Aeroflot recalculated bonus miles amid rising ticket prices – Kommersant FM

In just one night, the cost of tickets in bonus miles increased significantly, Kommersant FM correspondents noted. The transport company calls the devaluation a planned move and emphasizes that the terms of the loyalty program have not been reviewed for more than a decade.

During this time, the cost of a flight in almost all directions has increased significantly, but in bonus miles it has long remained the same (the differences can be several times – up to ten).

After the revaluation of the rates in bonus miles, a flight from Moscow to Bangkok in business class will cost 120,000 miles instead of the previous 60,000, and a ticket to Istanbul will cost 60,000 miles instead of 15,000 (that is, it will cost four times as much). .

“Due to the revised conditions, there are a lot of dissatisfied people, but they can’t go anywhere,” says Ilya Shatilin, editor-in-chief of the frequent flyer portal.ru.

He points out that the most active users of the bonus miles program are businessmen who fly in the corresponding class (up to 70%). Before the devaluation, miles flights were extremely profitable for them, especially when they bought miles on the black market for more than 1 mile = 1 ruble.

“This is a very nice win-win story except Aeroflot,” says Shatilin.

Now the cost of a ticket in the loyalty program is close to the real cost of the flight. Earlier, S7 also revised its loyalty program, where it made dynamic pricing, directly linking bonuses to rubles.

Aeroflot claims that the devaluation is necessary to “preserve the maximum number of privileges for passengers”, which the company will be able to provide only in case of adequate savings.

In the current geopolitical and economic situation, direct service to the aircraft and flight fleet (including passenger service) has risen in price significantly, so airlines are looking for any opportunity to achieve financial balance in companies.