This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Oneworld alliance, which has brought together some of the top airlines globally. It also coincides with the 25th year of Asia Miles, the loyalty currency of Cathay Pacific—a founding member of Oneworld.
Paul Smitton, Cathay’s Director of Customer Lifestyle, shared insights into the history of Asia Miles and the ongoing efforts to enhance customer experiences. Plans are underway to commemorate the 25-year journey of Asia Miles and celebrate with loyal members who have been accumulating miles over the years.
Behind the scenes, Cathay is working on upgrading critical backend systems, including the operating system that supports its loyalty program. The goal is to streamline the booking process for frequent flyers by allowing them to book tickets with cash, Asia Miles, or a combination of both seamlessly on a single screen.
While the timeline for integrating cash and miles-based bookings onto one platform is set for around 2026, efforts are being made to improve the user experience and make redemption flights more accessible. Additionally, the new system will enable faster processing of Asia Miles and Cathay status points earned through partners, moving towards real-time credit to member accounts.
With approximately 11 million active members, Cathay’s loyalty program caters predominantly to customers in Hong Kong, mainland China, and Southeast Asia. Recent changes, such as transitioning to an activity-based miles expiry system, aim to provide more flexibility and engagement for members, encouraging continued activity within the program.
Cathay aims to expand redemption seat availability to benefit its members, emphasizing the importance of customer satisfaction and long-term engagement with the loyalty program.
