Business travelers comprise a huge portion of the airline industry, which is why airline loyalty programs have become a key marketing strategy for many. For decades, airlines have sought to increase customer loyalty through a host offers and benefits. But until now, many of the most lucrative benefits have been reserved for large corporations that could leverage the massive travel budgets required to harness the power of the most valuable business travel tools.
JetBlue seeks to change this trend by offering a free corporate booking tool that will allow much smaller businesses to easily manage a wide range travel options. The airline’s new customer engagement program is called Blue Inc. and it is designed with small- and medium-sized organizations in mind.
Without needing to rely on vast corporate resources, smaller organizations can now book multiple accommodations at the same time through Blue Inc., which also supports customized itineraries, different payment options, and spend-tracking analytics for each employee.
After a business signs up for the complimentary service through JetBlue’s website, individual employees of that business can also manage a host of personalized travel options by easily accessing Blue Inc. through any digital or mobile device. Blue Inc. will also serve as a comprehensive platform by which travelers can book additional hotels and rental cars, while earning special rates through JetBlue’s list of partners including Avis and Budget.
“Traditionally, business travel tools have been very expensive and were reserved for big businesses with huge travel budgets,” said Dennis Corrigan, Vice President of Sales and Revenue Management for JetBlue Airways. “Small- or mid-sized businesses were left to book through traditional consumer channels without any of the benefits of a corporate booking tool. We developed Blue Inc. with those businesses in mind. With Blue Inc., smaller companies can now manage their travel with JetBlue as efficiently as larger businesses, all while being rewarded along with their travelers.”
These rewards tie Blue Inc. directly into TrueBlue, JetBlue’s loyalty program. Businesses that book flights through Blue Inc. on behalf of traveling employees earn three TrueBlue points for every dollar spent, which can then be transferred to other registered travelers throughout the company. After integrating their membership and booking through Blue Inc., individual employees will earn six loyalty points on every dollar.