SINGAPORE, 25 August 2023: Finnair is revamping its Finnair Plus loyalty programme in early 2024, switching to Avios loyalty currency based on spend rather than flights flown and distance covered.
Once Finnair adopts Avios in 2024 as its new loyalty currency, members can collect and use loyalty currency across partner airlines. This includes when they shop online with thousands of leading brands via shopping.ba.com and with IAG Loyalty’s growing list of partners around the world that range from BP, Nectar, and Uber in the UK, Areas airport retail, and Cabify in Spain and Bilt in the US.
Avios is the loyalty currency used by Finnair’s oneworld partners’ loyalty programmes – British Airways Executive Club, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, and Iberia Plus.
Starting this autumn, airlines that adopted Avios loyalty currency are tying customers’ mileage earnings to how much money they spend instead of how far they fly. The changes kick in from mid-October. Finnair follows at a yet-to-be-announced date in early 2024,
Award points will be converted to Avios with a 3:2 ratio, and the purchasing power of the current points remains unchanged – Avios prices are also updated with the same 3:2 ratio.
Members can move from one tier to another based on the money spent on Finnair’s flights and travel extras. Tier limits will be revised to reflect the switch to Avios and the new spend-based earn of tier points.
Collecting tier points and loyalty currency on partner flights will continue to be based on the travel class, booking class, and distance flown. However, they will collect based on miles, not kilometres flown.
Finnair’s Chief Commercial Officer Ole Orvér said: “2024 marks the start of a new era with our loyalty programme, with new benefits and improved options for our members to use their earned Avios – both within Finnair and IAG Loyalty’s partner network.“
“The move to a spend-based programme rewards customers directly for their spending, just like many retail loyalty programmes do. These moves allow us to leverage the full potential of our loyalty programme and make it attractive to a wider audience.”
The programme will feature new benefits to enable members to receive extra rewards, such as additional upgrade benefits, when reaching certain point limits within their existing tier.
As part of the changes, Finnair will also increase the number of award seats – the most popular award among members – and guarantee at least four award seats on Finnair flights within Europe and eight on Finnair long-haul flights.
Finnair is investing in new lounge premises on the Schengen side of Helsinki Airport, Finnair’s home hub, featuring a dedicated area for top-tier members.
The Finnair Plus loyalty programme has over 4 million members worldwide and was first launched in 1992.
About Avios
Avios is the global loyalty currency of the British Airways Executive Club, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Iberia Plus, Aer Lingus AerClub and Vueling Club. More than 35 million members are worldwide, collecting more than 3000 Avios every second.
