I dreamed of launching a product that could help millions of aspirational points users understand the true value of their hard-earned points. It was a dream I was incubating for 10+ years while working corporate marketing roles in the aviation space from JetBlue to Westfield, while keeping ahead of changing points trends.
In the marketplace, there are influencers, bloggers, and media houses attempting to educate consumers on what it means to maximize points value. I recognized an opportunity to shift the dialogue from influencer-led to service-based with a world-class technology platform that allows you to personalize your points journey. Last year, I decided to make the leap and launch my start-up and first-ever product, the JETALBERT Points Inspiration Tool™.
In its current state, the Beta product is a powerful points calculator with built-in valuation algorithms designed to maximize your points journey, which represents how I personally determine and optimize my ever-changing points strategy. Users now have a points travel tool to understand the comparative value between redemption options, which award is best suited for which loyalty program, and a simple points tracking tool.
In this post, I’ll highlight aspects of the tool which I’m proud of, and can significantly enhance your day-to-day points journey:
1. Meticulous Design
Navigating the world of points is complex, and to counter those natural worries and fears of making a mistake, we introduced a brand design and color way that’s meant to help you easily evaluate the comparative value between each reward. Enjoy soft warm hues and bold letter to call attention to key information as you prioritize your points goals.
2. Intuitive Layout
Each section of your points dashboard has been meticulously laid out and designed with your needs in mind. Starting with the search function, users begin by selecting a departure hub and arrival region. We believe searching by region opens up endless possibilities, and at times, offers better value. For example, if you’re looking to visit Southeast Asia, you will tend to find less expensive hotel awards in Vietnam than Thailand.
Subsections below include Your Virtual Wallet or a sum total of your points balances, Your Airline Miles, and Your Hotel Points, breaking down each area of your points journey. In the top right corner of each sections are action buttons for you to edit your points, and save a copy of your dashboard.
Within each section are custom curated rewards based on your search criteria, number of points, and our proprietary algorithm. Together, our tool makes searching for points options incredibly easier.
3. Proprietary Algorithm
Our backend proprietary algorithm will be a game changer in your points journey. From the best airline to fly to the number of points you should expect to see in the marketplace, our algorithm gathers all those details and filters options to your exacting needs. Take for instance a flight from San Francisco to Europe (since we search by region), there are countless routes, airlines, and options to get you there. Whether you’re upgrading to First Class or stretching out your points in Economy, you can easily track how close you are to your points goals.
4. Points Management
At its core, the product allows you to manually track your points and miles program balances. Better yet, you can set your own points goals to determine the details of your next trip. For example, let’s say you have your sights set on a trip to the Middle East like Dubai, Cairo, or Muscat. Simply select your arrival region as the Middle East and your dashboard will automatically crawl through our database of nearly 20,000 redemptions to provide the best value options for a myriad of destinations. To make adjustments, simply edit your points balance using the edit button and your options will refresh. Once you’ve found what you’re looking for, simply take a snapshot or download a copy of your dashboard. As your points balance changes, you can return as often as you like to make changes.
The Takeaway
Our Beta tool is our first attempt to create a new product and service designed to help you personalize your points journey. We hope to introduce even more features in the near future to better serve and guide you.