a JetBlue Vacations package (one-time use).(a)
5,000-point bonus.
Boost your TrueBlue balance with 5,000 bonus points.
These perks will allow even occasional travelers to enjoy an elevated travel experience when flying on JetBlue. Once a customer earns 50 tiles, they reach Mosaic 1 status, receive all TrueBlue Perks You Pick and are set up to qualify for even more perks within new Mosaic levels.(b)
New Mosaic Levels
As part of the reimagined TrueBlue program, JetBlue is also meaningfully enhancing the Mosaic program to include four distinct Mosaic levels, each featuring a Mosaic Signature Perk. Each Mosaic level has a set of distinct benefits plus, customers are entitled to pick a Mosaic Signature Perk.
Mosaic Signature Perks:
Mosaic 1 – 50 tiles:
Mosaic Boarding.
First two Checked Bags Free.
Beer, Wine & Liquor.
Even More® Space at Check-In.
Same-Day Switches.
Priority Security.
Dedicated Check-In.
Dedicated Support Line and Priority Chat Assistance.
Complimentary Upgrades on Heathrow Express.
Mosaic 2 – 100 tiles: Even More Space
Up to 7” more legroom at no extra charge during booking (pending availability).
Mosaic 3 – 150 tiles: Move to Mint®
Four Move to Mint certificates that enable complimentary upgrades from core to any Mint seat.
Number of certificates required to upgrade varies.
Mosaic 4 – 250 tiles: Move to Mint Again + BLADE Airport helicopter transfers
Two additional Move to Mint certificates.
Credits that can be redeemed for four complimentary seats on BLADE Airport helicopter transfers between Manhattan and JFK or EWR.
Additionally, each time a member qualifies for a new level of Mosaic, they’ll also be able to select one new perk from the Mosaic Perks You Pick menu.
Mosiac Perks You Pick:
FoundersCard Blue Membership
Enjoy 150+ premium travel, business, and lifestyle benefits—created exclusively for Mosaic members.
Pet Fee Waiver
Jet with your pet (cat or small dog) at no extra charge ($125 value per flight).
$99 Statement Credit on Select JetBlue Cards
$99 one-time statement credit for JetBlue Plus or Business Card.(c)
20-Tile Bonus
Get or gift a 20-tile boost to get to the next level faster.
15,000-Point Bonus
Boost your TrueBlue balance with 15,000 bonus points.
Mint Suite Priority (arriving later in 2023)
Priority access to Mint Suite selection on select aircraft (pending availability). Excludes Mint Studio™.
Introducing Tiles
Tiles are the new and easy way to track progress toward status, while earning perks at key milestones along the way. Intrepid travelers and casual fliers alike will be eligible for perks sooner than ever before and even if they haven’t yet achieved Mosaic status. While still earning valuable points that can be redeemed for award travel, TrueBlue members will also earn tiles based on their combination of travel spend and credit card spend, not just one or the other.
One tile is awarded for every $100 in qualifying spend on more of the ways a customer can JetBlue.(d) Hotel rooms and resorts. Cars and cruises. Activities and extras. Travelers will be able to rack up rewards with JetBlue Vacations, Paisly by JetBlue, JetBlue fees, JetBlue add-ons and American Airlines-operated flights. Additionally, one tile is awarded for every $1,000 in qualifying spend on all JetBlue credit cards.
JetBlue and Barclays Credit Card Enhancements
This spring, JetBlue is also introducing enhancements to select Barclays JetBlue credit cards. JetBlue Plus Card members can enjoy Points Payback, allowing them to redeem points to pay themselves back from purchases of $25 or greater, up to a maximum of $1,000 annually. Points redeemed for purchases will appear as a statement credit toward their account balance. In addition, JetBlue Business Card members can enjoy early Group A boarding on JetBlue-operated flights.
The Transition to the New TrueBlue
In spring 2023, Mosaic-Qualifying points and segments will be retired and TrueBlue members will see how many tiles they have based on how much they’ve already spent in 2023. Any member eligible for Perks You Pick will have the opportunity to select them based on their in-progress 2023 tile count.
