Join us as we explore airBaltic's pioneering entry into Web3 with NFTs in their airBaltic Club loyalty program.

Building loyal, engaged communities with digital assets is a fascinating interplay between technology and human connection. At its core, it involves leveraging the unique capabilities of digital assets — like NFTs or tokens — to create shared experiences, values and goals. These assets act as more than just items of value; they're often entry points into a group or markers of membership that carry social, and sometimes financial, significance.

What’s particularly interesting is how these digital assets can create a sense of belonging and identity among their holders, effectively binding the community with a shared sense of ownership, participation and loyalty.

AirBaltic has been an early adopter of Web3 technologies, becoming the first airline to accept Bitcoin as payment for its flight tickets in 2014. In April 2021, airBaltic became the first airline to launch an NFT series: City Collection. This collection features unique Latvian cities, voted by Latvian people. The idea behind the collection is to show off places to visit in Latvia, create unique collector's pieces and provide future technical rewards/experiences once someone visits these cities.

The airline’s latest NFT Project, Planies, launched in 2022 (click here to read more about Planies). Planies are a collection of 10,000 unique cartoon aircraft collectibles stored on the Ethereum blockchain. Each Planie is generated from a combination of 180 different traits and holders of Planies are eligible to receive a variety of travel-related benefits, including loyalty points, vouchers and other privileges.

In this episode of the Loylogic Podcast, we’re joined by Rob Clements, Lead Consultant and Web3 expert at Loylogic, and a very special guest – Martin Gauss, CEO of airBaltic – to explore airBaltic's pioneering entry into Web3 with their Planies NFT initiative in their airBaltic Club loyalty program. We also make sense of the strategic use of NFTs in enhancing customer loyalty and engagement, providing insights for brands and program directors interested in digital asset integration.

We discuss:

1. The Planies NFT project

2. The program’s impact on customer behavior and loyalty

3. How Web3 is driving frequent flyer program asset value

4. The technical challenges airBaltic overcame

5. How the airline managed the regulatory landscape and compliance

6. Future plans for the program

7. Key highlights for program managers to take away