NEW: easyJet confirms it is launching a loyalty scheme in early 2027
easyJet has, finally, confirmed the story that we have been nudging along for the last year here and here.
It is launching a full loyalty programme in 2027.
It’s a year too late, if the hope was to status match Silver and Bronze members of The British Airways Club who have now been downgraded, but there are ways around this ….
We don’t know anything more at the moment beyond what was in the half-year results announcement this morning:
Our sustained focus on operational delivery and customer experience has further strengthened and diversified the easyJet brand. We continue to benefit from a loyal customer base, with 71% of bookings coming from returning customers, including a growing number of easyJet Plus subscription members.
To complement this, we will be launching a new loyalty programme in FY27. We will host a seminar on the new rewards proposition early next year, which will leverage the strength of our brand and further enhance our differentiated customer offering.
Some more details may emerge during the day as the company does the rounds of the financial media.
This would be a win for both sides, giving easyJet customers access to long haul reward seats and Virgin Atlantic customers access to short haul redemptions from airports across the UK.
With the two airlines no longer both using London Gatwick, there would be no pressure for codeshares, cross-airline lounge access, status matching or anything similar – the two could simply have a 1:1 transferable currency.
It would also, on Day 1, get easyJet de facto access to a full loyalty ecosystem including American Express Membership Rewards transfers (via Virgin Points) and credit cards (via the two Virgin Atlantic cards).
Obviously there is a lot more to come on this, but for now its good news for everyone. Even if you never fly easyJet, the new loyalty scheme will put pressure on The British Airways Club to continue to deliver for members.