IndiGo and Accor Launch India’s First Reciprocal Airline-Hotel Loyalty Partnership
IndiGo and Accor have announced a strategic partnership to convert and redeem reward points across hotel stays and air travel across their platforms.
By Suman Tarafdar
India’s largest airline Indigo and one of the world’s leading hospitality majors Accor, have announced a partnership that allows members to convert ALL Accor Reward Points into IndiGo BluChips and vice versa.
This move, which the two entities described as one of India’s first reciprocal airline-hospitality loyalty alliances, is designed to benefit members of both loyalty programmes.
Creating greater value for travellers
Rahul Bhatia, Group Managing Director of InterGlobe Enterprises, said, “I am delighted to witness that the two programs, Indigo Blue Chip and All Accor Limitless, are officially rolling out this collaboration today. Indigo’s extensive network in India caters to the needs of a diverse set of customers across the globe. I am confident that through the strategic collaboration, Indigo and Accor will create greater value for travellers, contribute meaningfully to the growth of the travel and hospitality ecosystem and help set new benchmarks for our industry.”
Bhatia pointed out that last year, IndiGo and Accor agreed to develop a strategic collaboration through their loyalty program. “It’s taken us more than I thought it should, but I’m glad we are finally, finally here.”
Speaking at a joint press conference in Delhi, industry veteran Bhatia, who rarely addresses the media, also said that the relationship “marks a significant milestone in our shared journey and creates a distinctive value proposition for our customers, seamlessly integrating convenient air travel with rewarding hospitality experiences”.
“This collaboration allows us to connect two powerful loyalty platforms and offer customers an end-to-end travel experience—from planning their trip and flying with IndiGo to staying at an Accor hotel worldwide,” Neetan Chopra, IndiGo Chief Digital and Information Officer, announced. “IndiGo BluChip is designed to make rewards simple, fast, and meaningful—helping our members earn faster, redeem easily, and unlock more value every time they fly on IndiGo.”
Ranju Alex, Accor South Asia CEO, said, “Transforming the guest journey across its entire lifecycle, this partnership reflects our shared ambition to create a truly connected and intuitive travel experience. By integrating the strengths of ALL Accor and IndiGo BluChip, we are not only enhancing convenience but also redefining how travellers engage with hospitality and aviation. This integrated loyalty ecosystem will unlock greater value, personalisation, and flexibility, empowering guests to move seamlessly across journeys while deepening their connection with both brands.”
Gaurav Bhushan, CEO, Accor Lifestyles; Ranju Alex, CEO-Accor South Asia; Rahul Bhatia, Group Managing Director of InterGlobe Enterprises; and Neetan Chopra, IndiGo Chief Digital and Information Officer, Indigo; Pieter Elbers, CEO, Indigo, during the Loyalty Program event.
A strategic alliance
The alliance brings together IndiGo’s network of more than 140 destinations, Indian and international. Meanwhile Accor’s hospitality portfolio extends to 45 brands across 110 countries.
IndiGo first unveiled BluChip in late 2024. “Within two years, perhaps in a global first, folks, we are at 13 million members, 1,000 redemption segments or 1,000 redemption orders a day, 40,000 accrual orders in a day, and an ecosystem which is very strong. Building every day, right, 24 hours a day,” Chopra revealed. “All IndiGo flights where seats are available are available for redemption and accruals on time.”
Indigo currently has about 65 per cent of India’s domestic market, entirely dominating the aviation sector within the country. The only other airline group of some size is the Air India group which, including Air India Express, has about 25 per cent of the market. Air India offers its own loyalty programme, Maharaja Club. The current tie up is expected to give considerable challenge in India’s burgeoning aviation market, the third largest in the world.
