Pre-Meal for Jan 22, 2025Find the High Five

Happy Wednesday!

There are a few people in my life who care passionately about their airline status. They only fly one airline; they only use that airline’s credit card. My friend Zach once even scheduled a same-day out-and-back flight to avoid getting demoted.

Don’t get me wrong; I love the upgrades that come with a bump in status at an airline. But I spend enough time away from my family as it is; points or no points, I’m always going to choose the flight that’ll get me home in time to kiss my kids goodnight. But because I do travel a lot, and on so many different airlines, I’ve gotten status on quite a few of them.

Because I’m obsessed with experience design, every time I get the notification that I’ve moved up to the next tier, I board my next flight curious to see if the occasion will be marked by the airline in any way. Congratulations from the ticket counter? Champagne? Any acknowledgement whatsoever?

Until recently, the answer was absolutely nothing.

But last week, I was waiting for my flight to board, headphones on and lost in an absolutely gorgeous song my wife discovered on a run and knew I’d love. Three women wearing Southwest uniforms dragged me out of my trance, smiling and waving to get my attention. They were there to congratulate me: I’ve logged some serious miles with the airline over the last few months and had graduated to the next tier.

The little ceremony took two minutes: warm wishes and a photo all together in front of a simple foam board. But the team was so enthusiastic and genuinely excited for me that they made me feel like Southwest really cared. In fact, I got so caught up in the vibe, the woman at the gate had to gently remind me that, even with my new celebrity status, she still had to scan my boarding pass...

When you celebrate alongside someone, it brings you closer to them. So why isn’t every business with a loyalty program finding some way to celebrate these moments with their most faithful customers? And if you don’t have a loyalty program, is there another way you can find a high five?

Have a good service,

Will