AwardWallet

Last updated
AwardWallet, LLC
Company type Private
AwardWallet
Industry travel management, information technology, loyalty programs
Founded2004
FoundersAlexi Vereschaga
Headquarters Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Website awardwallet.com

AwardWallet is frequent flyer miles and points tracking site. [1] [2] [3] [4] It is considered to be the first in the genre, founded in 2004, and tracked more than 400 sites as of 2011. [5] AwardWallet is based out of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. As of 2021, it has 700,000 users, despite some airlines blocking access to the app citing privacy concerns. [6] [7]

Contents

In 2012, AwardWallet was involved in a series of disputes with several airlines companies which denied access to AwardWallet's tracking software on their websites. [8] [9] [10]

History

AwardWallet was established in 2004 by Alexi Vereschaga and Todd Mera, two former employees and software engineers from the Aelita Software Corporation. [11] [12] The company began with reward programs by tracking transactions of frequent flyer users and later expanded its services by adding a variety of customer loyalty programs [13] [4] [14] [15] AwardWallet added a companion mobile application for iOS and Android devices circa 2010/2011. [16] [2] [17]

As of 2021, AwardWallet had over 700,000 members. [18] AwardWallet software has been discussed and cited in travel and technology sections of the media outlets such as The New York Times, BBC, [19] CNN, [20] Bloomberg, [21] Forbes, [4] Entrepreneur, [22] Vox [23] Los Angeles Times [24] [25] CNBC [26] and The Wall Street Journal, among others. [5]

As of 2022, Uber began collaborating with AwardWallet to introduce Uber Travel, a function that allows users to book rides covering their entire trip, including transportation from the airport to the hotel and restaurants. The feature aggregates flight, hotel, and restaurant reservations within the Uber app. [27]

As of 2024, AwardWallet was available on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The service tracks loyalty programs and rewards systems from over 700 travel and retail companies, providing travel alerts, email notifications for flight disruptions, and spending analysis to help users optimize point accumulation. [28]

Technology

AwardWallet's software is equipped with several APIs related to the travel space including an AwardWallet Email Parsing API, AwardWallet Web Parsing API, and AwardWallet Account Access API. For example, Email Parsing API retrieves travel reservations from confirmation emails. Travel reservations are then parsed by the API to return the reservation data in a structured JSON format [29] The AwardWallet Account Access API operates via OAuth protocol. [30] The AwardWallet Web Parsing API retrieves account balance, membership tier, expiration date and more from online accounts. It also provides access to travel itineraries and historical account activity. [31] A number of sources [17] [32] [33] indicate that the AwardWallet software is a part of an emerging API economy. [34] [35]

Airline companies tracking controversy

AwardWallet was a part of controversy related to the denial of the airline companies to have tracking software programs in their API systems. In late 2012, AwardWallet (along with TripIt and MileWise) received a number of cease and desist letters from American Airlines, Delta, [10] [36] United Airlines [8] and Southwest Airlines, demanding that AwardWallet discontinue accessing their websites for tracking clients' miles rewards programs. [9] [3] In August 2013, American Airlines resumed its use of the AwardWallet by integrating its software in the company's API. [17] [37] [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loyalty program</span> Marketing strategy designed to encourage customers to continue to shop at a business

A loyalty program is a marketing strategy designed to encourage customers to continue to shop at or use the services of a business associated with the program. A loyalty program typically involves the operator of a particular program set up an account for a customer of a business associated with the scheme, and then issue to the customer a loyalty card which may be a plastic or paper card, visually similar to a credit card, that identifies the cardholder as a participant in the program. Cards may have a barcode or magstripe to more easily allow for scanning, although some are chip cards or proximity cards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frequent-flyer program</span> Airline loyalty program

A frequent-flyer programme (FFP) is a loyalty program offered by an airline.

A cease and desist letter is a document sent by one party, often a business, to warn another party that they believe the other party is committing an unlawful act, such as copyright infringement, and that they will take legal action if the other party continues the alleged unlawful activity. The letter may warn that, if the recipient does not discontinue specified conduct, or take certain actions, by deadlines set in the letter, the letter's recipient may be sued. The phrase "cease and desist" is a legal doublet, made up of two near-synonyms. A cease and desist letter issued by a government entity, called a cease and desist order, is "a warning of impending judicial enforcement".

AAdvantage is the frequent-flyer program of American Airlines. Launched May 1, 1981, it was the second such loyalty program in the world and remains the largest, with more than 115 million members as of April, 2021.

