IndiGo’s BluChip Loyalty Program: What is it and how can credit cards help you maximise benefits? | Mint

Airline loyalty programs, also known as frequent flyer programs (FFPs), have gained popularity in the last few years. These programs allow the earning and redemption of loyalty points (airmiles) on flight bookings. Banks like Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, American Express, etc. allow their credit card users to transfer reward points to these programs and further use the FFP airmiles to book flights. Indian customers had access to Club Vistara (Vistara’s FFP) and FFPs of various international airlines (for example, Singapore Airlines FFP KrisFlyer).

However, India’s biggest airline, Indigo Airlines, was yet to make a big mark in the FFP segment. It had the existing 6E Rewards program, which wasn’t popular. Finally, in October 2024, IndiGo introduced the IndiGo BluChip program. What is the IndiGo BluChip program, its features and benefits, tiers, redemption process, and how can you club it with credit cards to maximise benefits? Let us discuss.

What is IndiGo BluChip?

IndiGo BluChip is IndiGo Airlines’ frequent flyer program (FFP) designed to reward and recognise the airline’s customers for their loyalty. The program registration is free. It allows members to earn and redeem IndiGo Bluchips (the program currency) on IndiGo flights and exclusive discounts on select 6E Add-ons. The Add-ons include Seat Select, Excess Baggage, and Fast Forward services on IndiGo flights.

The members also earn Bluchips for eligible activities with IndiGo BluChip Program Partners. The Bluchips can be further redeemed for IndiGo flights. The value of one Bluchip is Rs. 1.

IndiGo BluChip tiers and their benefits

A customer earns 8 BluChips for every Rs. 100 spent on booking IndiGo flights (on base fare and fuel surcharge) from any channel like OTAs (Yatra, MakeMyTrip, etc.), bank-specific platforms (HDFC SmartBuy, Axis Bank Travel Edge, etc.), marketplaces (Amazon, Flipkart, etc.), or offline travel agents. 

For tickets booked directly through the IndiGo website or mobile app, customers will get an additional 4 BluChips. The BluChips will be credited only on successful completion of the IndiGo flight and not on booking the flight.

The loyalty program has three tiers. Every customer starts with the Blu 3 tier and can work their way up to the Blu 1 tier based on the combination of spends on IndiGo flights and minimum IndiGo flights in a membership year. Based on the tier, a customer can get additional Bluchips for flights booked.

The tier status is reviewed annually. Subject to the tier criteria, the membership will either be retained in the same tier or will get downgraded.

Redemption of BluChips

The value of each BluChip is equivalent to Rs. 1. The BluChips can be redeemed for IndiGo flights for self and up to 5 nominees. A nominee can be anyone, including a family member or friend. The nominees can be changed once every 12 months.

The good thing about the program is there are no blackout dates for the redemption of BluChips for IndiGo flights. So, BluChips can be redeemed for any IndiGo flights throughout the year. The Bluchips have a validity of 24 months from the date of credit in the member’s account. 

However, if the customer does any activity for earning or redeeming Bluchips, the validity will be extended by a calendar month. A member needs a minimum of 500 Bluchips to start redeeming.

How to enrol for the program?

The membership is lifetime free, i.e. no joining or annual renewal fee. An individual can join through the IndiGo website or mobile app. On successful registration, you will be allotted a unique 9-digit membership number. Customers must quote the membership number at the time of booking IndiGo flight tickets through any channel. Once you log in to your account, you can check information like Bluchip balance, tier, transaction details, etc.

How to maximise your flight ticket booking benefits with Bluchips and credit cards?

While booking IndiGo flights on OTAs like MakeMyTrip, you can club the benefits of credit cards and BluChips. You can get the following benefits:

1. Earn IndiGo Bluchips
2. Get instant discounts of 5 to 15% on credit cards. Many banks have these limited-time instant discount offers on credit cards from time to time.
3. Accomplish any ongoing spend-based offer on the credit card. For example, HDFC Bank, American Express, etc., send these spend-based offers from time to time.
4. Accomplish any quarterly, annual, etc. milestone. For example, the American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card has annual milestones. Similarly, HDFC Bank Diners Club Black Metal Edition Credit Card has quarterly milestones.
5. Avail of other benefits like accomplishing spends for unlocking lounge access, reversal of annual fees, etc.

You can club some of these multiple offers in a single IndiGo flight booking transaction. You can also get good benefits on travel centric credit cards like Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card, American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card, etc., on booking IndiGo flights.

Should you go for the IndiGo Bluchip program?

If you are an IndiGo frequent flyer, you should definitely go for the IndiGo BluChip program. It is a simple earn-and-burn BluChips program with a decent reward rate. The program is lifetime free. For now, BluChips can be earned on IndiGo flights and a few other services. 

Going ahead, we will see more opportunities for earning BluChips through Program Partners. Members expect IndiGo to come up with co-branded credit cards and partnerships with banks for transfer of credit card reward points to the BluChip program. If that happens, the program will find many more takers. 
 

Gopal Gidwani is a freelance personal finance content writer with 15+ years of experience. He can be reached at LinkedIn.