Marriott Rewards wins in this all-important category for a third year in a row. Marriott has plenty of properties, in locations where their members want to stay, and at different levels of service. With this vote, members are saying that they have been pleased with the ability to redeem their points for the awards they want. The first four programs below also finished in the same ranking last year.
Last year’s winner, Starwood Preferred Guest, slips to third place in this category while last year’s number two program, IHG Rewards Club, makes its way to the top. Members can combine points and cash for award nights, flights, car rentals or merchandise and as of July 1, 2013, award nights count toward elite status.The program won a Freddie Award in 2011 in this category.
AIR FRANCE – KLM Flying Blue repeat their win in the Best Redemption Ability category after their winning debut in this category last year. Award sales are a sure way to win the heart of many a frequent flyer and Flying Blue offers the program’s popular Promo Awards of up to 50 percent off. Hotel stays, car rentals, extra baggage allowance and electronics are just a few of the other types of awards available to members.
Attending the Freddie Awards this evening from Flying Blue is Herbert Verschuren, Vice President Customer Marketing and Sébastien Reliat-Brunetière, Head of Loyalty Marketing and Communications.
Last year’s second place program finds it way to the top. IHG Rewards Club’s Big Win wins in Middle East / Asia / Oceania just as it did in Europe / Asia. Members were happy with their individual offer to earn a minimum of 50,000 points, with many being offered the chance to earn a great many more points.
Once again IHG Rewards Club and Le Club Accorhotels switched places from last year in this category with IHG Rewards again coming out on top. The Big Win offered a minimum 50,000 points when completing tailor made offers based on members’ personal booking and travel patterns within IHG’s brand family of hotels.
Fido and Kitty win. Velocity Frequent Flyer introduced the ability to earn points for traveling with a cat or dog on a Virgin Australia domestic flight—a minimum of 300 points earned per pet carrier for each flight sector flown, and for up to two pet carriers per booking. Virgin Australia (then known as Virgin Blue) won a Best Award Freddie in 2009, so this is the second win in this category for the program.
Thomas Alberts, Manager, Airline Partnerships, is in attendance tonight and accepts the award for Virgin Australia Velocity. And he makes a quick exit with a smile.