Kenya Airways Customers Can Now Redeem Points at Accor Hotels Worldwide

Kenya Airways and Accor have launched a loyalty partnership that allows customers to exchange and redeem points across flights, hotels and lifestyle services.

The agreement, announced in Nairobi on Tuesday, makes Kenya Airways the first African airline to join the ALL Accor ecosystem, which serves more than 100 million members worldwide. The partnership connects the airline’s Asante Rewards programme with Accor’s hospitality network of more than 5,800 properties in 110 countries.

Travellers enrolled in Asante Rewards will be able to convert their points into ALL Accor reward points for use at Accor hotels globally. Accor members will also gain access to Kenya Airways flight rewards and other travel benefits. The companies said the programme is intended to create a more connected travel experience across air travel, accommodation, dining and leisure services through a shared rewards system.

Points can be transferred in both directions. Members may exchange 3,000 Asante Rewards points for 1,000 ALL Accor points, with the same conversion rate applying to transfers from Accor into the Kenya Airways programme. The points can be redeemed for flights, hotel stays, lounge access, additional baggage allowances and selected hospitality experiences.

The partnership was formalised by Kenya Airways Chief Commercial and Customer Officer Julius Thairu and Accor Regional President for Premium, Midscale and Economy brands in the Middle East, Africa and Türkiye, Raki Phillips. Executives from both companies described the agreement as a response to changing customer expectations, particularly among frequent travellers seeking more flexible loyalty programmes.

Speaking at the announcement, Thairu said the partnership marked an important step for both Kenya Airways and the wider African aviation sector. He said travellers increasingly expect greater flexibility in how they earn and use loyalty rewards as international travel recovers and competition among airlines increases.

The agreement comes as Kenya Airways continues efforts to strengthen its commercial performance after several years of financial pressure in the aviation industry. Loyalty programmes have become an increasingly important source of revenue for airlines, while also helping improve customer retention and encouraging repeat travel. Industry analysts say airlines now view frequent flyer schemes as major commercial assets rather than simply customer incentives.

For Kenya Airways, the partnership strengthens its position in the premium travel market by linking its route network with hotel brands including Sofitel, Fairmont, Raffles, Pullman and Mövenpick. In Kenya, Accor operates properties such as Fairmont The Norfolk and Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club, which mainly serve international business and leisure travellers.

The Asante Rewards programme, launched in 2023, includes four membership tiers ranging from Ruby to Platinum Elite Plus. Members earn points through Kenya Airways flights and services offered by SkyTeam partners including Delta Air Lines, Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic. Higher-tier members receive benefits such as priority services, extra baggage allowances and lounge access across the SkyTeam network.

Kenya Airways has also expanded capacity on several international routes as travel demand increases. The airline recently added more flights to Paris, returned a grounded Dreamliner to service and introduced larger aircraft on its London Gatwick route during the peak travel season.

For Accor, the partnership forms part of a broader strategy to expand customer engagement beyond hotel stays. The company has positioned ALL Accor as a lifestyle platform that includes events, dining, wellness and entertainment services. Executives said the agreement reflects growing travel links between Africa and the Middle East, where tourism and business travel continue to grow.

Members of both programmes can now link their accounts through the respective loyalty platforms, allowing point transfers and redemptions across flights and accommodation services worldwide.