Skift Take
This deal is noteworthy because it represents a recent industry shift in the gravity of airline sales efforts. Work that used to happen on computers that interact mainly with travel agencies is now shifting toward computers that mainly power an airline's brand.com site and other direct sales channels.
Sometimes a small deal underscores a big trend. That's the case with Thursday's news that Amadeus, the travel tech colossus, and Points International, a provider of tools for travel loyalty programs, have signed a commercial and technical deal to sync their airline loyalty systems.
For Points, based in Toronto, this deal is a coup. Points will be able to piggyback on Amadeus's broad customer list to sign up more airlines to its tools for servicing frequent flier programs.
Points International has relationships in place with more than 60 loyalty programs worldwide, with the majority of them being airline programs. Amadeus has more than 80 airline customers — roughly double the number of summer 2017 —using a selection of its Amadeus Loyalty Management and Awards services.
For Amadeus, based in Madrid, this integration is just one of many it has done with much smaller partners. That said, the deal bolsters its loyalty and redemption servicing tools, which Amadeus has been offering since its 2013 acquisition of the customer relationship management unit of tech provider Hitit.
Indirect Benefits for Flyers
For consumers, the deal between the public companies may eventually help airlines offer easier ways for frequent fliers to earn and burn their miles.
"Historically, airlines have a p
