Allegiant says the credit card is the real prize in its Sun Country deal. With United, Breeze, and American trimming service, the bet could hit turbulence.
Then CEO Greg Anderson explained what the deal is actually for. He told Skift that credit cards are the airline’s biggest revenue opportunity. Not new routes, not the bigger fleet, not synergies in the maintenance hangar. The card. Buying Sun Country added a few million leisure travelers to the top of Allegiant’s co-brand funnel, and Anderson is refreshingly honest that this is where the margin lives.
Its Allways Rewards Visa card allows users to earn points at a higher multiple (3x) for Allegiant purchases, car rentals, and hotels, as well as (2x) on dining purchases, and standard (1x) earning on everything else. The Allegiant credit card is not the most rewarding program available, though cardholders can redeem points for free airfare and on 4-night hotel and air packages (or 7-day car rental and air) also earn an airfare benefit, a complimentary drink onboard, and priority boarding. Of all of the airline visa credit card accounts one could open, this one is not at the top of my list, but for even casual flyers on the carrier it probably pays for itself. The airline’s own landing page doesn’t even detail what the “airfare benefit” entails (it’s a buy-one-get-one-free airfare), nor the annual fee ($59) but the points and benefits might offset the cost for even infrequent Allegiant or Sun Country flyers.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on Live and Let's Fly.
