Air Canada recently relaunched its Aeroplan program with a focus on flexible redemption. Earlier in November, Air Canada pushed the new Aeroplan via an integrated campaign that emphasized everyday value, showing how the loyalty perks fit into different routines. And now, with the help of IBM, its cloud-based web and mobile interface has become more user-friendly.

IBM iX, the business design arm of IBM Services, rebuilt and transformed the user interface, fully integrating Aeroplan into Air Canada’s digital properties. Simon Rucker, associate partner at IBM iX says the enhancements make the program more personalized, intuitive and flexible. This means it’s easier to enrol and to check points transactions in real-time, book flight rewards or view Elite Status benefits (lounge access, flight upgrades, and new priority rewards).

Rucker says the web and mobile interface changes are the result of testing prototype features and incorporating user feedback, such as real-time updates, into several iterations. IBM used its “Garage Methodology” process to bring resources from Air Canada and IBM iX together into a single working unit with different capabilities. 

IBM iX helped develop and launch the airline’s mobile app in late 2019 and digital work on the loyalty program began in February 2020, with the aim to be completely ready when fliers begin travelling again. “With COVID, this took on a new level of urgency to ensure that we were ready to launch this year and help welcome people back to travel as we see a light at the end of the tunnel,” Rucker says.

The Aeroplan rebuild comes amidst Canadians’ increasing dissatisfaction with loyalty program performance overall: the latest LoyalT results from Leger find that scores designating a program’s ability to make members more loyal and change purchase behaviour declined 13%.