While this is hardly the biggest challenge facing Aeroflot or Russians, it’s interesting to take a look at Aeroflot’s recent award chart devaluation. The next time you think an airline increasing mileage award costs by 50%+ is bad, just remember what Aeroflot did here.
In this post:
Aeroflot’s unprecedented award devaluation
As flagged by Cariverga, the Aeroflot Bonus loyalty program underwent a major devaluation without notice earlier this month. As of May 5, 2023, Aeroflot adjusted its award costs. As you’d expect, the airline spun these changes as a positive:
The changes will help maintain member benefits and increase the availability of program awards, especially during times of high demand.
Aeroflot doesn’t publish an award chart, but rather has a mileage calculator. The pricing increases weren’t the same across the board, but rather premium cabin awards were hit disproportionately hard.
Just how bad were the changes? Well, first of all, keep in mind that the world is pretty small for Aeroflot at the moment, given the sanctions in place against Russian airlines. With that in mind, here are some examples of how premium cabin international award costs have changed:
- A one-way business class award from Moscow to Turkey used to cost 15,000 miles, while now it costs 60,000 miles, representing an increase of 300%
- A one-way business class award from Moscow to CIS countries used to cost 20,000 miles, while now it costs 50,000 miles, representing a 150% increase
- A one-way business class award from Moscow to the Maldives used to cost 60,000 miles, and now it costs 120,000 miles, representing an increase of 100%
Even worse is that awards are now charged per segment rather than based on the origin and destination. For example, a St. Petersburg to Istanbul business class award via Moscow used to cost 15,000 miles, and now costs 80,000 miles (60,000 miles plus 20,000 miles), representing a 433% increase in cost. Ouch.
My take on Aeroflot’s award pricing increases
In fairness to Aeroflot, the airline deserves some credit for how long it didn’t devalue its frequent flyer program. Prior to this no-notice devaluation, the Russian national carrier otherwise hadn’t increased award costs since 2009.
While some of these award cost increases are downright absurd, I imagine this does largely reflect demand levels. I mean, Russian airlines now have very limited international networks, and there are only so many “aspirational” international destinations that Russian airlines can fly to. I do imagine that the increase in demand for travel to countries like Turkey has increased exponentially.
Aeroflot only has so many flights it can operate, given how many of the carrier’s aircraft have been repossessed. And that doesn’t even reflect that the aircraft that Aeroflot is flying largely aren’t being well maintained, between getting maintenance checks in Iran, and the airline telling crews not to report safety issues.
For what it’s worth, the foreign carriers flying to Russia seem to be doing well, given that there are still many Russians with money looking to travel abroad. For example, Emirates operates three daily flights from Dubai to Moscow, two of which are operated by A380s.
Bottom line
Earlier this month, Aeroflot’s loyalty program implemented a no-notice devaluation to a scale we’ve never seen before. Some award costs directly increased by 300%, and then when you factor in the new pricing being by segment rather than between origin and destination, some routings increased in cost by 400%+.
It’s not a good time to be an Aeroflot Bonus member… on many levels.
What do you make of this Aeroflot Bonus program devaluation?
Really, who cares about Aeroflop????
Most of the examples you have in your article point to destinations in Eurasia. However, it would be interesting to see if a similar devaluation occurred elsewhere in the network. For instance, how does Sydney to New York on Delta look like for a redemption? Or maybe London to JFK on Virgin Atlantic? Or perhaps Moscow to Seoul on Korean?
actually, EMIRATES did pretty much the same (devaluation by about 50%), example Asia-Europe used to be 75k miles, now at least 135k; partners tickets on Qantas now go by segment (so going to Australia beyond Sydney, requires 4 segments...., i.e. two RT tickets....; etc., basically SKYWARDS has become a worthless marketing trap!
Glad those sanctions are causing any economic hardships. The Russian economy is on the brink of collapse. China has read the tea leaves and see that ending the war is in their (Chinas) best interest as they can't continue to support a failed puppet government. Putin is a bully and you beat bullies by fighting back, which we did. This will put Russia back 50 years compared to the rest of the world. Fake weapons,...
