Air India Partners with The Bicester Collection for Reward Points

Air India has announced a new partnership with The Bicester Collection, a luxury shopping center located on the outskirts of Bicester, as part of its Flying Returns loyalty program. This collaboration allows Flying Returns members to earn reward points for shopping and dining at The Bicester Collection’s nine open-air luxury shopping Villages in Western Europe.

Members can collect 5 points for every GBP 4 or EUR 4 spent at any of the villages, which are conveniently located an hour or less from major cities such as London, Paris, Frankfurt, Milan, Munich, Brussels, Dublin, Madrid, and Barcelona. To earn points, members need to present their Air India Flying Returns digital membership card along with their receipts at Concierge Services in the Villages.

Statements from Key Officials

Sunil Suresh, Head of Marketing, Loyalty, and E-commerce at Air India, stated, “This partnership aligns perfectly with our ongoing efforts to make the ‘reimagined’ Flying Returns a more robust and faster rewarding program. Adding The Bicester Collection to our rapidly growing network of ‘earn’ partners, we’re offering our loyal guests even more opportunities to accumulate points for the experiences they value.”

Laurent Vinay, Chief Brand and Communication Officer at The Bicester Collection, added, “Air India aims to provide unparalleled Indian hospitality and customized service and so shares The Bicester Collection’s values of providing its clientele with an elevated experience: this partnership is based on a shared brand ethos. Air India is by far the most well-connected carrier in India, with flights to every European country where The Bicester Collection has a Village. And so together, we can create wonderful experiences for our customers, making lasting and meaningful memories for all our guests.”

Transformation of Flying Returns Program

This announcement is part of Air India’s ongoing effort to transform its Flying Returns program, which recently underwent a revamp in April. The updated program features a simplified structure, more customer-friendly features, renamed tiers, and an updated identity. The points collection model has shifted from miles-based to spend-based, offering members instant global status and privileges worldwide.

Over the past 18 months, Air India has added over 50 partners to Flying Returns, enhancing ease, rewards, and recognition for its members. The airline serves Europe with 94 weekly non-stop flights to India from 10 locations, including Amsterdam, Birmingham, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, London, Milan, Paris, Vienna, and Zurich. Air India has also recently inaugurated flights to Zurich and plans additional flights to Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Milan this month.