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In a break from the strategy of many U.S. airlines, Emirates’ Skywards program is being used to boost loyalty for the airline without a heavy financial focus.
Emirates flies almost a million passengers every week, making it one of the world’s largest international airlines. As part of this, its Skywards program aims to boost loyalty to the brand, converting first-time customers into Emirates devotees.
The scheme has seen its membership base triple in the last nine years. It currently has around 35 million members, of which five million have made a transaction in the past 12 months.
Alongside its UAE home, the U.S, U.K, India, and Australia are the other top markets for the platform. Leading the program is Dr. Nejib Ben-Khedher. Speaking to Skift in a wide-ranging interview, he shares some of the secrets of Skywards’ recent success.
1. Use Free Wi-Fi as a Recruiting ToolLast year, Emirates launched free inflight app messaging for all passengers who have a Skywards membership number on their boarding pass. Unlimited free Wi-Fi is also available to Skywards guests who have higher loyalty status and those traveling in premium cabins.
According to Ben-Khedher, the roll-out of free connectivity has led to thousands of new enrollments, making it one of the carrier’s top channels for acquiring new membe