Mosaic members will be assigned a Mosaic level based on how much they spent in 2022 or how much they spent in 2023, whichever is greater. They’ll immediately begin enjoying the Mosaic Signature Perks of each level and will have the opportunity to select Mosaic Perks You Pick associated with that level. For more information about JetBlue’s new TrueBlue program, visit: jetblue.com/newtrueblue.
About JetBlue
JetBlue is New York's Hometown Airline®, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles, Orlando and San Juan. JetBlue carries customers to more than 100 destinations throughout the United States, Latin America, Caribbean, Canada and United Kingdom. For more information and the best fares, visit jetblue.com.
Qualifying travel spend excludes government taxes and fees and travel insurance. All net purchases are qualifying credit card spend. See TrueBlue Terms & Conditions and applicable cardmember agreement.
Members selecting the JetBlue Vacations Bonus perk will earn this benefit on the 6 TrueBlue points per eligible dollar spent on airfare and 1 TrueBlue point per eligible dollar spent on hotels, car rentals, cruises, and transfers calculated based on the member’s individual proportionate share, as determined by JetBlue, of a JetBlue Vacations package booking; members selecting this perk will not earn the bonus on any other individual travelers’ portions of the booking. Points bonus does not apply to the Mosaic bonus, any credit card bonus, or any additional bundled points or promotional points. See terms and conditions.
Any TrueBlue Perks You Pick that are not selected by the member as they accumulate tiles will automatically be granted upon reaching any level of Mosaic status, but the 5,000 bonus points and the JetBlue Vacations Bonus will not be available to Mosaics who earned status in 2022 for 2023. If a Mosaic qualifies for 2024 and beyond, they are eligible to receive these perks.
The $99 Statement Credit on Select JetBlue Cards is available to Barclays JetBlue Plus World Elite Mastercard® and JetBlue Business Mastercard® cardmembers only. You will be eligible to select this benefit after reaching Mosaic 1 status. The benefit can only be redeemed once per Mosaic qualifying year. If you product trade from Barclays JetBlue Plus Card to the Barclays JetBlue Card, you will no longer be eligible for this benefit. The statement credit will appear 2-4 weeks after you select the benefit. Your Card Account will not be eligible to receive the statement credit if it is closed or in default under your Cardmember Agreement at the time of fulfillment.
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TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY, DESTINATION AND TOURISM
Amadeus | September 16, 2022
Uplift, the leading enterprise Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) solution serving the world's top travel brands is partnering with Amadeus for U.S. and Canadian customers.According to research with travelers, 68% would spend more on travel if BNPL options were available. Travel remains a big-ticket item for consumers and especially so when planning a family or long-haul trip. Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) options have emerged over recent years as a way to spread the cost of a purchase across several monthly payments, delivering additional flexibility for travelers. That's why Amadeus is partnering with travel specialist, Uplift, to bring BNPL services to its popular Amadeus Xchange Payment Platform (XPP), as part of a multi-provider BNPL ecosystem dedicated to travel.
XPP is used by hundreds of airlines and travel companies to power every aspect of their payments, from fraud prevention to payment acceptance. Now, airlines, travel agencies and hotels can easily add BNPL options to their sales channels via a single connection to Amadeus – making 'Uplift' BNPL options more easily available to travelers across the industry. Travelers can choose to pay for travel in a series of installments over six, nine or twelve months.
Already common to the retail sector, BNPL is particularly well suited to the travel industry due to the common requirement for upfront payments at the time of booking. Amadeus research with more than 5,000 travelers suggests 68% would spend more on travel if BNPL options were available, with 49% confirming they would be more likely to buy airline ancillary services.
Beatrice Bouju, Head of Partnerships, Payments, Amadeus said: The growth of BNPL across all sectors has been remarkable and the message from travelers is clear – they want the choice to pay for the trip in installments. Such payment options will help travel's recovery by facilitating pent-up demand for higher value holidays as travel restrictions are lifted.
She continued: Our vision for the Amadeus Xchange Payment Platform is a one-stop-shop for travel companies to access the latest in fintech innovation, so adding BNPL services from two travel specialists to the mix was an easy choice.
