Banks and Credit Cards Take Over Travel Loyalty Leadership
Skift Research data shows credit cards and banks have overtaken hotels and airlines to become the top travel loyalty programs for travelers at 32%.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Credit cards and banks now top traveler rankings for most rewarding loyalty programs at 32%.
- Hotels rank second at 26%, followed by airlines at 20% and online travel agencies at just 8%.
- Travel suppliers face a major competitive shift as banking ecosystems capture traveler preference.
Travel companies have spent years worrying about losing customers to online travel agencies, but the greater disruption was already sitting inside the wallet. According to the Global Travel Insights survey by Skift Research, a new leader has emerged in the fierce competition for customer loyalty.
Hotels, airlines, and online travel agencies are no longer just competing against one another; they now must contend with credit cards and banks, which currently resonate the most with travelers when it comes to rewarding loyalty programs.
When asked which loyalty programs travelers find most rewarding, 32 percent of respondents selected credit cards and banks. Hotels secured second place with 26 percent, airlines followed in third, and online travel agencies captured a mere 8 percent of the vote.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The rise of banks and credit cards as the top travel loyalty leaders highlights the strength of financial ecosystems that offer far greater flexibility than traditional supplier programs. Driven heavily by models like the U.S. uncapped interchange fee structure, financial institutions are able to fund premium rewards that increasingly pull booking decisions away from hotels and airlines into the credit card ecosystem.
This shift coincides with a broader fragmentation of travel distribution, where banks, social platforms, creators, and AI assistants are rapidly evolving into alternative travel storefronts. While direct booking with suppliers remains the most trusted channel, the growing perception that bank rewards outperform traditional supplier programs demands a strategic response from hotels and airlines ahead of their next co-brand card deal cycles.
Source: Skift
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