Card Tricks

You can use the business lounge, sir," said the lady behind the counter as I pulled out my credit card to pay for my air ticket. "But I'm travelling in economy," I tried to explain. "That's quite alright sir, the credit card you've paid with entitles you to free use of the business lounge, irrespective of the class you travel,” replied the lady. Pleasantly surprised I moved on to the check-in counter where I was offered a free upgrade to business once again, thanks to the same credit card. It is now that I started to realise that gone are the days of the run-of-the-mill loyalty programmes and frequent flier cards! What I was witnessing here was the advanced form of customer service and retention. One look around the market today would reveal a plethora of credit cards that have been launched in conjunction with various domestic and international airlines. What these cards effectively do is combine the reward points in a normal credit card with the frequent flier miles that you would earn on a normal airline loyalty programme, thereby making it a potent tool for the frequent business traveller. Of course, which card you join up for and how judiciously you use it is entirely a matter of personal preference. However, I have discovered that if you 'play your cards right' you stand to make significant gains, both in terms of the rewards that accrue and cost effectiveness. Options such as these are also a clear indication that the travel market in India is fast maturing and business travel, more specifically the business traveller, has been identified as a key driver in this process. The cover feature in this issue of feBusiness Traveller dissects the various credit card options available to today's traveller in the loyalty segment to facilitate decisions based on individual choice and preference. Here's to more travel perks…

Sheldon Santwan
EDITOR, feBusiness Traveller
Sheldon can be reached at:
editor@businesstravellerindia.com