AirAsia rewards has cast its net a little wider, quite literally, with the launch of an all-new cruise booking platform built in partnership with global travel loyalty heavyweight Arrivia. Powered by iCruise, the platform opens the gangway to thousands of sailings worldwide, marking a timely expansion for a region that’s rediscovering the joys of holidaying at sea.
It’s a strategic move that fits neatly with Capital A’s broader ambitions: give travellers more choice, more value and more reasons to stay within the AirAsia ecosystem. After all, loyalty programs these days are no longer content with simply dishing out points for flights. They’re turning into full-blown travel marketplaces, and cruising with its built-in romance, buffet spreads, and occasionally enthusiastic ballroom dancers is becoming the next battleground.
Nicole Tan, Chief Business Officer of AirAsia rewards, says the move couldn’t be better timed. “With more Asian travelers embracing cruising, this partnership is perfectly timed to meet the growing demand, offering our members value-packed, convenient, and memorable holiday options whether they are taking flights, staying at a hotel or cruising the seas.”
She’s not wrong. According to the 2024 Asia Source Passenger Market Report by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), Asia’s cruise market is well and truly back on deck. Some 2.6 million Asians embarked on cruises in 2024, a hefty 13% increase on the previous year. With more ships returning to regional ports and new itineraries stretching from Japan to the Indian Ocean, the industry looks primed for serious long-term growth.
Tan says the new platform gives members access to “over 30,000 cruise itineraries across 40+ cruise lines,” handing travellers the keys to destinations from Alaska’s glacier-lined passages to the Mediterranean’s sun-kissed harbours — all while pocketing AirAsia points. Under the standard earn rate, members receive 4 AirAsia points for every USD1 spent on cruise fares.
But because no major launch is complete without a sweetener, AirAsia’s rewards are kicking things off with a limited-time 25% bonus. Bookings made from 29 October to 30 November 2025 will earn 5 AirAsia points per USD1 spent, a gesture that may well tempt even the most committed landlubber.
For arrivia, the partnership is equally momentous. John Williams, Managing Director (Asia Pacific, India and UK), highlights the appeal of a cruise holiday’s simplicity. “Cruising offers an all-inclusive holiday experience packed with unforgettable moments. AirAsia members now have access to thousands of sailings worldwide, supported by our team of experienced multilingual cruise experts available through global call centers. We are dedicated to providing personalised guidance every step of the way, ensuring each journey exceeds expectations.”
The iCruise engine behind the platform has long been known for its breadth, from Royal Caribbean thrill rides to Disney’s storybook voyages, and from the stylish Celebrity Cruises fleet to the ever-expanding MSC empire. Mixing these brands with AirAsia’s loyal customer base is the sort of equation corporate strategists instead enjoy.
What is particularly striking is how seamlessly the booking process slots into AirAsia’s existing infrastructure. Travellers can dive right in via the Rewards section of the AirAsia MOVE app or head directly to https://cruise.airasiabig.com. From there, it’s a straightforward scroll through itineraries, destinations and sail dates. Members enter their AirAsia ID at checkout (or let one of arrivia’s cruise experts take the helm), complete their booking, and receive their points within 30 days of completing their voyage.
While the partnership’s commercial benefits are clear, it also signals an intriguing shift: Asian travellers, long wooed by short-haul flights and all-inclusive beach escapes, are increasingly embracing the idea of unpack-once holidaying. And with global cruise lines redirecting capacity toward the region, the timing feels downright serendipitous.
For AirAsia rewards, the message is simple: cruising is no longer a niche indulgence but an essential pillar of the broader travel economy. And if the early indicators are anything to go by, this new platform may chart a course that keeps the program firmly ahead of the competition.
A loyalty scheme that hands you points while you float past the Adriatic cliffs or drift through the fjords? As far as value propositions go, it’s hard to argue with that.
By My Thanh Pham – (c) 2025
Read Time: 3 minutes.
About the Writer
My Thanh Pham has worn more travel hats than most luggage racks could hold. After taking a course in travel and tourism, she found herself deep in the business of arranging itineraries across South-East Asia, matching travellers to temples, beaches, and the occasional night train, with a knack for making the complicated look easy.
Not content with life behind the desk, she joined a Vietnamese airline, juggling reservations one day and the frontline bustle of the airport the next. It gave her a ringside seat to the theatre of travel: the missed flights, the joyous reunions, and the endless stories that airports never fail to serve.
These days, My Thanh has swapped ticket stubs for a writer’s keyboard at Global Travel Media. Her words carry the same steady hand she once brought to bookings, guiding readers through the rich, unpredictable world of travel.