Glad those sanctions are causing any economic hardships. The Russian economy is on the brink of collapse. China has read the tea leaves and see that ending the war is in their (Chinas) best interest as they can't continue to support a failed puppet government. Putin is a bully and you beat bullies by fighting back, which we did. This will put Russia back 50 years compared to the rest of the world. Fake weapons, fake economic data and troublesome airlines. Welcome to the third world Putin, you've destroyed your country.
2 calculations are wrong: 400% not 300%, 250% not 150%.
That's a lot more potatoes.
Who cares. Next.
Lots of people, actually. Myself, for one, as I frequently fly Aeroflot and have a significant amount of Aeroflot Bonus miles.
Still not as bad as Deltas new mileage rates
Biggest “challenges facing Russians”? Really? That’s the word choice you just made? Russians largely support the war of aggression against Ukraine. Personally, and I know it’s incremental, I’m glad this will mean less ability for Russians to travel. Maybe this will mean they will stop supporting bombing civilians. Doubtful though. And now for the trolls…
You misquoted him. He said "hardly the biggest challenge facing Aeroflot or Russians." Big difference. Also, your clear and obvious hatred for ordinary people based on their nationality really diminishes your credibility. Also, don't forget that the Ukrainians are bombing (and have been since 2014) civilians in Donbass. It's very a much a two-way street. Ukraine isn't an innocent victim like so many try to portray them as.
It is sad I am a Aeroflot FF member. But it is much better to know the change than to remain illiterate.
Why, in the phrase "Aeroflot FF member" do the letters FF evoque something else than "Frequent Flyer", given the appeal of flying Aeroflot these days?
Oh yeah, the Ex-SkyTeam airline. Sorry, but who really cares?
That does it. This devaluation is the last straw. I'm dropping Aeroflot and switching to Air Koryo.
Mileage discount on planes with delinquent maintenance?
Gotta admit, was surprised to see you writing about Aeroflot. Do you have many readers with IP addresses in Russia?
Tell me you have no idea how Ben’s business works, without saying you have no idea how Ben’s business works.
I am an American who lives in Russia, and I'm a daily reader. I also fly Aeroflot a lot, so it's very relevant for me.
And I bet you "teach English"
Are you that starved for content that you are giving SU airtime? Exactly how many of your readers can avail themselves of a flight on Aeroflot? Granted it’s not a positive story but why even bother? Surely there are better things to discuss other than a tool of the Russian government.
"Are you that starved for content that you are giving SU airtime?"
Do you have nothing better to do than vent your bitchy spleen on a blog you CHOOSE to read for the low low price of FREE?
Russia isn't closed so most of Ben's readers could fly Aeroflot. That being said i have no plans to do this in the near future.
A narrow-minded fool who has no idea of the global trends that are going to rip the rug from under his feet.
Why don’t you start your own blog and see how you do? With your supercilious, arrogant, clueless attitude, it would be astounding if you lasted more than a week.
What global trends are those exactly that involve Aeroflot and their lovely little mileage program? This is a blog about miles, right? Let me know. I’m sure you will take the bait…
As for “supercilious, arrogant and clueless,” isn’t that a bit rich coming from someone who is clearly a narcissist to post such a reply to begin with?
It’s a blog, Get over yourself
as opposed to a tool of the US regime totalitarian government you think is a "democracy". believe in Santa too?
Good lord you all are just competing one upping narcissists! Get over urselves!
Are you sure? The Durham report did not mention Aeroflot being a tool of the Russian Goveernment.
@Pierre
Are you sure? The Durham report could be another propaganda tool or could actually be facts.
The changes aren't all bad, I hear they're offering free flights to eastern Ukraine
The IFE is also exclusively showing Master Class episodes of how to use Kalashnikovs and Putin propagandas.
If Aeroflot wanted to be clever they could only increase the prices on outbound flights since those are the ones in high demand.