Club Avanti

[realemil]

I just got an email regarding something avanti appears to be pushing called “Club Avanti”.

You get free return journeys to travel after booking a certain amount of journeys. It’s free to join.

You also get 10% off your first trip.

Looks interesting - wonder why they started now.

Edited for clarity

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Looks broadly like a Train Operating Company's equivalent of an airline's Frequent Flyer programme.

Probably didn't want to announce it any earlier in case their West Coast contract hadn't been extended.

 

[Kite159]

Club Avanti has been around for a while

They might be trying and encourage more use of the trains by those put off with the poor service in recent months?

 

[realemil]

Club Avanti has been around for a while

They might be trying and encourage more use of the trains by those put off with the poor service in recent months?

You’re right actually - I’ve honestly never heard of it prior to this.

I think like you said; seems like they’re trying to encourage more train usage. 21 trips (75miles+) in a year gives you a first class ticket, so might encourage some people to come back and try avanti.

Probably also scared of losing their contract

 

[LYuen]

It was introduced shortly after Avanti (and First Group ToCs) quit the Nectar rewards.
However, I'd prefer LNER perks over them.

 

[The Prisoner]

It’s a well kept secret. Have to travel with them quite often and they have never emailed me about it

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Club Avanti has been around for a while

Indeed. Does seem to have been around since mid 2022.

Club Avanti to launch

https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/tickets-and-savings/club-avanti Club Avanti offers everything from 10% off your next journey to a free First Class or Standard Premium return ticket. You'll also enjoy 10% off food and drink along with a whole range of exclusive member offers. You'll soon see...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Falcon1200]

Will certainly benefit some people but it is worth reading the small print; The 10% off does not apply if other discounts are used, eg Railcards!

 

[sot]

Will certainly benefit some people but it is worth reading the small print; The 10% off does not apply if other discounts are used, eg Railcards!

It also does not work for anything other than Avanti ONLY journeys. Although as far as I can tell it will allow two singles to make up a 'return'.

 

[IanD]

I found the 10% was only valid if you booked 2 Advance singles rather than a return ticket. Which it did actually say in the small print but I misinterpreted it.

Got a free cup of coffee though.

 

[ExpressTrain]

I tried to join it but in true Avanti style it didn’t work. Apparently from an enquiry to Avanti my account is a Purple WiFi one so I can’t be invited to it

 

[Trackman]

Club Avanti thing has been going for a while I am a 'member' of so-called club, It's a bit like VT travellers club.
I don't think you need an invite, you just sign up if you have an Avanti account and it susses out how many journeys you have made in a year (I think)

I tried to join it but in true Avanti style it didn’t work.

Sounds about right

I found the 10% was only valid if you booked 2 Advance singles rather than a return ticket. Which it did actually say in the small print but I misinterpreted it.

Sounds about right again. read 'T&Cs' *groans*

 

[AlterEgo]

It's a rubbish frequent traveller scheme, absolute pants. A qualifying journey is 75 miles and can only be between two Avanti-called stations. Got a ticket from London to Paisley Gilmour Street via Glasgow Central? Doesn't count. You have to split your tickets of course. Very weak offer.

 

[Merseysider]

I've signed up too. But tbh unless and until they introduce fee-free changes to Advance tickets I'll stick to using XC and Trainsplit. 1/10 of a free return trip is worth far less than being able to rearrange if plans change.

 

[sot]

I think there is some form of rate limit or batch on making accounts or they are approved in a more manual fashion, as I made an account solely for a free coffee and it only got approved the day after.

 

[Birkonian]

I tried to apply with no success. Have sent many emails with no replies received.

EDIT: There is now a pop-up tick box to apply on the preferences tab.

 

[Master29]

Yep. Sounds like Avanti. Spin something that looks great as new but in reality, it's a dead duck. Has become their M.O.

 

[Birkonian]

I applied on Thursday and got confirmation that I am now a member. 9 single journeys for a free Standard Premier return. We'll see.

 

[furgus2]

I tend to book Avanti journeys using their website mainly because of being able to chose the specific seat I want. A few months ago I had an email inviting me to sign up for the Club which I did without much thought. I’d quite forgotten about it until I did receive a notification that I’d earned the Standard Premier ticket a few weeks ago. I have 12 months to take up the ticket.

 

[Class83]

4.3. Subject to paragraph 2.2., only journeys purchased via avantiwestcoast.co.uk or the Avanti West Coast mobile app will count as Qualifying Journeys. Please note that tickets bought at Avanti West Coast ticket office counters and ticket machines, onboard ticketing machines, and other station ticket offices are all excluded.

This isn't great for business travel which is booked by a travel department/corporate booking engine. British Airways etc can happily deal with flights booked regardless of the source, most corporate systems let people save their membership numbers.

 

[HarryF]

4.3. Subject to paragraph 2.2., only journeys purchased via avantiwestcoast.co.uk or the Avanti West Coast mobile app will count as Qualifying Journeys. Please note that tickets bought at Avanti West Coast ticket office counters and ticket machines, onboard ticketing machines, and other station ticket offices are all excluded.

This isn't great for business travel which is booked by a travel department/corporate booking engine. British Airways etc can happily deal with flights booked regardless of the source, most corporate systems let people save their membership numbers.

Even LNER perks lets you add tickets purchased elsewhere. It really is a poor offering from Avanti in my opinion.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Even LNER perks lets you add tickets purchased elsewhere. It really is a poor offering from Avanti in my opinion.

