Flying Blue members in France, the Netherlands and Sweden can now earn points for shopping on Amazon.
An increasingly lifestyle-oriented loyalty program
Amazon thus joins the ever-growing number of “non-airline partners” in the Air France and KLM loyalty program. A major trend here, as elsewhere: airline and hotel loyalty programs no longer want to limit themselves to their original sector, and want to become more lifestyle and experiential by allowing them to earn and spend points with partners who may have nothing to do with travel, but allow them to become more involved in their customers’ lives.
The partnership between Flying Blue and Amazon will enable customers to earn 3 miles per euro spent.
However, the procedure seems a little convoluted. All you have to do is log on to Flyingblue, click on a link to Amazon and then shop. Wouldn’t it have been possible to link the two accounts in the user’s profile once and for all, to avoid having to do this again for each purchase session? In terms of customer experience, Amazon has accustomed us to better, because it’s not at all obvious and intuitive, especially if you’re on mobile.
Beware of ineligible purchases
Please note, however, that there are limits to earning Flying Blue miles on Amazon. First of all, you only earn on the amount of your purchases, excluding tax. After that, books, gift cards, games consoles and all nicotine- or tobacco-related items purchased on Amazon are excluded from earning Miles.
Easily explained for legal reasons, but it’s certain that some customers will be disappointed.
Miles will be credited once Amazon’s 45-day return period has elapsed. Logical.
This offer is only available to members residing in France, the Netherlands and Sweden.
And what about the environment?
It’s an enhancement to the Flying Blue program that’s right in line with history, and what’s more, with a very mainstream partner, an offer that’s likely to reach and appeal to a very large number of members, certainly more than most of the program’s partners.
That said, there’s something about this announcement that makes us wonder. Indeed, while Air France never ceases to proclaim loud and clear that environmental concerns are at the heart of its project – sometimes even too much so to be credible – the choice of such a partner may come as a surprise.
Firstly, because the IT sector is more polluting than air travel, and Amazon is a major contributor to this, particularly with its servers. Secondly, because if environmental logic is supposed to encourage local consumption and short supply channels, then this is far from the case.
Bottom line
Flying Blue now allows its members in certain countries to earn miles by shopping on Amazon. This is a really interesting initiative, as it adds a major partner to the program that will be of interest to the greatest possible number of members, given the breadth of its offering and the fact that it is already part of the daily lives of so many.
What do you think of this partnership? Will this encourage you to buy more from Amazon?
Image : Amazon by Frederic Legrand – COMEO via Shutterstock
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