The recent merger of Air India and Vistara has streamlined their loyalty programs into the newly revamped Maharaja Club, incorporating features like Family Pooling. This feature allows families to combine Flying Returns (now Maharaja Club) points, enabling them to collectively maximize their travel benefits. Here’s how it works and how families can make the most of it.
What Is Family Pooling?
Family Pooling is a feature that allows multiple family members to pool their frequent flyer points into one account. This enables families to collectively earn and redeem points for flights, upgrades, and other benefits.
- Eligibility: A family group can include up to 8 members, such as parents, spouses, and children.
- Points Management: All points are transferred to a “Primary Account Holder,” simplifying redemptions for group travel or high-value rewards.
- New Members: Even occasional travelers or toddlers can contribute their points, which might otherwise go unused.
What’s New Post Air India and Vistara Merger?
With Vistara’s integration into Air India:
- Points Conversion: Club Vistara points were merged into Maharaja Club at a 1:1 ratio, ensuring members retain their value.
- Enhanced Fleet Access: With over 312 routes and 8,300 weekly flights, pooling points provides greater flexibility for domestic and international travel.
- Broader Redemption Options: Members can redeem pooled points across a wider range of Air India’s global partnerships.
Process of Setting Up Family Pooling and Eligibility Criteria
To create a Family Pool under Air India’s Maharaja Club program, the designated Family Head must initiate the process by contacting Air India’s customer support. Here’s how it works:
- Request Submission: The Family Head submits a request to create a Family Pool.
- Consent from Members: Invited family members must consent to join.
- Account Integration: Maharaja Club points from all members are pooled into the Family Head’s account based on predefined ratios.
- Timeline: The pooling setup is completed within 7–14 working days.
Eligibility criteria for setting up Family Pooling
Size of Family Pool
A Family Pool can include up to 9 members (including the Family Head)
Age of Members
Members must have individual Maharaja Club accounts and be at least 2 years old
Relationships covered
Eligible relationships include parents, siblings, children, spouse, and spouse’s parents or siblings
Split Choices for Points in Family Pool
Air India offers flexible split ratios to define how points are pooled into the Family Head’s account:
100:0
All points earned by members (existing and future) are transferred to the Family Head
75:25
75% of points earned by members are transferred to the Family Head, while 25% remain in individual accounts
50:50
Points are evenly split, with 50% pooled into the Family Head’s account and the remaining 50% retained by members
How Families Can Optimize Travel with Pooling
- Utilize Dormant Points:
- Convert unused points from infrequent travelers or toddlers into the primary account for collective use.
- Maximize Rewards for High-Value Redemptions:
- Pooling makes it easier to reach redemption thresholds for premium class upgrades or long-haul flights.
- Plan Group Travel:
- Redeem pooled points for family vacations, significantly reducing overall travel costs.
- Monitor Expiry Dates:
- Pooled points are subject to expiration policies, so planning redemptions in advance is crucial.
Enrol to Air India Family Pool now and earn 1000 bonus Maharaja Points
Conclusion
The Air India Family Pooling feature is a significant upgrade for frequent flyers, especially post-merger with Vistara. It allows families to optimize their loyalty benefits, turning even small, unused points into meaningful travel rewards. By understanding the new policies and strategically pooling points, families can make flying with Air India more affordable and rewarding.
For more details on the program, visit Air India’s official Family Pooling page.
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