In their continued quest to encourage customer loyalty in unique and innovative ways, Virgin America announced on Wednesday that it’s partnering with Starwood Hotels & Resorts in a collaboration that will see loyalty members of both brands receiving extra benefits.
The news comes just a week after the announcement that Virgin America is being acquired by Alaska Air Group in a $4 billion deal.
"We're thrilled to announce our new loyalty partnership with Starwood Preferred Guest," said Stuart Dinnis, Director of Loyalty at Virgin America. "Both of our brands are known for providing fresh, modern and upscale travel experiences and Starwood Properties will be tremendously popular with our discerning flyers. We're looking forward to welcoming SPG members who may not have yet experienced Virgin America's award-winning service."
Through the partnership, members of Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) will be able to transfer Starpoints to the Virgin America Elevate program at a 1-to-1 ratio. In return, Elevate members will earn two points for every dollar spent at the hotel chain.
As a kickoff event for the partnership, Virgin is offering SPG members the opportunity to bid on a tropical Hawaiian getaway. The trip includes stays in either Waikiki or Maui, and bidding is open to all current SPG members.
The partnership will likely prove to benefit both brands; frequent travelers are constantly looking to get the maximum number of points from loyalty programs, especially when interacting with their favorite airlines and hospitality chains. Through this collaboration, both companies are essentially funneling their own customers into the other.
"This new partnership will enable SPG and Virgin America to extend loyalty outside of our hotels and beyond the window seat by giving our members transfer benefits and earning power," said Dana Rosenberg, Vice President, Global Partnerships at Starwood. "This will enhance the travel experience for our most valuable members and gives both Virgin American and Starwood an opportunity to reach frequent travellers who aren't part of our programs and capture greater share of the global, high-end traveller."