Everything You Need to Know About La Compagnie and The Points Guy Partnership
La Compagnie is a small French airline known for its low-cost all-business class flights across the Atlantic. In 2022, it joined forces with award-winning travel website The Points Guy (TPG) through a unique partnership. As someone interested in maximizing travel rewards, you must be wondering – what does this mean for flyers? In this article, I’ll break down everything you need to know about the La Compagnie-TPG alliance and how it could impact your travels.
The Business Model Behind La Compagnie
- La Compagnie was founded in 2013 with a novel concept – offering affordable business-class-only flights on routes where premium seating is usually pricey.
- By eliminating economy, La Compagnie is able to pass on savings to flyers while maintaining a small fleet and low fixed costs.
- Its “all-business” model is made possible through chartered planes from partner airlines like Norwegian.
Now, I know what you’re thinking – isn’t business class way pricier than economy? From my experience booking flights, that’s usually true. However, La Compagnie has found ways to undercut legacy carriers on price while still providing a premium product. Basically, its clever strategy of outsourcing aircraft allows significant cost savings.
How The Points Guy Fits In
As the go-to site for maximizing travel rewards, TPG has amassed a huge following of loyal readers over the years. So when it inked a deal to become La Compagnie’s exclusive North American partner, eyebrows were raised. Under the agreement:
- TPG will promote La Compagnie’s routes and fares, educating its audience on the benefits of its unique business-class-only concept.
- In return, La Compagnie gains access to TPG’s massive database of points-and-miles enthusiasts looking to book premium international travel.
- TPG readers can also take advantage of perks like discounted fares, advanced seat selection, and priority boarding when flying La Compagnie.
On paper, this seems like a match made in heaven. TPG customers get an exciting new premium airline option, while La Compagnie benefits from TPG’s unrivaled promotions machine. But will it work out in reality? Only time will tell!
Booking La Compagnie With Points
Naturally, as a points hunter, you want to know – is it possible to redeem miles or points for La Compagnie flights? While the airline doesn’t have its own frequent flyer program yet, there are definitely opportunities to use your rewards.
For example, you can transfer points from programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards to Air France-KLM, one of La Compagnie’s airline partners. Then book award seats on La Compagnie itineraries operating as KLM flights. Likewise, some carriers like Aeroplan will let you redeem miles for premium seats on partner airlines like La Compagnie.
Does this mean you’ll find great sweet spots with avios or Membership Rewards? Not necessarily – rates can be high depending on demand and availability. But by being flexible on dates and routes, you may snag some awesome rewards redemptions. TPG will surely share strategies for maxing out every points program on La Compagnie itineraries.
Is La Compagnie Worth It?
Now for the million-dollar question: is flying La Compagnie truly a smart value compared to traditional legacy carriers? In my opinion, it depends on your individual situation and needs. On one hand, you get a consistent premium product for stunningly low prices, especially if booked with miles. And the direct transatlantic routes certainly save time versus connections.
However, as a smaller airline, La Compagnie faces limitations. Selection of destinations is narrower than major players. Seat configurations are fixed with no first class. And award redemptions aren’t always easy like on partner airlines. You also lose out on frequent flyer perks for loyal customers.
Kind of at the end of the day, I’d say La Compagnie is worth considering as an alternative – but not necessarily replacing your go-to airline. Its partnership with points guru TPG makes this niche carrier more accessible than ever for maximizing travel on miles. Just be sure to realistically set your expectations for what La Compagnie can and can’t offer.
So in summary, while not perfect, the La Compagnie alliance provides savvy options for scoring premium international travel at lower prices – especially when booked with rewards. By leveraging TPG’s expertise, flyers have new tools for stretching point dollars further. What do you think, reader – would you give La Compagnie a try with your travel rewards? Let me know if you have any other questions!
Key Details about The Points Guy
| Founding Date | Headquarters | Founder |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | New York City | Brian Kelly |
| Number of Employees | Website | Social Media Followers |
| 100+ | thepointsguy.com | Over 2 million combined |
| Specialties | Revenue Sources | Awards |
| Credit card rewards, travel hacking, airline/hotel reviews | Advertising, affiliate partnerships, Points Guy Pro membership | Webby Award for Best Travel Site (2015-2017) |
FAQ
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What is The Points Guy?
The Points Guy is basically a website that provides tips and advice about travel rewards credit cards and loyalty programs. Run by travel writer Brian Kelly, it aims to help people maximize the value of their points and miles.
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How can I earn more points with credit cards?
There are a few key ways to earn extra points. First, pick a card that earns rewards in a category you spend a lot in, like dining or groceries. You can also look for signup bonuses – the rewards you get just for signing up and meeting a spending minimum. At the same time, only spend what you can pay off each month to avoid interest fees.
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What’s the best way to redeem points for travel?
Most experts agree that generally the best choice is to redeem points for flights, hotel rooms or other travel expenses directly through the rewards program or loyalty partner websites. Kind of like getting cash back, this ensures you get the highest value. Nevertheless, sometimes redeeming for gift cards or merchandise can make sense if those specific items are a good deal.
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Is it hard to earn elite status with an airline or hotel?
Earning elite status takes work but can be worth it if you travel a lot. Different companies have different requirements – some may require just a number of flights or nights per year while others also impose spending minimums. Despite the challenges, elite perks likefree upgrades, lounge access or bonus points can kinda make it awesome. So do your research and see if hitting the levels fits your travel patterns.
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What’s the best rewards credit card currently?
Experts seem to debate this question a lot! Many cite the Platinum Card from American Express as “amazing” due to the luxury benefits and credits. However, it comes with a steep annual fee. For most people, the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve are stunning choices that offer great rewards and perks without costing as much. But your needs ultimately depend on factors like your spending habits – maybe ask an expert!
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Is travel rewards gaming worth it long-term?
While it takes effort, many loyal readers of The Points Guy believe that travel hacking can indeed be worth it – if done responsibly. You have to put in the work to open accounts, meet minimum spend requirements, and constantly monitor for new opportunities. At the same time, minor mistakes might cost you points. Still, with careful planning you can earn enough rewards over time for multiple free trips! Does this sounds worth a try? Let me know if you have any other questions!