Indigo 6E Rewards: Transforming Lowcost Airline Loyalty
How India's largest airline achieved 1M+ co-branded credit card users and revolutionized their loyalty ecosystem
Customer Journey & Loyalty Ecosystem
Customer Acquisition
Multi-channel acquisition through website, mobile app, and partner touchpoints
The Challenge
IndiGo, India's largest airline by market share, faced several challenges in a highly competitive and price-sensitive market:
- Limited customer loyalty in a price-driven market
- Need to increase ancillary revenue beyond ticket sales
- Fragmented customer data across multiple systems
- Lack of personalized engagement with frequent flyers
- Desire to create additional revenue streams through partnerships
Industry Context
The Indian aviation market is one of the fastest-growing in the world, with intense competition driving ticket prices down. In this environment, airlines must find innovative ways to differentiate and create customer loyalty beyond price.
87%
of travelers book based on price
14%
average profit margin
The Solution
CustomerInspire partnered with IndiGo to implement a comprehensive loyalty ecosystem:
Co-Branded Credit Card
Launched India's most successful airline co-branded credit card with over 1 million users, offering accelerated point earning and premium travel benefits.
6E Rewards Ka-ching card Program
The 6E Rewards Ka-ching card is a co-branded credit card offered by HDFC Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank in partnership with IndiGo, called the "Kotak IndiGo Ka-ching 6E Rewards Credit Card". It allows cardholders to earn 6E Rewards points on various spends, including dining, groceries, entertainment, and especially on IndiGo flight bookings. These points can then be redeemed for IndiGo flights and other benefits. Comprehensive loyalty program with tiered benefits, partner point earning, and flexible redemption options across flights and partner services.
Campaign Management
Sophisticated campaign engine enabling personalized offers based on customer behavior, travel patterns, and preferences.
Implementation Timeline
Phase 1: Customer Data Integration
2 months
Unified customer data from booking systems, web, mobile app, and third-party sources
Integrated 7+ data sources including booking history, web behavior, mobile app interactions, and third-party partner data.
Phase 2: Loyalty Program Design
3 months
Designed program structure, point system, and redemption options
Created a tiered loyalty program with personalized benefits based on customer segments and travel patterns.
Phase 3: Co-branded Card Launch
6 months
Partnered with leading banks to design, develop and launch the co-branded credit card
Launched with exclusive sign-up bonuses and accelerated point earning, reaching 100,000 cardholders in the first year.
Phase 4: Partner Integration
2 months
Onboarded initial set of partners and launched to customers
Integrated with multiple partners across retail, hospitality, and lifestyle categories to create a comprehensive rewards ecosystem.
Cost Savings & Efficiency Gains
42% Reduction
In customer acquisition costs through targeted referral campaigns
68% Decrease
In campaign management time through automation
₹12.8 Crore
Annual savings in direct marketing costs
3.2x Faster
Time-to-market for new loyalty initiatives
By consolidating multiple legacy systems into CustomerInspire's unified platform, IndiGo achieved significant operational efficiencies while enhancing customer experience.
Results & Impact
Loyalty Metrics
- Over 1 million co-branded credit card users
- 28% higher retention rate among program members
- 76% of members actively engaging with rewards
Revenue Impact
- 32% increase in ancillary revenue
- 42% increase in average customer lifetime value
- 18% growth in partner-driven revenue
CustomerInspire's 200% Commitment
24/7 Support
Round-the-clock technical support with 15-minute response time SLA, even during holidays
Rapid Deployment
Emergency changes deployed within 4 hours, even on holidays and weekends
Dedicated Team
Assigned success manager and technical team for continuous optimization
Key Innovations
First Indian low-cost carrier to successfully implement a comprehensive loyalty program
Pioneering integration of co-branded credit card with airline loyalty ecosystem
Advanced personalization engine driving targeted offers based on customer behavior
Seamless omnichannel experience across web, mobile, and in-flight touchpoints
