Chase has recently redesigned its Marriott, IHG, and Hyatt cards. Reader Brian O shares a survey he took for Chase, and clearly it’s about how to design an airline card (and not at one of their own Ultimate Rewards cards).

I’d normally think they would be look at the United product, since Chase and United have been in ongoing and vigorous discussions about how to improve their program (although the United card itself was recently revamped, too).

There are two references in the questions that suggest to me they could be thinking through the British Airways product: carrier surcharges on award travel and European destinations.

Brian was asked demographics questions and then,

• How many credit cards he has
  
• What rewards programs he belong to (limited to Marriott, Hilton, Starwood, American, British Airways, Delta, IHG Rewards Club, JetBlue, United)
  
• What credit cards he has with those programs

The survey then asked about two hypothetical card value propositions:

Card # 1:
3X points on partner airlines
1X points on all non-partner airline purchases
Travel companion ticket after $30K spend
No foreign exchange fee

Card # 2:
3X points on partner airlines
2X points on hotels
1X points on all non-partner airline purchases
Travel companion ticket after $30K spend
No foreign exchange fee
Receive 10% off flight purchases
Receive $200 off carrier charges on redemption (up to $600 annually)
Pay taxes and fees with points

Then the survey went through an exercise asking to rank order sets of benefits to see which ones are most appealing compared to others that might be offered.

Set # 1:
Receive $200 off carrier charges on redemption (up to $600 annually)
Free Wi-Fi
More redemption eligible seats on every flight
Priority boarding

Set # 2:
GOES credit
More redemption eligible seats on every flight
Earn 1X points on all non-partner airline purchases
Priority boarding

Set # 3:
3X points on partner airlines
Receive 10% off flight purchases
Access to exclusive card events
Use points to upgrade seat class

Set # 4:
Anniversary bonus points
No foreign exchange fee
Pay taxes and fees with points
Earn 1X points on all non-partner airline purchases

Set # 5:
Complimentary round trip transfer to specific European destinations
Automatically receive Elite status
Priority boarding
Pay taxes and fees with points

Set # 6:
Automatically receive Elite status
0% promotional financing on flight/package > $3,000
Receive $200 off carrier charges on redemption (up to $600 annually)
Receive 10% off flight purchases

Set # 7:
No foreign exchange fee
GOES credit
0% promotional financing on flight/package > $3,000
3X points on partner airlines

Set # 8:
3X points on partner airlines
Automatically receive Elite status
Travel companion ticket after $30K spend
Use points to upgrade seat class

Set # 9:
Travel companion ticket after $30K spend
2X points on hotels
No foreign exchange fee
Access to exclusive card events

Set # 10:
2X points on hotels
Free Wi-Fi
0% promotional financing on flight/package > $3,000
Complimentary round trip transfer to specific European destinations

Set # 11:
GOES credit
Free Wi-Fi
Anniversary bonus points
Access to exclusive card events

Set # 12:
Complimentary round trip transfer to specific European destinations
2X points on hotels
Earn 1X points on all non-partner airline purchases
Use points to upgrade seat class

It’s entirely possible that Chase is looking at designing a new card, going into the market for instance with a new co-brand relationship. If I had to guess I’d think this is about the future of the British Airways product.

Banks survey options all the time, of course, and that doesn’t mean changes come to pass. Nonetheless it’s interesting to see the kinds of things they’d consider putting into what looks to be an airline card.