ConnectMiles Takes a Major Leap: How Accelerated Rewards Are Reshaping Loyalty Programs

Travel is bouncing back, and loyalty members are eager to cash in on deferred vacation plans. Enter a game-changer: Copa Airlines’ latest move to help ConnectMiles program members unlock rewards faster through an innovative new feature.

The ConnectMiles Boost: What Members Can Now Do

Copa Airlines, a leading carrier across Latin America, has rolled out ConnectMiles Accelerator—a membership perk that lets travelers turbocharge their miles accumulation without waiting for every flight to add up. The concept is straightforward: members can now pay a premium rate to multiply their miles balance by up to three times their actual value. With a cap of 200,000 miles eligible for multiplication annually, this opens new pathways for reaching travel goals sooner.

Think of it as a shortcut. Instead of relying solely on flight activity, credit card purchases, and hotel bookings to accumulate miles, ConnectMiles members can now choose to boost their balance strategically. Points International, the loyalty commerce powerhouse behind this solution, engineered the platform to make the process seamless.

Why the Timing Matters

The travel industry faces a peculiar challenge: pent-up demand is sky-high, but many loyalty program members accumulated fewer miles during pandemic lockdowns. ConnectMiles Accelerator solves this friction point by allowing members to fast-track their earning velocity. As destinations reopen globally, this tool lets people restart their postponed travel plans without the usual wait.

Natalie Orillac, Director of ConnectMiles, emphasized that the program’s core mission—delivering attractive value to loyal customers—remains unchanged. “This new alternative gives members a way to accrue miles faster beyond traditional travel activity,” she noted, highlighting how the accelerator complements existing earn pathways.

The Points International Partnership

Points International, a Toronto-based loyalty commerce platform serving nearly 60 reward programs worldwide, developed this solution using its “Accelerate Anything” product line. The ConnectMiles collaboration represents more than just a single feature launch; it’s the latest milestone in an ongoing partnership that began back in 2016.

The demand for Points’ accelerated rewards offerings has been strong since the product launched in August 2020. Copa Airlines now ranks as the sixth carrier globally to implement this technology within the past year—a testament to the innovation’s market traction.

What This Means for the Loyalty Industry

The introduction of ConnectMiles Accelerator signals a broader shift in how airline loyalty programs are evolving. As Rob Maclean, CEO of Points, explained, “Providing members with new ways to accrue miles outside of traditional travel has been a consistent priority for us.” With travel gradually recovering, members’ appetite for these acceleration tools is expected to grow.

For Copa Airlines customers, the message is clear: loyalty is now more flexible and rewarding. The ability to multiply miles earned through credit card purchases, online shopping, hotel stays, and car rentals—then accelerate that balance further—represents a fundamental upgrade to how the connect miles ecosystem operates.

This partnership underscores how technology and partnership are reshaping what it means to earn and redeem rewards in modern travel.