American Airlines has discovered Uber! That’s the message it is sending today on social media, announcing to its followers that it is “making travel even easier” by partnering with the ride-hailing app company.
So, just how is this partnership set up? Turns out it is just an affiliate link with no real value beyond that. It compares poorly to other travel companies’ efforts on this front.
United Airlines integrated Uber’s hailing functionality into its app. A flight-reminder notification can easily lead to requesting a ride, streamlining the process. That is making travel easier.
Starwood has a partnership as well, allowing travelers to earn points in its Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty program for spending with Uber. Again, something tangible to the customer which makes travel life better.
And Delta once ran a sponsorship deal where it put USB charge points in some Uber cars. Not a long-term integration but still actually useful for travelers.
American does none of these things. Just an advert hiding under the guise of helping its customers. Yuck.
UPDATE: Turns out there is slightly more to the deal which the AA tweet skipped right over. Yes, a $25 credit for EXPs is nice but still not a huge deal IMO. And a link in the confirmation email to set up a reminder to get a ride is Rube Goldberg-esque to me.
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