Finnair has announced that changes are afoot for its Finnair Plus loyalty program. Most notably, the Finnish flag carrier is set to introduce Avios as its loyalty currency at the start of next year, thanks to a partnership with IAG Loyalty. The program renewal will also feature various other upgrades and incentive schemes.

All change

Avios is one of the world's best-known loyalty currencies, and it is already used by some of the world's leading airlines for their reward schemes. These include several of Finnair's oneworld partners, such as British Airways, Iberia, and Qatar Airways. As of early 2024, Finland's national airline will join the party, increasing collection opportunities for Finnair Plus members. Ole Orvér, its CCO, stated:

Photo: Kevin Hackert/Shutterstock

Alongside this significant change, Finnair is also looking to incentivize new members to join by offering free WiFi. This applies to Airbus-operated European flights, on which Finnair Plus members can access the internet for messaging purposes free of charge. Notably, this will be the case regardless of a member's tier status.

Moving to a spend-based model

As well as changing the loyalty currency Finnair Plus members use, the Helsinki-headquartered carrier will also alter how its frequent flyers earn Avios. Specifically, the program is transitioning to a spend-based platform, whereby passengers will earn points in a manner that is proportional to the amount of money they spend on a given flight ticket. Orvér adds that:

"The move to a spend-based program rewards customers directly for their spend, just like many retail loyalty programs do. These moves allow us to leverage the full potential of our program, and make it attractive to a wider audience."

Photo: On The Run Photo/Shutterstock

Finnair isn't the only oneworld carrier to have recently made such a move. Indeed, British Airways also announced last month that its Executive Club program would be switching to a spend-based platform this coming October. As part of the shakeup, which looks to simplify the collection model while expanding earning opportunities, members will earn between six and nine Avios per £1 spent.

Award seat availability will increase

IAG Loyalty, who partnered with the airline to make the switch possible, welcomed the change. CEO Adam Daniels stated that "Finnair's adoption of Avios is a recognition of the global significance of the currency." To manage the transition, existing Finnair Plus points will be converted to Avios at a ratio of 3:2.

Another interesting aspect of the change is that Finnair plans to increase the number of award seats available on its flights as part of the shakeup. This will see at least four award seats guaranteed onboard every Finnair flight within Europe, while, for long-haul services, the Finnish flag carrier will have at least eight.

What do you make of Finnair's switch to Avios? If you are already a Finnair Plus member, how do you rate the program? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!