Asian Airlines Loosen Frequent-Flier Rules

Listen up, folks in the cheap seats: You’ll soon be able to earn frequent-flier miles for those mega-mile overseas journeys on three major Asian airlines.

Cathay Pacific Airways, Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines, long allied in a frequent-flier program called Passages that limits mileage earnings to business and first class, are breaking up the alliance and starting their own programs. As of Feb. 1, all three will include economy class.

“Not offering economy-class miles has cost us customers to competitors like United,” conceded Cathay Pacific spokesman Gus Whitcomb. And those customers are especially precious now, given the downturn in Asian economies. Another factor, cited by Malaysian Airlines’ Kelly Johnson, is that more business travelers are flying coach.

Details of the new programs vary by airline. In general, full-fare coach passengers will earn fewer mileage points than business or first class; if they travel on special discounted fares, the awards may drop further. And policies involving U.S. partner airlines will vary too.