Over the past two months I’ve spoken to at least ten people who said, “I have more than half a million JPMiles and now I’ve lost all hope. Which airline loyalty program should I switch to?” It’s not always easy to give a definitive answer.
The shutdown of Jet Airways has left a major gap not only in India’s aviation network but also in the loyalty landscape. Several carriers have expanded frequencies, launched routes and reported higher revenues, yet few are treating frequent-flyer programs as the strategic business they can be.
In India the primary loyalty programs are JetPrivilege, Air India Flying Returns and Club Vistara. JetPrivilege has been severely disrupted, Air India’s program is reasonable but its domestic product doesn’t fully meet the needs of premium frequent flyers, so Club Vistara remains the most viable option domestically — but can it truly replace JetPrivilege? Below are my thoughts.
Table of Contents
- Domestic Redemptions
- International Redemptions
- Bottomline
Domestic Redemptions
If you hold Vistara co-branded credit cards, redemptions for domestic business class can deliver strong returns — sometimes north of ~10% value on credit-card spend when redeeming for premium cabins. Earning rates on flights and promotions on Club Vistara also make accumulating points straightforward for regular flyers.
Economy and premium economy redemptions also offer reasonable value. The primary limitation is Vistara’s network reach, although it is expanding rapidly and adding connectivity that improves award options. The airline frequently runs offers that help members earn more CV points and redeem for less.
Overall, for domestic award travel Vistara is very competitive. With better connectivity, it has the potential to capture significant share of premium domestic redemptions.
Comparatively, Air India provides decent redemption options but its onboard product and consistent premium service lag behind. JetPrivilege, in its current disrupted state, offers poor value. On the domestic front, Vistara clearly leads.
International Redemptions
International redemptions are where Club Vistara currently underwhelms. Point requirements for several long-haul routes are high. For example, one-way business class between Mumbai or Delhi and Singapore has been priced at 100,000 points, which feels steep.
If you value Vistara points at roughly 0.75 INR per point, that redemption equates to about Rs.75,000 in value, while a paid ticket on that route can often be found for around Rs.35,000. Earning the kind of points needed for such awards is also challenging given current accrual rates, even on the top-tier co-branded cards.
My suspicion is that Vistara has set high award thresholds intentionally: in busy markets where paid demand is strong, the airline may prefer to sell paid seats rather than release inventory cheaply to redemptions. I hope future international routes will feature more attractive award charts and better redemption pricing.
One of Jet Airways’ historic advantages was an extensive partner network, which boosted its loyalty program value. Vistara partners with Singapore Airlines, a highly regarded carrier, but the partnership hasn’t been fully leveraged for customer benefit — a missed opportunity.
Bottomline
After Jet Airways’ collapse, many members saw significant devaluation of JPMiles, leaving them searching for new programs. Club Vistara stands out as the strongest alternative for domestic travelers thanks to solid earning and redemption value, especially for premium cabins.
However, to truly replace JetPrivilege Vistara needs to improve the value and accessibility of international redemptions and make better use of partnerships. If the airline refines its award pricing and expands partner redemptions, it could become the clear successor. Whether it will take those steps remains to be seen.
What are your thoughts on Club Vistara’s international redemption prospects? Share your views in the comments below.