"Travelers increasingly prefer the option to pay for a trip in installments, over two thirds of Uplift users chose BNPL because it reduces financial stress to pay over time versus all at once. BNPL has become a standard payment method across travel. Now, travel providers that rely on the Amadeus Xchange Payment Platform can add Uplift's flexible payments quickly and simply, immediately benefiting from stronger customer loyalty and increased bookings."
-Tom Botts, Chief Commercial Officer, Uplift
Amadeus XPP helps travel companies access the latest fintech innovations to improve the payment experience for travelers.
About Amadeus
Travel powers progress. Amadeus powers travel. Amadeus' solutions connect travelers to the journeys they want through travel agents, search engines, tour operators, airlines, airports, hotels, cars and railways. We have developed our technology in partnership with the travel industry for over 30 years. We combine a deep understanding of how people travel with the ability to design and deliver the most complex, trusted, critical systems our customers need. We help connect over 1.6 billion people a year to local travel providers in over 190 countries. We are one company, with a global mindset and a local presence wherever our customers need us. Our purpose is to shape the future of travel. We are passionate in our pursuit of better technology that makes better journeys. Amadeus is an IBEX 35 company, listed on the Spanish Stock Exchange under AMS.MC. The company is also part of the EuroStoxx50 and has been recognized by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the last eight years. To find out more about Amadeus, visit www.amadeus.com.
About Uplift
Uplift is the leading Buy Now, Pay Later solution that empowers people to get more out of life, one thoughtful purchase at a time. Serving the world's top enterprise level travel brands, Uplift's complete range of flexible payment options drive higher conversion and loyalty for partners, while giving customers a simple, surprise-free way to pay over time with no late fees or prepayment penalties. Uplift is currently available throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit Uplift.com.
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TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY,AIRLINES AND AIRPORTS
Simplex and TravelX | December 02, 2022
Simplex, the fiat infrastructure for digital assets globally, announced a partnership with TravelX, a technology company that is working with leading airlines and travel organizations like IATA (International Air Transport Association) to tokenize their inventory by turning them into NFTs (NFTickets).
This integration provides customers with easy access to NFTickets through Simplex's on-ramp solution, allowing non-crypto users to purchase seamlessly.
"We are honored to partner with Simplex as we create a more transparent, efficient, decentralized and collaborative travel economy. We are very happy to work with one of the world's most important players in digital payments and believe they are the right partner to join us in this journey,"
-Facundo Diaz, Co-founder of TravelX.
NFTickets are the digital representation of regular flight tickets tokenized through blockchain technology. This allows airlines and travel agents to offer more efficient services and ticketing systems, while helping to reduce supplier distribution costs and inefficiencies, ultimately improving profitability. Travelers have more flexibility managing travel assets without support call centers and can easily buy, transfer, trade or sell tickets through blockchain, all on TravelX's marketplace. Distributed through peer-to-peer (P2P) channels, NFTickets unlock a new era of democratization in the travel industry.
"We are excited to join forces with TravelX to accelerate their Web3 business with our seamless payment solutions, Together, we are transforming the industry by bridging the gap between traditional and decentralized finance and taking the old ticketing system into the future of Web3 applications."
-Dror Ben Eliyahu, Simplex's Head of Business Operations.
About Simplex
Simplex is the fiat/crypto infrastructure for the entire world. An EU-licensed financial institution, Simplex aims to change the status quo of the current crypto markets by providing simple, seamless, and secure channels to convert over 100+ fiat currencies to 170+ cryptocurrencies. Simplex has been actively supporting existing and new protocols in the industry, nurturing and expanding its portfolio of supported cryptocurrencies and payment methods.
About TravelX
Led by a team of tech and travel industry veterans, TravelX is building a blockchain-based distribution protocol to create a more secure, decentralized, frictionless, transparent and efficient travel industry. The company's technology allows travel suppliers to tokenize their inventory into NFTs, unleashing distribution capabilities and use cases that enhance both travelers' flexibility and suppliers' profitability. For more, visit www.travelx.io
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