Miles+ Subscriptions
Craft Premium Experience for Power Users
Overview
At Miles, I led the 0→1 product design for a new loyalty subscription offering. The plan, priced at $4.99/month, was designed to foster engagement and monetization with added benefits, accelerated earning, and VIP treatment to help power-users feel valued, without overtaxing backend operations and profitability.
Timeline
Intro: Sep-Nov 2022
Improve: Apr - June 2023
Role
User research
UX design
Interaction design
Team
2 Designers
1 Product Manager
1 Data Scientist
iOS & Android Engineers
2 Backend Engineers
Methods
Data Analysis
Competitive Analysis
User Journey Map
User Testing
Upleveling Miles’ power user experience
As Miles began to scale into a well-used rewards platform, we see a group of power users who were using the app daily, earning miles rapidly, and redeeming rewards frequently. It was clear they loved the product and wanted more of it. It felt like the right time to build something for them: a premium experience that acknowledged and rewarded their loyalty.
Cost saving limits created friction
Because of the fast growth post Covid, to cut backend costs, Miles introduced limits on trip logging, trip history (7 days), and gift card redemptions (once per week) for all users. While necessary, these changes frustrated our most active users — the ones with the highest potential to drive growth and revenue.
Miles power users want to unlock the earning and redemption limits and premium experience
I host user interviews, sent out survey, and analyzed app data to identify:
- Only the highest tier, bragging right, premium experience would make them feel worth the monthly fee
- No ads, no maual trip claim are the benefits they care about the most
Designing Miles Plus: A Premium Layer for Loyalty
I designed and launched Miles Plus, a $4.99/month subscription for our top users.
It included early access to rewards, higher redemption limit, faster earning, and other VIP perks like no Ads, no data sharing, and more — all designed to reward loyalty and make the app exprience feel more exclusive and build stronger connection.
Benefits Page & Upgrade Flow
I designed a focused benefits page to help users quickly understand what Miles Plus offers. The upgrade flow was intentionally simple — clear value messaging, a single tap to start, and an easy cancel option to reduce friction and build trust.
Triggers at High-Intent Moments
I embedded upgrade prompts at key moments, like when users hit their trip or gift card redemption limits. These contextual triggers helped show the immediate value of Miles Plus and converted frustration into action.
Benefit Reinforcement for Subscribers
To strengthen loyalty, I designed feedback moments that highlight exclusive perks — like confirmation banners and unlocked features — so users feel the impact of their subscription and stay engaged.
Personalized Earnings Calculator
I created an interactive calculator that shows how much more users could earn with Miles Plus based on their travel habits. This personalized approach made the value tangible and helped drive upgrades.
Growth-Focused 2.0 Design
In the second phase, I focused on improving visibility and reducing friction to try:
- Introduced a Free vs. Plus comparison chart to clearly show the value difference
- Launched a 7-day free trial to encourage low-risk experimentation
- Embedded promotional banners across key tabs to drive awarenesse
- Tested a dedicated Miles Plus tab to maximize discoverability and engagement
