IndiGo’s BluChip loyalty program: What is it and how can credit cards help you maximize benefits?

Airline loyalty programs, also known as frequent flyer programs (FFPs), have grown in popularity in recent years. These programs allow loyalty points (air miles) to be earned and redeemed for flight bookings. Banks like Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, American Express, etc. allow their credit card users to transfer reward points to these programs and further use the FFP airline miles to book flights. Indian customers had access to Club Vistara (Vistara’s FFP) and FFPs from several international airlines (e.g. Singapore Airlines FFP KrisFlyer).

However, India’s largest airline, Indigo Airlines, was yet to make a major mark in the FFP segment. It had the existing 6E Rewards program, which was unpopular. Finally, IndiGo introduced the IndiGo BluChip program in October 2024. What is the IndiGo BluChip program, its features and benefits, the tiers, the redemption process, and how can you combine it with credit cards to maximize the benefits? Let’s discuss.

What is IndiGo BluChip?

IndiGo BluChip is IndiGo Airlines’ frequent flyer program (FFP), designed to reward and recognize the airline’s customers for their loyalty. Program registration is free. This allows members to earn and redeem IndiGo Bluchips (the program currency) on IndiGo flights and exclusive discounts on select 6E Add-ons. The add-ons include Seat Select, Excess Baggage and Fast Forward services on IndiGo flights.

Members also earn Bluchips for qualifying activities with IndiGo BluChip Program Partners. The Bluchips can further be redeemed for IndiGo flights. The value of one Bluchip is Rs. 1.

IndiGo BluChip levels and their benefits

A customer earns 8 BluChips for every Rs. 100 spent on booking IndiGo flights (based on base fare and fuel surcharge) through any channel such as OTAs (Yatra, MakeMyTrip, etc.), bank-specific platforms (HDFC SmartBuy, Axis Bank Travel Edge, etc.) , marketplaces (Amazon, Flipkart , etc.), or offline travel agencies.

For tickets booked directly through the IndiGo website or mobile app, customers will get 4 additional BluChips. The BluChips will only be credited upon successful completion of the IndiGo flight and not upon booking the flight.

The loyalty program consists of three levels. Each customer starts with the Blu 3 tier and can work their way up to the Blu 1 tier based on their combination of spend on IndiGo flights and minimum IndiGo flights in a membership year. Based on the level, a customer can receive additional Bluchips for booked flights.

The level status is assessed annually. Depending on the level criteria, membership will remain at the same level or be downgraded.

Redemption of BluChips

The value of each BluChip is equal to Rs. 1. The BluChips can be redeemed for IndiGo flights for themselves and up to 5 nominees. A nominee can be anyone, including a family member or friend. The nominees can be changed once every twelve months.

The good thing about the program is that there are no blackout dates for redeeming BluChips for IndiGo flights. BluChips can therefore be redeemed for all IndiGo flights throughout the year. The Bluchips have a validity of 24 months from the date of credit to the member’s account.

However, if the customer performs any activity to earn or redeem Bluchips, the validity will be extended by one calendar month. A member needs at least 500 Bluchips to redeem.

How do you register for the program?

Membership is free for life, i.e. without membership or annual renewal fees. An individual can become a member through the IndiGo website or mobile app. Upon successful registration you will receive a unique 9-digit membership number. Customers must mention the membership number while booking IndiGo flight tickets through any channel. Once you log into your account, you can check information such as Bluchip balance, level, transaction details, etc.

How can you maximize the benefits of your airline ticket booking with Bluchips and credit cards?

While booking IndiGo flights on OTAs like MakeMyTrip, you can enjoy the benefits of credit cards and BluChips. You can get the following benefits:

1. Earn IndiGo Bluchips
2. Get instant discounts of 5 to 15% on credit cards. Many banks have these limited-time discount offers on credit cards from time to time.
3. Complete any ongoing spend-based offer on the credit card. For example, HDFC Bank, American Express, etc. send these spend-based offers from time to time.
4. Achieve every quarterly, annual, etc. milestone. For example, the American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card has annual milestones. Similarly, HDFC Bank Diners Club Black Metal Edition Credit Card has quarterly milestones.
5. Avail other benefits such as incurring expenses for unlocking lounge access, reversing annual fees, etc.

You can bundle some of these multiple offers into a single IndiGo flight booking transaction. You can also get good benefits on travel-oriented credit cards like Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card, American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card, etc., when booking IndiGo flights.

Should you choose the IndiGo Bluchip program?

If you are an IndiGo frequent flyer, you should definitely opt for the IndiGo BluChip program. It is an easy BluChips program to earn and burn with a decent rewards rate. The program is free for life. For now, BluChips can be earned on IndiGo flights and a few other services.

In the future, we will see more opportunities to earn BluChips through Program Partners. Members expect IndiGo to come up with co-branded credit cards and partnerships with banks for transferring credit card reward points to the BluChip program. If that happens, the program will find many more takers.

Gopal Gidwani is a freelance personal finance content writer with over 15 years of experience. He can be reached via LinkedIn.