Consideration for this award came down to just two candidates (the separation to the #3 rating was more than a half-full point): GarudaMiles and Airpoints. And the award goes to GarudaMiles. While Garuda is the country’s (Indonesia) flag carrier, it isn’t the largest airline though it flies both international and domestic flights. Competing against the likes of Lion Air which is the largest low-cost carrier in Southwest Asia has been a challenge but looking at the rating in this category for GarudaMiles bears out that this frequent flyer program is playing a large role in Garuda’s present and future plans including being part of the SkyTeam alliance. And just 2/10ths behind in ratings is Airpoints. Air New Zealand while not the home of a Freddie Award, is constantly rated in the top five over the years. They formerly had a strategic alliance with now-competitor Virgin Australia and have benefited from being a member of the Star Alliance.
This category can claim the title of being the most interesting. For instance, TAP Miles&Go won this category in 2017, 2019, and 2020 and look what they did this year, they grew out of it and won overall Freddie Awards for all major airline categories. The winner in 2016 was Norwegian Reward as they ascended toward relevancy with a strong loyalty offering. This year they were #4 in this category and the 2015 winner, Aegean Miles Bonus was in a very positive place with their #3 finish. Flying Club is a program that rests in the cradle of an airline that has won a lot of awards over the years with the style of delivery and service for their inflight cabins. But they’ve escaped attention to their loyalty offering in a very competitive European marketplace. For many years SAS ruled the loyalty space, Turkish has garnered attention as has Aeroflot. Virgin Atlantic might be handicapped by its routes but certainly not by its product and its loyalty program. Recent moves to establish a more far-reaching loyalty currency could make for a large change here. All we know is that this year, Flying Club and its members earned the respect they deserve.
This is a category in which there seems to not be any competition. TAP Miles&Go easily wins this Freddie Award with almost a whole point and a half rating higher than Air France KLM Flying Blue in the #2 spot followed by Lufthansa Mies & More in the #3 spot. Neither of these two programs are strangers to top finishes in this category. Flying Blue won it in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and most recently in 2020, while Lufthansa won in 2012. 2018 and 2019 Freddie Awards in this category were won by Aeroflot who likely was hampered by world events this year. But the distance between Miles&Go and Flying Blue this year is certainly attention-getting. Very rare for any program to win a category by that margin.
Full Voting Results
Rank
Best Redemption Ability – Airlines (Europe & Africa)
Another category in which TAP Miles&Go show excellence this year, a full point higher rating to capture another Freddie Award in 2022 than Lufthansa Miles & More in the #2 spot besting Air France KLM Flying Blue in #3. Both Flying Blue and Lufthansa have won this award before, Flying Blue in 2016 and Lufthansa in 2015. And if you are wondering, SAS EuroBonus won in 2014. Aeroflot had a three-year streak from 2017-2019 and Norwegian Reward won in 2020. No one program owns this category which we think is a good thing. Congrats to Miles&Go, may this start something for you but also to the past winners …. but a little bit more of how you say—thank you.
Full Voting Results
Rank
Best Customer Service – Airlines (Europe & Africa)
Another outstanding rating by Miles&Go on their way to a sweep in this region for 2022. In both the Americas and Middle East Asia/Oceania, the margins between #1 and #2 were a quarter to a half-point, this margin is a full one and a quarter-point in ratings. What promotion could rank this high? the Miles&Go Black Friday which offered “Between 26 November until 1 December TAP Miles&Go Club offered a total of 144,000 bonus miles and 8,000 status miles with a 12-month mileage purchase subscription.” Uhhhhh, 144,000 bonus miles and additional status miles will do it almost any time. As mentioned, Flying Blue was #2 with this: “Gain Double XP >>> Members automatically gained double elite qualifying points to maintain their current status and reach the next one faster on all Air France and KLM-marketed flights taken between July 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021.” Lufthansa has a top-three finish with this: “Earn Additional Status Miles in 2021 >>> From 1st January to 31th of December 2021 members earned double status miles for flights, double HON Circle miles with flights in First and Business Class and Frequent Travellers & Senators were also able to earn status miles when using their Miles & More Credit Card.” But we’re still thinking about those 144,000 bonus miles from Miles&Go.
