Privacy disadvantages of 'frequent flyer miles' program
I am flying quite often, but never signed up for frequent flyer miles card. I am skeptic about my privacy. I also don't understand very well how frequent flyer miles work.
With a search engine I found almost no info about this topic:
The major airlines actually make more money with the frequent flyer programs than they do as airlines. The market value of American Airlines frequent flyer program is more than $6 billion -- the market itself is $2.4 billion. What does it tell you? Airlines make a lot of money by selling miles to their miles partners -- credit card companies, banks, etcetera -- so you get a dollar for every dollar you spend
I always register with my real name and credit card at the airline. They anyway have this data and can they sell it?
Best Answer
You need to read the privacy policy and terms and conditions of your specific airline's program as they should detail if they share any information and with whom.
Keep in mind some information sharing is mandated by the regulator or the country (such as API); this is simply a cost of traveling.
The main source of revenue is selling points to other providers. It is such a huge business that there are brokerage companies out there that bid on these points and agreements for their clients; and there are aggregators that will "buy" points for their clients and their platform.
The reward of a loyalty program (especially if you travel frequently) often outweighs the cost of privacy. The airline already has a lot of information on you - generally they have information on some government issued id (if you travel internationally, the also have your passport details) along with usually some form of payment instrument.
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Is a frequent flyer program worth it?
If you're a very frequent flyer and you're travelling mostly on business, on flights you haven't paid for out of your own pocket, then yes, it's worth it as you'll earn free upgrades once you've built up your status.What is the benefit of frequent flyer Programme to the passenger?
Typical awards include a free ticket, food and beverage perks, or a free upgrade from economy seating to higher seating class. Some airlines also offer "elite" programs which provide check-in and boarding priorities, and "affinity" credit cards which earn mileage credits when you use them for purchases.Why do airlines have frequent flyer programs?
The concept behind frequent flyer programs is that the airlines want their passengers to become lifetime customers. It is much more costly for the airlines to get new customers than it is to retain the ones they already have. So how do they reward you? The more frequently you fly with them, the greater your awards.What qualifies you as a frequent flyer?
It all depends on the frequent flyer program of your choice, its rules and flights, that you take, but the rule of thumb is, that with just 3-4 flights a year you can think about yourself as a frequent flyer, who's entitled to certain perks.Safe and Sorry – Terrorism \u0026 Mass Surveillance
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