Vistara-Air India merger: Credit cardholders can expect these changes after November 12

The merger of Tata Group's flagship airline Air India and Vistara will be effective from November 12, 2024. In August, Vistara and Air India declared that passengers will be redirected to the Air India website for ticket booking and flights will only be operated under the 'Vistara' banner till November 11. 

“If your desired route has been transferred to Air India, you will be redirected from Vistara to Air India to continue with your booking. By 12 November 2024, Vistara will be inoperative, and all its operations will be transferred to and managed by Air India,” stated an email from Vistara about the merger. Vistara is a joint venture between Singapore Airlines and Tata Group, which also owns Air India. 

As Vistara readies for the cessation of operations commencing on November 12, 2024, subsequent to its merger with Air India, the amalgamation of their respective frequent flyer loyalty programs, namely Club Vistara and Flying Returns, is currently underway.

The Club Vistara loyalty initiative will be consolidated with Air India's Flying Returns Programme. It is important to note that throughout the transition phase, customers' current Club Vistara memberships will remain valid and operational.

Vistara has tie-ups with four prominent Indian banks to introduce a collection of co-branded credit cards. The current assortment comprises seven distinct card variants:

Club Vistara SBI Card
Axis Vistara Platinum
Club Vistara IDFC FIRST Credit Card
Club Vistara SBI Card Prime
Axis Vistara Signature
Axis Vistara Infinite
Club Vistara IndusInd Bank Explorer

These credit cards empower cardholders to amass Club Vistara (CV) Points predicated on their expenditure patterns. Subsequently, these accumulated points can be redeemed for award flights or used for upgrading the ticket class with Vistara, enhancing the overall travel experience for the users.

Card validity: Club Vistara members who currently hold existing co-brand cards will retain their current benefits based on the current card programme structure and the terms and conditions of the existing programme until March 31, 2026.

On November 12, 2024, all CV points, One Class Upgrade Vouchers, and Complimentary Ticket Vouchers will be transferred to the customers' linked Flying Returns accounts.

Post this date, cardholders with co-branded cards will begin earning Flying Returns Points and Complimentary Ticket Vouchers alongside the current card benefits. They will also maintain their Tier status for one year following the merger date.

It is important to note that programme benefits will be accessible until March 31, 2026. Therefore, annual card membership renewals, if applicable, will cease after March 31, 2025, ensuring the continuation of features and benefits throughout the 12-month annual period.

New issuance of co-brand cards will be discontinued as of September 30, 2024, with the specific date subject to internal policies.

Club Vistara points: After November 12, 2024, all Club Vistara Points earned via Vistara credit cards will be automatically converted to Flying Returns points at a 1:1 ratio. The transferred points will come with an extended validity of one year, providing cardholders with additional time to utilize their rewards, as reported by Paisabazar.

Tier status: The current tier status of Vistara cardholders will be seamlessly transferred to Air India's Flying Returns programme. This migration will integrate the accumulated points and tier status from both programs, ensuring a smooth transition for members.

Voucher transfer: Voucher transfer will involve the exchange of complimentary ticket vouchers and class upgrade vouchers obtained through Vistara credit cards.

Linking accounts: For now, Vistara credit cardholders can link their Club Vistara and Flying Returns accounts for seamless benefits and rewards. To facilitate this linking process, cardholders are required to access their Club Vistara account and input their Flying Returns membership ID.

It is crucial to ensure the manual linkage of accounts as failure to do so may lead to an automatic merging process based on shared personal information such as name and contact details. This could potentially impact the accurate allocation of rewards and benefits to the respective accounts.