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Air India And Vistara Merger News: On 11th November, Vistara completed its final flight as an independent airline. From 12th November, its merger with Tata-owned Air India came into effect and the integrated Air India-Vistara entity took its first flight from Doha to Mumbai on Monday night. As Air India absorbs Vistara’s operations, here’s what happens to your co-branded credit cards, CV points, tickets, lounge access and more.
Vistara Co-Branded Credit Cards
Vistara co-branded credit cardholders will continue to enjoy benefits even as the integration with Air India progresses. The current terms of these cards will remain valid until March 31, 2026, regardless of the merger timeline. However, cardholders should renew their annual memberships by March 31, 2025.
Amidst the merger, reports state how, from November 12, 2024, Club Vistara cardholders will receive additional perks, such as complimentary ticket vouchers and One Class Upgrade Vouchers, along with their existing benefits. Moreover, tier privileges will be retained for a full year after the merger is finalised, ensuring members can continue to enjoy their loyalty benefits seamlessly.
Club Vistara
As per reports, from November 12, Club Vistara will merge with Air India’s Flying Returns program. Club Vistara members will be automatically assigned new Flying Returns IDs, with membership details transferred automatically.
As for travellers who already have a Flying Returns account with Air India, they can authorise the integration of their Club Vistara data with this account for better perks. Those without a Flying Returns account will have one created automatically using their Club Vistara information.
CV Loyalty Points
All Club Vistara (CV) Points will be merged into the Air India system at a 1:1 ratio, including points that were set to expire in September and October 2024. Also note that these points will have an extended validity of at least one year from the transition date. Post-merger, members will continue to earn Flying Returns points, with their existing tier status preserved for a year.
Additionally, with Air India’s inclusion in the Star Alliance, former Vistara members will also get access to many reward redemption options across more than 20 international airline partners.