Priority PassTM Access India, a leading domestic airport lounge and travel experiences programme, owned and operated by Collinson, has announced a new partnership with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
This partnership will enable eligible RuPay (a product of NPCI) cardholders in India to enjoy access to over 50 premium lounges and airport experiences across all major cities in India simply by tapping or swiping their RuPay card on entry. In addition, eligible cardholders of RuPay will also enjoy access to a network of railway lounges in India.
With travel returning at speed and travellers in India seeking out more sophisticated experiences that are seamless, integrated and add value to their journeys, this partnership is purposefully-timed to better support RuPay’s growing portfolio of travelling cardholders.
A recent Collison study that surveyed over 5,400 frequent travellers across seven Asia Pacific markets (1,063 of which were India-based respondents) revealed, lounge access is the number one most desirable travel benefit at the airport. 87 per cent of travellers in India expect airport lounge access as a premium card benefit; 55 per cent revealing they feel ‘rewarded’; while a further 52 per cent ‘feel valued as a customer’ when they are provided with lounge access. They also value other travel experiences, such as dining discounts, lifestyle and wellness benefits such as sleep pods and having access to a wellbeing and fitness app.
With an increasing number of people opting for air travel, India has one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the number of domestic air passengers in India is expected to reach 1.3 billion by 2025. With more people travelling, Sharma feels there would be a greater demand for airport lounges.
Commenting on the development, Sumit Prakash, Country Director, India and South Asia, Collinson, said, “With India witnessing a travel rebound that is over and above pre-Covid levels, we are thrilled to partner with NPCI, the umbrella organisation that powers retail payments in India, to provide a strong travel-experience focused proposition to RuPay’s travelling customers. Eligible RuPay cardholders can now enhance their travel experience through Priority PassTM Access India where they can enjoy a wide network of premium airport lounges and travel experiences. We look forward to welcoming them.”Denny Thomas, Head-RuPay, NPCI, added, “We are excited to partner with Collinson to provide Priority PassTM Access India to our customers. We wanted to provide our customers with an experience that they can enjoy when travelling alone, with loved ones or business colleagues; and with consumers revealing that lounge access is their number one most desirable travel benefit, it was the ideal choice to gift to our valued cardholders and celebrate the return of travel together.”
