Max Morganroth, a 22-year-old entrepreneur, has launched a groundbreaking platform called Rove in collaboration with Arhan Chhabra, a Harvard dropout. Rove has become the world’s first universal mile loyalty program designed for millennial and Gen Z travelers. It is particularly well-suited to the needs of Generation Z. Rove cares about creating a more equitable space that prioritizes accessibility. As a result, the platform helps more people to both earn and redeem valuable airline miles — including people without access to a credit card.
Rove’s intuitive travel portal makes it easy for anyone to find the most valuable award flight deals. It makes finding award flights quick and easy! This particular feature is super enticing for enthusiasts trying to get the most bang out of their travel buck without spending a fortune. Morganroth refers to the art of obtaining free flights through airline miles programs “travel hacking.” On Behalf We Are Rove Rove completely throws in its lot with this strategy.
Through Rove’s platform, users can earn miles by reserving hotels in addition to booking flights. This dual earning potential is no small thing. Hotels can pay up to 40% of their sales in commission. As Rove transforms these commissions into airline miles for its users, hotel bookings become an attractive prospect. In tandem, Rove offers a shopping extension that helps users earn miles on regular everyday shopping.
Rove has since signed partnerships with the mileage programs of 11 airlines. These cover some of the largest network carriers like Air France-KLM, Aeromexico, Finnair, and Qatar Airways. Until now, the only issuers able to access these partnerships were credit card issuers connected to large banks. This scarce availability prevented many users’ chances to be able to gain. Rove uses these partnerships to deepen and expand access to airline miles. Thanks to these reforms, millions more consumers can take advantage of these programs who would otherwise be left on the sidelines.
The platform’s business model is not unlike the cash back schemes of popular companies like Honey and Rakuten. Rove is different – it returns 100% of the profit it makes to its users as miles. This moonshot style of working radically hypes up user engagement, as you can probably tell. It creates loyalty with travelers eager to engage to earn rewards.
Morganroth’s love for travel and exploration pours from the pages of his journeys. In that single year abroad, he studied in 30 different countries, in most cases flying business or first-class. While his own travel stories have inspired Patrick’s vision for Rove, he believes the platform can play a deeper role in influencing the way younger generations travel.
“Gen Z wants to travel more than any other demographic, yet they have the least access to the tools like this that actually make it cheaper,” – Max Morganroth
Rove’s services couldn’t be more in demand. Nearly 70 million Americans lack the credit history to qualify for a credit card, preventing them from participating in most traditional reward programs. By eliminating the credit card requirement, Rove opens doors for a broader audience, allowing more people to benefit from travel rewards.
Rove’s corporate users can book award travel on the ~140 other carriers. They’re able to quickly and easily funnel miles between their airline subsidiaries. This flexibility greatly increases the value of Rove’s products and services. It helps them continue to get the most out of their rewards as they plan trips.
Rove, for his part, has drawn significant financial backing, bringing in $2 million. Prominent investors such as Y Combinator (YC), General Catalyst, and Soma Capital have participated in this effort. This funding will accelerate innovation and growth around their collaborative platform. Beyond expanding its production capabilities, new funding will help the platform reach more people.
Morganroth passionately argues that airline miles should be regulated as “a second currency.” This point of view highlights his commitment to reinventing how consumers earn and redeem travel rewards. Given how fast travel is changing, it’s natural that many things are in flux. Platforms like Rove are leading the charge, democratizing the process and making it easier and more rewarding for all.
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