Together with the Female Founder Collective (FFC) and Nyakio Grieco, founder of beauty retailer and amenity kit partner Thirteen Lune, American Airlines and its AAdvantage Business™ program recently chatted business travel at the second annual FFC Nette Retreat. The gathering of approximately 50 high-growth female founders revealed the importance of in-person interaction and relationship building required to secure funding and other resources for their businesses.
More than 60% of the busy executives estimate they travel five to 10 days per month. When choosing an airline for all that travel, their decision is based on an airline’s reliability, followed closely by an airline that rewards their company for their loyalty.
“Creating and harvesting in-person relationships with investors and partners has been absolutely critical in growing Thirteen Lune, which inherently means that I often have to hop on a plane to attend meetings, network at events or close a deal,” said Grieco, who founded Thirteen Lune in 2020 and has been traveling with American and its partners since her first flight to Kenya as a child.
American’s collaboration with Thirteen Lune gives the airline the opportunity to cycle new brands and products within the kits for customers in all premium cabins, creating a unique experience for customers to enjoy.
Amenity kit developed by Thirteen Lune, along with an assortment of beauty products from brands represented at the FFC Nette retreat.
“Partnering with American to curate the skincare in more than 3 million amenity kits each year was a truly full-circle moment for me, remembering that first flight so many years ago and then knowing Thirteen Lune would be flying across the globe on the same airline that always brings me home to Kenya, where I’ve learned so many beauty secrets over the years,” added Grieco.
American is committed to creating a memorable and enjoyable travel journey for all customers that is rooted in customer feedback. Creating products and services with a wide range of options allows the airline to deliver choice and variety for each type of customer, which today encompasses individuals from various generations and backgrounds.
“The thrill of travel is in the discovery of something new — food, language, landscapes and so much more. American is always looking for ways to expand those opportunities for discovery, well before our customers get to their destination,” said Kim Cisek, American’s Vice President of Customer Experience. “Thanks to Thirteen Lune, our customers are treated to a rotation of new brands and products they may have never considered before. We hope that not only opens their minds to integrating these products into their everyday lives but also helps make their travel journey with American that much more memorable.”
In addition to elevating Thirteen Lune to millions of customers aboard long-haul and international flights, American’s AAdvantage Business™ program empowers businesses with a suite of tools to streamline booking and travel management. Companies earn miles from business travel, and travelers who register with the program earn more rewards when traveling for business.
More than 30% of female founders attending the FFC Nette Retreat said that loyalty rewards, such as those offered by the AAdvantage Business™program, play a role in determining what airline they and their employees travel.
AAdvantage Business™ benefits include:
- The ability for businesses to earn one mile for every dollar spent on eligible travel with American (less taxes and fees) and offer their travelers a faster path toward personal AAdvantage® status
- A convenient suite of tools to simply travel management, including reporting and controls to help optimize business travel spend
- An opportunity to offset business travel expenses by using miles for flights, upgrades, rental cars, hotels and more
“While the future of work allows for an incredible amount to be accomplished remotely, there is still nothing that can replace the connection that happens in real life. As a business owner, the airplane has become a second office — but also, it’s the sign and vehicle to the best opportunities,” said Alison Wyatt, co-founder and CEO of the Female Founder Collective. “That’s why FFC couldn’t be happier to have partnered with American Airlines, where together we are able to quite literally get women founders where they need to go in order to succeed.”
Interested in rewarding your business and travelers through the AAdvantage Business™ program? Enrolling is easy at aadvantagebusiness.aa.com.