Editing Frequent-flyer program (section)

== History ==
Although [[United Airlines]] had tracked customers as far back as the 1950s, the first modern frequent-flyer programme was created in 1972 by Western Direct Marketing for United. It gave [[Commemorative plaque|plaque]]s and [[promotional material]]s to members. In 1979, [[Texas International Airlines]] created the first frequent-flyer programme that used mileage tracking to give 'rewards' to its passengers, while in 1980 [[Western Airlines]] created its Travel Bank, which ultimately became part of [[Delta Air Lines]]' programme upon their merger in 1987.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thetravelinsider.info/airlinemismanagement/airlinederegulation2.htm|title=A History of US Airline Deregulation Part 4 : 1979 - 2010 : The Effects of Deregulation - Lower Fares, More Travel, Frequent Flier Programs|author=David M Rowell|date=August 13, 2010|publisher=The Travel Insider|access-date=September 21, 2010|archive-date=16 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100816114115/http://www.thetravelinsider.info/airlinemismanagement/airlinederegulation2.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://milecards.com/7006/screen-shot-from-the-very-first-frequent-mile-program/ |title=Screen shot from the very first frequent mile program |publisher=Milecards |date=2013-09-01 |access-date=2013-09-08 |archive-date=30 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180630024751/https://milecards.com/7006/screen-shot-from-the-very-first-frequent-mile-program/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[American Airlines]]' [[AAdvantage]] programme launched in 1981 as a modification of a never-realized concept from 1979 that would have given special fares to frequent customers.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Keiles|first=Jamie Lauren|date=2021-01-05|title=The Man Who Turned Credit-Card Points Into an Empire|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/05/magazine/points-guy-travel-rewards.html|access-date=2021-01-05|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> It was quickly followed later that year by programs from United Airlines ([[Mileage Plus]]), Delta ([[Delta Air Lines Frequent Flyer Program]], which later changed to [[SkyMiles]]), [[Continental Airlines]] ([[OnePass]]), [[Air Canada]] ([[Aeroplan]]), and in 1982 from [[British Airways]] ([[Executive Club]]).<ref>{{cite book | author = Ben Beiske | title = Loyalty Management in the Airline Industry | publisher = GRIN Verlag | year = 2007 | page = 93 | isbn = 978-3-638-77717-9}}</ref>

Frequent-flyer programs have grown since. In 2005, 163 million people were enrolled in [[frequent flyer program]]s from over 130 airlines.<ref name=economist-2005/> By then, 14 [[trillion]] frequent-flyer points had been accumulated by people worldwide, for a value of 700 [[billion]] [[US dollar]]s.<ref name=economist-2005/> When [[United Airlines]] filed for bankruptcy in 2002, its frequent flyer programme was its only money-making business.<ref name=economist-2005>{{cite news |magazine=[[The Economist]] |date= 20 Dec 2005 |url= http://www.economist.com/node/5323615 |title= Frequent-flyer miles — Funny money |url-access= subscription}}</ref> Tom Stuker is the world's most frequent flier having logged over 21 million miles with United.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/the-21-million-mile-man-tom-stuker-is-the-worlds-most-frequent-flyer/QSUMMBZAIVTFVW4MIYDFOIYXR4/?c_id=7&objectid=12256004|title=The 21-million-mile man: Tom Stuker is the world's most frequent flyer|website=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |language=en-US|access-date=2021-12-03}}</ref>