It makes it a bit useless for business travellers (at whom such schemes are almost universally aimed) because a lot of them are mandated to use a corporate booking portal and not Avanti's (terrible) website.

 

[Jimini]

Just booked my free return standard premium journey, having received my discount code the other day. £137 of travel for free -- I'll take that

 

[trek]

This isn't great for business travel which is booked by a travel department/corporate booking engine. British Airways etc can happily deal with flights booked regardless of the source, most corporate systems let people save their membership numbers.

Depends who they're trying to appeal to and the aim of the scheme overall.

Avanti make more money when people book direct. It makes sense to push people off Trainline. Of course, many business travallers don't have that choice, probably why the previous "Traveller" loyalty programme offered routes to join without booking direct - it was unlikely many leisure travellers would make use of that scheme. This scheme feels doesn't feel very business focussed though, mind.

Even LNER perks lets you add tickets purchased elsewhere. It really is a poor offering from Avanti in my opinion.

It somewhat surprises me LNER offers third-party tickets to be added given their previous scheme didn't, but perhaps given the array of competition on the East Coast route it makes more sense - plus it gets people to initially join and then hopefully realise booking direct is a good option. They were for a time offering 10% back instead of 2% if you booked via their app and there is of course the £5 joining credit too. LNER do also continue to offer various cashback incentives via various credit/debit card schemes, ranging from 5-12%.

But yeah overall LNER has a way better offer. Perhaps with things seemingly calming down reliability wise at Avanti they might improve this as well as just promote it...

 

[Facing Back]

Avanti make more money when people book direct. It makes sense to push people off Trainline. Of course, many business travallers don't have that choice, probably why the previous "Traveller" loyalty programme offered routes to join without booking direct - it was unlikely many leisure travellers would make use of that scheme. This scheme feels doesn't feel very business focussed though, mind.

Indeed. When I joined Traveller many many years ago, I just sent Virgin an envelope full of used tickets and they sent them back once they had processed it. It didn't matter where they were bought or who paid for them. I liked the Traveller club, I'm not enthusiastic about this one,

 

[DMU180]

I find it surprising just how many loyalty experts we have on the forum.

I think it is pretty clear that Avanti aren't actually trying to appeal to business travellers, instead it is positioned for the leisure market. There is no huge incentive for Avanti to be offering discounts to business travellers who are likely travelling anyway - they may as well stand outside Euston handing out £10 notes if that is the case.

Club Avanti is appealing to those who travel for leisure to make rail a better option, and to encourage those who book elsewhere to book direct.

LNER perks is incredibly functional and I can't see someone deciding to take the train over the car because they'll get 2% cashback. Club Avanti is more aspirational and giving actual benefits when you use the train - much more akin to what airline loyalty schemes offer i.e. British Airways Executive Club.

 

[trek]

I think it is pretty clear that Avanti aren't actually trying to appeal to business travellers, instead it is positioned for the leisure market. There is no huge incentive for Avanti to be offering discounts to business travellers who are likely travelling anyway - they may as well stand outside Euston handing out £10 notes if that is the case.

There is incentive to offer a business loyalty offer on an intercity route where business travellers have the choice of driving or flying - particularly remembering that flying may earn them miles with BA. The "Traveller" scheme ran for years...

However in terms of winding it up now, it made sense - business travellers haven't come back like leisure travellers.

Club Avanti is appealing to those who travel for leisure to make rail a better option, and to encourage those who book elsewhere to book direct.

LNER perks is incredibly functional and I can't see someone deciding to take the train over the car because they'll get 2% cashback. Club Avanti is more aspirational and giving actual benefits when you use the train - much more akin to what airline loyalty schemes offer i.e. British Airways Executive Club.

But this is the crux of it, Club Avanti does appear to be shifting some focus towards the leisure market. But LNER as you say is simpler to understand and more usable for less regular travellers.

 

[Tetchytyke]

There is no huge incentive for Avanti to be offering discounts to business travellers who are likely travelling anyway

I’m not sure that’s true. Business travellers, especially from Manchester and Scotland, have the option of flying also. And if you have status on BA you get to use the nice lounges at Heathrow.

Business travel hasn’t bounced back, so, if anything, Avanti should be even more keenly chasing these customers.

Leisure customers are more price-sensitive and, whilst they’re great to have, they’re not where the big bucks are made.

 

[Facing Back]

I’m not sure that’s true. Business travellers, especially from Manchester and Scotland, have the option of flying also. And if you have status on BA you get to use the nice lounges at Heathrow.

Business travel hasn’t bounced back, so, if anything, Avanti should be even more keenly chasing these customers.

Leisure customers are more price-sensitive and, whilst they’re great to have, they’re not where the big bucks are made.

Agreed. The airlines offer loyalty schemes which are aimed firmly at business travellers. The idea of course is that work pays for the ticket and the traveller gets the perks - although the revenue obviously has an opinion on that...

Virgin were clear in their early press and marketing that they were attempting to bring the airline experience to intercity train travel - the loyalty club, at seat service, free refreshments including alcohol for premium customers, lounges at main stations would seem to me to be examples of this. Of course I have no idea whether this approach was the reasons why peak hour trains were so full, even considering the ticket prices being comparable to the airfare.

The Avanti scheme (and overall experience) obviously is not trying to replicate this or compete directly with BA.

 

[tetartoid]

Just discovered this scheme slightly hidden away on the Avanti website and wondered why I have never heard of it before. I double checked my email account and see no email from Avanti mentioning it at any point. Had I signed up when it launched, I'd have my free first class ticket by now! I wonder why they aren't promoting it, unless I've somehow missed all the promotions.