Aeroplan is the frequent-flyer program owned by Air Canada, Canada's flag carrier. The Aeroplan program was created in July 1984 by Air Canada as an incentive program for its frequent flyer customers. In 2002 it was spun off as a separate corporate entity and eventually sold to Aimia. On May 11, 2017, Air Canada announced it plans to launch a new loyalty program to replace the Aeroplan program in 2020. On August 21, 2018, Air Canada, along with TD, CIBC and Visa, agreed to acquire Aeroplan from Aimia for CA$450 million in cash. There are approximately 5 million active members in the program. On August 11, 2020, Air Canada released details about its new loyalty program, which was a relaunch of Aeroplan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flybuys (Australia)</span> Australian customer loyalty program jointly owned by Coles Group and Wesfarmers

Flybuys is an Australian customer loyalty program equally owned by the Coles Group and Wesfarmers through joint venture Loyalty Pacific. Members can accrue points by shopping at Coles Group brands, certain Wesfarmers brands, and some third-party partners like HCF Health Insurance, Coles Express and Optus. Points can then be redeemed for money off purchases at Coles Supermarkets, Coles Express, Liquorland, Kmart, Officeworks, Target and mycar, as well as holidays and household goods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Miles</span> Miles-based loyalty program

Air Miles is a group of loyalty programs operated by different companies in each region where the brand operates - the programs are available in Canada, the Netherlands, and the Middle East. Points are earned on purchases at participating merchants and can be redeemed against flights with specific airlines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boarding pass</span> Document provided to an air-travel passenger functioning as a ticket.

A boarding pass or boarding card is a document provided by an airline during airport check-in, giving a passenger permission to enter the restricted area of an airport and to board the airplane for a particular flight. At a minimum, it identifies the passenger, the flight number, the date, and scheduled time for departure. A boarding pass may also indicate details of the perks a passenger is entitled to and is thus presented at the entrance of such facilities to show eligibility.

Online shopping rewards are a type of loyalty program to e-commerce shoppers.

Loyalty marketing is a marketing strategy in which a company focuses on growing and retaining existing customers through incentives. Branding, product marketing, and loyalty marketing all form part of the customer proposition – the subjective assessment by the customer of whether to purchase a brand or not based on the integrated combination of the value they receive from each of these marketing disciplines.

Velocity is the frequent-flyer program of Virgin Australia Holdings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everyday Rewards</span> Australian and New Zealand customer loyalty program

Everyday Rewards, known as Woolworths Rewards between 2015 and 2020, is a customer loyalty program owned and operated in Australia and New Zealand by Woolworths Group. Members can earn points in the program from Woolworths Group companies, as well as partner brands like Ampol, Bupa and Origin Energy. Qantas Frequent Flyer program members can convert 2,000 Everyday Rewards points to 1,000 Frequent Flyer points as part of a partnership between the two companies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mileage Plan</span> Frequent-flyer program of Alaska Airlines

Mileage Plan is the frequent-flyer program of Alaska Airlines. Members accrue program "miles" by flying Alaska Airlines and partner-operated flights, using co-branded credit cards, and booking vacation and hotel packages, among other methods. Mileage Plan miles can be redeemed for award flights on Alaska Airlines and partner carriers and provide eligibility for elite status with Mileage Plan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MileagePlus</span> Frequent-flyer program of United Airlines

MileagePlus is the frequent-flyer program of United Airlines that offers rewards to passengers traveling on certain types of tickets. Following the 2010 merger agreement between United and Continental Airlines, United Mileage Plus was chosen to be the frequent-flyer program for the combined airline. The program was subsequently renamed to MileagePlus, and maintains its relationship with its Star Alliance partners, as well as other airline and travel enterprise agreements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apple Wallet</span> Digital wallet platform by Apple

Apple Wallet is a digital wallet developed by Apple Inc. and included with iOS and watchOS that allows users to store Wallet passes such as coupons, boarding passes, student ID cards, government ID cards, business credentials, resort passes, car keys, home keys, event tickets, public transportation passes, store cards, and – starting with iOS 8.1 – credit cards, and debit cards for use via Apple Pay.

SkyMiles is the frequent-flyer program of Delta Air Lines that offers points to passengers traveling on most fare types, as well as to consumers who utilize Delta co-branded credit cards, which accumulate towards free awards such as airline tickets, business and first-class upgrades, and luxury products. Created in 1981 as the "Delta Air Lines Frequent Flyer Program", its name was changed to SkyMiles in 1995. Originally all airlines including Delta, only gave miles for airline travel and not credit card expenditures. Delta claims to have been the first major U.S. airline without mileage expiration, so travelers can redeem awards at their leisure, but others have since followed. The airline also has a separate SkyBonus program that provides small to mid-sized business owners with a way to earn points for trips taken by employees, good towards free flights, upgrades, Medallion status and other travel awards. It has been ranked fairly high according to some independent news outlets.

