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| Innovation in travel and loyalty programs |
| by Brian Kelly |
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Hi everyone,
You all know I’m a big fan of Euro summer, but I was ready for a change, and United Airlines is making it happen. This week, United announced 10 new nonstop routes to secondary cities, and nine of the 10 are in Europe. It’s got me very excited to plan next year’s trips. Slovenia and Okinawa are high on my list.
This is the gateway to avoiding crowded European streets next summer. Don’t focus on Rome when you can visit Catania in Sicily or Olbia, Sardinia. Avoid Cannes or Saint-Tropez and try Marseille instead for sun-drenched beaches without the high price tag.
While I’m not the biggest fan of the single-aisle Airbus A321XLR, having nonstop options will be a huge time-saver. Hat tip to United for their creativity and innovation when creating these new routes.
Now, on to loyalty news …
Rove launches its biggest-ever expansion
Rove is the only transferable rewards program that doesn’t require a travel credit card to earn rewards, and it has just expanded to add a mobile app, Rove Dining rewards program and more. I love this program because the rewards stack up so fast (and it’s free to join!).
On my recent trip to Provincetown, Massachusetts, I booked my prepaid vacation rental through Rove and earned 110,000 miles immediately (instant miles credit only on prepaid reservations), and since I paid with my Chase Sapphire Reserve®, I was able to double-dip and earn 4 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent, too.
You know I’m a first-class junkie, and 110,000 Rove miles (which transfer 1:1 into Lufthansa’s Miles & More loyalty program) is enough for a one-way first-class award seat on Lufthansa. Since Rove is the only transferable rewards program that transfers to Lufthansa’s Miles & More program, and first-class awards are usually only bookable to Lufthansa loyalty members, this is a big win for me (and can be for you, too).
If you need to earn instant rewards to top off miles for a booking, you can also purchase retailer gift cards through the Rove platform.
This is definitely the most generous rewards program I have seen, with some of the highest earning rates. Plus, the expansion of dining rewards (some restaurants earn 12 points per dollar!) and a new app makes it even more exciting.
If you want to join Rove (it’s free), you’ll earn 1,500 Rove miles instantly when you sign up using my link. This is three times more than the standard referral offer!
For new users making their first hotel booking over $500, code “BRIANKELLY500” will earn you an additional 5,000 miles.
Bottom line
This week was full of exciting travel and loyalty news — I love to see the innovation benefitting consumers. United is definitely on the right path with its epic new nonstop routes, and loyalty rewards programs like Rove, which continues to evolve, will raise the bar across the industry. If you haven’t tried Rove yet, check it out!
Have a great weekend,
BK
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| Photo Credit: JONNO RATTMAN. |
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