Travel Hacking, Loyalhackers Style: Fly to Japan in Business Class for (Almost) Free

Press Release: For Immediate Release

Jakarta, October 11, 2018

Want to travel abroad without spending a fortune? Travel hacking is the solution! One way to practice travel hacking is by joining various loyalty programs offered by specific brands, designed to reward customers who have made repeat purchases from those brands. Loyalty programs generate points that can be redeemed for various perks, such as airline tickets to your dream destination. If you’re skilled at travel hacking, it’s very possible to redeem business-class airline tickets at a low price—or even for free.

So, even on a tight budget, you can still vacation anywhere without sacrificing comfort. That’s the beauty of travel hacking!

Many airlines already operate loyalty programs. Examples include GarudaMiles from Garuda Indonesia, Asia Miles from Cathay Pacific, JAL Mileage Bank from Japan Airlines, KrisFlyer from Singapore Airlines, SKYPASS from Korean Airlines, Enrich Miles from Malaysia Airlines, and more. Until now, information about flights, hotels, or credit cards offering loyalty programs has been scattered across various websites. Travelers looking to put travel hacking into practice often struggle to find this useful information.

Fortunately, there is now the blog loyalhackers.com, which features a wide range of information about loyalty programs. This blog also provides comprehensive guides on how to earn or redeem loyalty points for premium products, such as international flights in business class. Many travel hackers also share travel hacking tips and tricks on loyalhackers.com. One of them is Marianne Rumantir, CEO and founder of Member.id, a startup specializing in designing loyalty programs that has worked with various brands. Marianne once flew to Japan by leveraging loyalty programs from Japan Airlines Mileage Bank, American Airlines AAdvantage, and SPG. She redeemed a business-class ticket on a Boeing 777-300ER from Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport to Tokyo’s Narita Airport for less than 800,000 rupiah—a far cry from the original price of around 15–20 million rupiah.

To date, the blog loyalhackers.com is the first Indonesian website to provide a comprehensive list of all promotions and loyalty programs for airlines, credit cards, hotels, and restaurants. By following the travel hacking tips and tricks from this blog, Indonesia’s millennial generation will be able to vacation in various countries with nearly free accommodations. The blog also features stories and reviews from travelers who have visited various parts of the world.

“Travel hacking by leveraging rewards or loyalty points has become a trend in the United States, Australia, and Europe. This approach benefits both travelers and various brands, including airlines and credit card companies. However, since there is still limited information in Indonesia about loyalty programs—and especially on how to engage in travel hacking— Member.id created the blog loyalhackers.com so that more people can take advantage of loyalty programs in ways that are more creative than simply chasing discounts,” said Marianne at the launch event for loyalhackers.com held on Thursday (October 11) in Jakarta.

Meanwhile, another travel hacker and contributor to the loyalhackers.com blog, Tantra Tobing, takes advantage of numerous loyalty programs through credit card transactions. “To maximize loyalty points, we must be disciplined, consistent, and loyal to specific credit cards and airline partners. “This year alone, I’ve flown first class on Singapore Airlines for free eleven times thanks to my loyalty points. I’ve also experienced one of the world’s most luxurious seats—Singapore Airlines’ newest Suites,” said Tantra, a banker who also identifies as an avgeek.

About Member.id

Member.id is a startup specializing in loyalty program management in Indonesia, founded by Marianne Rumantir and Robert Tedja. The products and services provided by Member.id are end-to-end, ranging from consultation, creation, and development to operational management. Through this platform, users can redeem loyalty rewards for a variety of beneficial options. To date, the total transactions across all platforms created by Member.id have reached nearly 100 million points.

Some of the brands that have entrusted their loyalty programs to Member.id include Ismaya Group, The Union Group, Artotel Group, Djarum (LAZone), Unilever, and Garuda Miles as a loyalty partner. Since late 2016, Member.id has redesigned the Ismaya Lifestyle Card program and successfully increased membership transactions for that business by 1,000 percent over a twelve-month period.

Recently, Member.id received a Pre-Series A funding round from East Ventures and Ace Capital. Member.id will use these funds to expand its business reach into the travel and hotel industries. Additionally, Member.id plans to venture into the business-to-consumer (B2C) model by launching a blockchain-based e-wallet product in 2019.

Interesting Facts About Loyalty Programs

For many companies, the majority of revenue comes from loyal customers rather than new ones. On average, 70 percent of a company’s revenue comes from just 20 percent of its customer base. Meanwhile, it costs three to ten times more to acquire a new customer than to retain a loyal one. Therefore, customer loyalty is a valuable asset that can be leveraged. Not only do companies benefit, but loyal customers also receive exclusive rewards and various other perks.

Research released by Member.id shows that a 5 percent increase in customer loyalty can boost average profit per customer by 25 to 100 percent. Meanwhile, 55 percent of Millennials claim to be loyal to a brand, compared to 39 percent of those aged 35 and older. Based on these figures, Member.id identifies a need for brands to manage consumer behavior more effectively—specifically through loyalty programs. With a well-executed loyalty strategy, these programs can encourage customers to remain loyal to a particular brand.