IHG, Singapore Airlines Partner on SME Loyalty

In the latest loyalty partnership between an airline and hotel company, IHG Hotels & Resorts will offer corporate members of Singapore Airlines' business loyalty program an enhancement to join its own program for small and midsized enterprises, the company announced Wednesday.

Eligible members of SIA's HighFlyer business travel program will receive a complimentary Gold Elite upgrade within the IHG One program if they join IHG Business Edge, the program it launched in 2018 that offers discounts and perks to SMEs. That upgrade "opens access to a suite of travel benefits including guaranteed discounts, late check-out, flexible cancellation and exclusive partner offers," according to IHG.

Also geared toward SMEs, SIA's HighFlyer program is a loyalty program for business travel that offers corporates discounts and points that can be redeemed for rewards or used to defray costs on future travel. 

As the prominence and importance of loyalty programs have increased in recent years among airlines and hotels alike, companies from both sectors have joined up to increase their offerings' attractions. 

Such deals "enable us to reach a wider group of travelers" and "create differentiated experiences," IHG managing director, South East Asia & Korea Vivek Bhalla said in a statement.

IHG said the SIA deal follows a similar partnership with Virgin Australia, inaugurated one year ago.