Navan is an online travel management, corporate card and expense management company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Points Guy</span> American travel website and blog

The Points Guy (TPG) is an American travel website and blog that produces sponsored news and stories on travel, means of accumulating and using airline points and miles, politics, and credit cards - in particular, credit card reviews. The site was founded in 2010 and was initially a blog written by founder Brian Kelly. By 2017, the site employed 20 full-time staff in addition to 50 freelance contributors.

InterMiles was the airline's frequent-flyer program of Jet Airways that ceased operations in April 2019, in which 50.1% stake is held by Etihad Airways, part of the Etihad Aviation Group. InterMiles is an independent, loyalty and rewards company formed in 2014. The program has about 10 million members.

References

  1. ↑ Noonan, Laura (2020-01-02). "JPMorgan to ban fintech apps from using customer passwords". Financial Times. Retrieved 2021-12-18.
  2. 1 2 "Five Best Air Travel Apps". BBC.
  3. 1 2 3 "American Airlines corrects course, makes nice with AwardWallet and other loyalty tracking startups". PhocusWire.
  4. 1 2 3 "The 4 Best Apps To Track Credit Card Rewards". Forbes.
  5. 1 2 McCartney, Scott (2011-10-13). "Two Airlines Battle Mileage-Tracking Websites". Wall Street Journal. ISSN   0099-9660 . Retrieved 2021-12-18.
  6. ↑ Paul, Trina (2021-09-14). "These are the best apps for tracking your credit card, airline and hotel rewards" . Retrieved 2021-12-18.
  7. ↑ Perez, Sarah (2012-09-15). "Delta Sends C&Ds To Startups Tracking Airline Rewards; MileWise, AwardWallet & Others Affected" . Retrieved 2021-12-18.
  8. 1 2 "United Is Latest Airline to Block Rewards Web Site". The New York Times. 18 December 2012.
  9. 1 2 "Delta Sends C&Ds To Startups Tracking Airline Rewards; MileWise, AwardWallet & Others Affected". TechCrunch. 16 September 2012.
  10. 1 2 "Delta forces loyalty point tracker AwardWallet to drop support for SkyMiles". Skrift. 11 September 2012.
  11. ↑ "New Options in Choosing an ID Printer". Security Magazine.
  12. ↑ US News: 5 Online Tools for Managing Airline Miles
  13. ↑ "A TOOL TO TRACK YOUR POINTS – AWARD WALLET". Las Vegas Advisor. 19 November 2019.
  14. ↑ "Track Frequent Flyer Miles, Avoid Expired Rewards". CBSNews.
  15. ↑ "CreditCards.com: How to keep track of all those rewards points". Archived from the original on 2021-05-13. Retrieved 2022-03-11.
  16. ↑ AppStore: AwardWallet Track Rewards
  17. 1 2 3 American Airlines News: American Airlines and AwardWallet Offer New Reward Tracking Technology for AAdvantage Members. news.aa.com, Retrieved May 31, 2024
  18. ↑ Social Report: Facebook Groups Spotlight: Award Travel 101® Builds Community
  19. ↑ "Tracking Travel Rewards: New travel tools help monitor your airline miles, credit card points and other loyalty programs, making free flights and hotels upgrades less elusive". BBC Travel.
  20. ↑ CNN Travel: 10 most useful travel websites
  21. ↑ Bloomberg: A Travel Hacker's Guide to Elite Status in 2017 and Beyond
  22. ↑ Entrepreneur: World Leaders Weigh in on the State of Business Travel
  23. ↑ Vox: 4 frequent flier mile pro tips that anyone can use
  24. ↑ "First Person". Los Angeles Times. 20 September 2009.
  25. ↑ "Resolutions for 2019: Go ahead — be stingy, grouchy or lazy. But it could cost you". Los Angeles Times. 31 December 2018.
  26. ↑ CNBC: How this 30-year-old manages 35 credit cards and earns free flights
  27. ↑ "Uber Takes Further Steps Into Travel Through Itinerary Aggregator, and More". Yahoo Finance. 16 May 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  28. ↑ Fan, Katherine. "Track your credit card rewards and book the best award flights with the best apps and tools in 2024". Business Insider. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  29. ↑ ProgrammableWeb: AwardWallet Email Parsing API
  30. ↑ Official Website: AwardWallet Account Access API
  31. ↑ AwardWallet Web Parsing API
  32. ↑ Capital One: Award Wallet + Rewards API
  33. ↑ E-week: Capital One Launches DevExchange Developer Portal
  34. ↑ Gartner: Welcome to the API Economy
  35. ↑ SearchAppArchitecture: API economy
  36. ↑ Carrns, Ann (September 19, 2012). "Delta Cracks Down on Mileage Tracking Sites". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  37. ↑ Leff, Garry (August 6, 2013). "AwardWallet Can Track American AAdvantage Accounts Again". View From The Wings. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
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