Brace for impact. Since the closure of Jet Airways, JetPrivilege has been unable to run a full-blown airline loyalty programme, given the core airline that powered the proposition vanished. Etihad, which is the majority owner of the programme, has promulgated the programme as being affiliated with Etihad Airways Group, to ensure there was no run on the programme. However, people ran helter-skelter and redeemed their miles for as low as 20 paise with Amazon Vouchers and what not.
JetPrivilege has been doing a lot of patchwork on the programme for many months now, for instance, launching a redemption option where JP would buy revenue tickets and provide these to members as a redemption option. However, the value with this option was down to 17-33 paise. The only partner redemptions were available with Etihad. They also launched an opportunity where members could earn JPMiles by buying tickets on other airlines.
But it seems the holding pattern will be gone for good now. It has been known for a while that the JetPrivilege brand name is up for change. But we now know that the whole programme will be undergoing a revamp in the coming weeks.
Here is an email sent out by JetPrivilege to all members.
There are many messages to look out for here. First and foremost, the first time, there is an admission of the tough times. Second, there is a signal that the programme is changing. It promises more rewards, new benefits, new tiers, and so on.
While no one knows what will be the changes at this moment, I hazard a guess that the JPMiles charts and values would be abolished, and there should be some new valuation established of these miles. Also, there should be a transition from an airmiles programme to some other sort of loyalty programme, with flights as a redemption option.
It seems like this would be a wise time to take a check on your JPMiles balance and your plans for the same. If you have any confirmed plans which you intend to use your JPMiles for, this would be an excellent time to make the redemption. Because if I hazarded a guess, the JPMiles would either remain of the same value or perhaps less, but they aren’t going up in value.
What do you make of the new Friday evening maildrop from JetPrivilege?
Ajay,
Here is the partial content of the mail I received from JP..
“We wish to reiterate that as per revised JetPrivilege membership programme effective October 23, 2019, the JPMiles required for the requested sector is (double the JPMiles for the return):
Dublin – Mumbai via Abu Dhabi on Etihad Airways : 55,000 JPMiles per guest in Economy Class.
Dublin – Mumbai via Abu Dhabi on Etihad Airways : 337,500 JPMiles per guest in Business Class.
We would like to inform you that there will be no taxes applicable on offline or online bookings. There will only be a Convenience fee applicable.
The convenience fee is dependent on the departure time & sector. In case of a round trip the convenience fee will be a total of the convenience fee applicable for the onward journey + the convenience fee applicable for the return journey.”
Interestingly they say a redemption ticket for Abu Dhabhi London is for as low as 35K points for Economy but a whopping 1,84,000 miles for Business on Etihad. PLUS some administration fee of sorts which I’am not sure. Trying to redeem. Will post the final outcome
I hope they dont make immediate changes and give enough time to redeem tickets at current structure.
They changed everything without notice w.e.f. 21 st Oct
What change happened on 21st October? Please elaborate.
They revised the chart without notice. Now India – Europe costs one way 337500 in place of 84000 in Business. However Economy is 45 k instead of 42.5 k. They have removed YQ so taxes are less now.
If anyone is still sitting on a significant JP miles balance, they have already lost. Why would I want to be part of a general loyalty program? How will this be different from multitudes of such programs already? The major value of the program was preferential benefits one could derive by being a frequent flier of Jet Airways. Upgrades, tier points, priority check in, boarding, lounge access. JP miles was just a part of it.
Value is already lost. Mumbai – Dublin Business class 337500 miles on Etihad award seat -one way instead of 84000.
Oh wow! I got lucky! I redeemed at 84k DEL to FRA in Aug (for travel in Oct)!