Airlines get creative with travel miles

Most people save frequent flier miles to splurge on a bucket-list trip. But some airlines are betting customers want them to be a little more creative.

Instead of swapping miles for a flight, customers at United Airlines could use them to buy or bid on experiences, like a recent auction promising a trip to London with a chance to be an extra in an upcoming Spider-Man film. Aviation geeks might have preferred another recent United auction, which promised a visit to the airline’s Tupelo, Miss., aircraft disassembly center to celebrate the airline’s last Boeing 747, including a Champagne toast in the firstclass cabin. Meanwhile, two people attending the ESPY Awards later this month will be Delta Air Lines frequent fliers who spent 426,000 miles to walk the sports awards show’s red carpet.

To keep passengers loyal, frequent flier programs need to offer something for everybody. But traditional perks like flights and upgrades can leave airlines’ best customers cold.

“For a lot of customers with large balances, who spend a lot of time traveling, the idea of getting on a plane is not a top priority,” said Luc Bondar, United’s vice president of loyalty. “They’re looking for other ways to find value.”

Airlines have long let customers redeem miles for things other than travel, such as using them to buy merchandise. But customers who use miles to shop rarely get as much bang for their buck as they might have if they’d used them for a flight, said Brian Karimzad of Milecards.com.

The more unusual rewards can be a good deal, Karimzad said, especially when they involve experiences passengers can’t readily buy with cash, such as VIP perks or a chance to go behind the scenes at the carrier’s own operations.

“It becomes your own personal value, and that can be worth more than what you can get booking a ticket to Europe,” he said.

While many do require a lot of miles, they’re not just for road warriors who would struggle to spend their miles on travel alone. When life with two kids made jet-setting more of a challenge, the Durkins, of Edgebrook, started using miles for nights out closer to home. They’ve met big-name chefs over meals at trendy Chicago restaurants and watched a Bears game from a private suite at Soldier Field. In a few weeks, they’ll attend a wine pairing class with a sommelier—all paid for with miles earned through travel and a credit card they use for their speech therapy business.

“It’s a great alternative to have,” said James Durkin, 37. “It forces us to make time for date nights.”