News and Research

Frequent flier programs generate profits for airlines and frustration for travelers
Los Angeles Times
Jay Sorensen, president of IdeaWorks Co., a consultant on boosting airline revenue, called frequent flier programs a “tremendous cash cow” for the airlines.  In a recent report, Sorensen estimated that the nation’s top four airlines — American, United, Delta and Southwest — generated a combined $9.5 billion in revenue last year from frequent flier programs.  “The programs have a huge impact on the bottom line for airlines,” he said. “They simply can’t do without them.”