Easyjet is to launch its first frequent flyer loyalty programme under the name Flight Club.
The low-cost carrier, which celebrated its 20th birthday at its Luton headquarters yesterday, has trialled the scheme with more than 15,000 passengers over the last 18 months.
Easyjet now plans to roll out Flight Club across its European network from early next year.
Passengers will be invited to join if they have booked or flown at least 20 flights or spent a minimum amount with the airline over a 12-month period. Full details will be revealed as the launch approaches.
Benefits will include a price promise that if “passengers find the same flight on easyjet.com at a lower price; we'll give them the price difference towards their next flight”.
Other advantages of Flight Club membership will be free flight and name changes, previews of new routes and special offers, and a dedicated contact centre.
Peter Duffy, Easyjet's group commercial director, said: “It's going to be invitation only, which is unusual for a recognition programme.
“We're going to identify all those passengers who qualify and will be rolling that out over the next 12 months on a base-by-base, country-by-country basis.
“It's going to be targeted at those people who are flying over 20 times a year with us — that would be 10 return flights — so it's for our most regular customers.
"The whole programme is about giving them the flexibility they want to make the changes they need as very regular commuters."
Flight Club will run alongside Easyjet Plus, which allows passengers free allocated seat choice, a dedicated bag drop and priority boarding.
Easyjet CEO Carolyn McCall added: “It isn't like a traditional airline reward programme because our customers have told us that those schemes can be a source of frustration. This is a loyalty scheme with a difference because it gives passengers benefits they really value and can access immediately.
“It is also simpler to run which means that we can continue to keep our costs low - which will enable us to keep our fares low.”