One in three survey respondents of the Visa and Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) ‘Determining Travel Preferences in 2009 and Beyond’ survey said their travel decisions are heavily influenced by frequent flier programs.  

49 percent of respondents from China said their frequent flier program helped dictate the airline they fly.

This was followed by 47 percent of respondents from Hong Kong and Korea (44 percent).

Not surprisingly, frequent fliers were more likely to be influenced by airline reward programs (48 percent) than occasional travellers (33 percent).

Meranda Chan, Country Manager for Singapore and Brunei, Visa and PATA Board of Director said: “Frequent flier air miles are a valuable way to help bring down the cost of a holiday or to free up some budget to treat yourself while you are away.

“Getting the most out of every dollar is at the front of people’s minds and frequent flier air miles could be just the ticket to keep people on the move”.

Tawaina Turner-Dones, Citi’s Regional Partnerships Director for Asia Pacific said: “Using accumulated miles can help reduce the cost of a person’s next holiday.

“For instance, Citi’s PremierMilesTM Visa Card allows cardholders to redeem miles with dozens of frequent flyer programs globally.

“With most people using cards for their every day purchases, it is not surprising that they can build sufficient miles to fly from Singapore to Bali and return by simply putting about $150 a week on their card over a year instead of cash.

“Plus, they receive free travel insurance and gain free airport lounge access at the same time”.

The ‘Determining Travel Preference in 2009 and Beyond’ survey also found that respondents are now taking shorter breaks (26 percent spent three to five nights at a destination) and they are also looking for cheaper alternatives (64 percent of respondents were reviewing their plans in light of the economic crisis).

Greg Duffell, President and CEO – PATA said: “Travelers can redeem their air miles with the knowledge that they are not breaking the bank to go on holiday.