Air India promotion: My Dream Destination

Yesterday, Air India launched a new promotion (they prefer to call these "schemes") called My Dream Destination, which entitles passengers to free tickets on the AI network, depending on the amount of revenue spend on AI's domestic network.

Only those spends made on AI's domestic network (Air India and Alliance Air flights) between 9 February and 9 May 2015 qualify for this promotion. These spends can be for travel in both Economy and Business (Executive) classes. On achieving the necessary spends, you'll qualify for economy class tickets as follows:

Or if you're interested,

• a spend of Rs 200,000 can be used for 2 return tickets within Destination A,
• a spend of Rs 300,000 can be used for 3 return tickets within Destination A, or
• a spend of Rs 300,000 can be used for 1 return ticket each within Destinations A and B.

These promo tickets - which can be used by you or someone you nominate - are essentially waived off for base fare and fuel surcharge, though you'll have to bear airport charges and taxes, and will be valid till 31 March 2016. These can also be upgraded for travel in a higher class (under the Get Up Front offer for domestic routes or Airport Upgrades for select international routes). The only other pre-condition is that you've got to be a member of AI's FFP, Flying Returns.

I did some quick analyses here, for round trip economy class tickets on AI, for random dates in mid-2015:

• BOM-SIN is about Rs 25k, whereas DEL-SIN is Rs 30k. (comes free on spending Rs 100k under this promotion). 
• BOM-CDG is Rs 50k (or on spending Rs 200k with AI under this promotion).
• BOM-JFK and BOM-MEL are about Rs 60k, whereas BOM-ORD (Chicago) can cost upwards of 80k at times. (Rs 300k spend under this promotion).

Each of these represents a "cash back" or benefit in the region of 25% of the expected spend, which is fairly significant. Having said that, I wouldn't go out of my way spending on AI tickets, just for this offer.

Here are the T&Cs.

• Resident Indians and foreigners holding Resident permit and earning in INR would be eligible to participate in the scheme.
• All Indian Rupee revenue tickets issued in India will be considered for accrual/redemption under this scheme.
• Passenger must be our FFP (Frequent Flyer Program) member or must enroll immediately as FFP member.
• Travel only on domestic sectors of AI & Alliance will be considered for award under the scheme.
• Travel on Air India’s International sectors, Air India Express flights, Code share flights will not qualify for the above scheme.
• The award ticket will be given only after the closure/end date of the scheme.
• Only AI revenue tickets will be considered for redemption under the scheme. Ticket issued under CFS (Companion Free Scheme), Frequent Flyer Redemption Tickets/FOC to corporate house or other agencies will not be considered for the award.
• The passenger will be awarded complimentary One Way or Return ticket in Economy class only. There are no awards given in First & Business class under the scheme. However any mix travel in Executive & Economy class will be considered for redemption.
• Get Upfront/Airport upgrade scheme will be permitted as per existing rules for the purpose of upgrade.
• Under the scheme, passenger will be awarded complimentary ticket (waiver of Basic + Fuel Surcharge) to any of the domestic / international destinations on AI operated network depending on the eligibility criteria. However all applicable taxes and levies will be borne by the passenger.
• Award ticket requested for child passenger would be deemed as a normal ticket.
• Award tickets can be used by the passenger himself or by his/her nominee.