Spirit Airlines extends loyalty to the afterlife

Spirit Airlines announced today that they’ve enhanced their Free Spirit loyalty program with benefits for members who have transcended their corporeal forms.  “Membership is no longer limited to the living” said loyalty spokesman Clarence Odbody.  “Spirit is the only major airline in North America serving the needs of… well, you know… spirits.”

Free Spirit 4/1 Club

Spirit’s Free Spirit loyalty program now includes four benefits designed to enhance one’s afterlife.  Spirit refers to this package of benefits as the “4/1 Club”.

• Free Spirit Eternal Getaway: If you or a member of your immediate family is stuck haunting a house after death, Spirit’s mobile app now includes a Spirit Guide to help usher the dear departed to their proper final destination.  Spirit’s route network now includes non-stops to all of the most popular afterlife destinations.  Whether you prefer a great view from high above or really warm weather, Spirit has you covered.
  * Afterlife transportation is one-way only.
• Free Spirit Family Time: For those who miss their living relatives and friends, Spirit’s mobile app now includes Spirit Séance which facilitates communication across all realms.
  * Msg and data rates may apply.
• Pearly Gates Fast Track: Ask anyone who has gone to heaven and they’ll tell you that the lines to get in can be crazy long.  Some spirits are even known to crowd the lines without first having filled out the proper paperwork.  The Free Spirit 4/1 Club has the solution for you.  Once you are deceased, you can use Spirit’s Heavenward Wizard (available only on mobile app versions 6.66 and later) to easily complete and submit your application (Spirit automatically fills in the bits that they already know about you!).  If it all checks out, you’ll get your Pearly Gates Fast Track QR code to bypass the lines!
• Earn your Wings BOGO: Departed Free Spirit 4/1 Club members can earn their wings in half the time required by others!  For each Benevolent act you perform, you’ll get credit for 2!

Analysis

Spirit Airlines already had a pretty strong rewards program for those who mostly travel domestically.  Now, rather than branching out to more international destinations, they’ve expanded their program beyond the living realm.  I think that’s really smart.  The number of members they can now attract is nearly unlimited.  Its true that they can’t actually make any money off of the departed, but they’ll make that up with volume.

The only problem I have with the Free Spirit 4/1 Club is that I have no practical way to test out its benefits.  Can they really provide those advertised perks?  I have no idea and I’m not eager to find out anytime soon.  On the other hand, the 4/1 club is free to join and so even if they only provide half of the promised benefits, they’re still way ahead of the rest.

For full details about Spirit’s 4/1 Club, please see Spirit’s full press release here.

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