More Clarity, More Experiences: What’s Next for Hotel Loyalty
Photo Credit: A view from a bath at a remote tented hideouts of Zannier Hotels Sonop in Namibia, now bookable via Hyatt's loyalty program and Mr & Mrs Smith. Source: Hyatt. Hyatt
Skift Take
Hotel loyalty programs are shifting to greater transparency, more experiential moments, and deeper digital integration to adapt to AI trip planning, says Skift Research.
Hotel loyalty programs are in the middle of their biggest shift in years. Major brands are rethinking how travelers earn, redeem, and stay engaged — and the changes are coming fast.
To name just a few big developments: Hilton is restructuring its program, Marriott Bonvoy is signing a string of non-travel partnerships, and Accor is expanding its subscription cards globally.
Skift Research unpacks what these trends mean in a new report: The Future of Hotel Loyalty: Personalization, Direct Booking, and the Rise of Experience-Led Travel. Here are just a few of the takeaways.
Transparency and ClarityThe Headline: Expedia Group executives noted in September that when they changed their Hotels.com loyalty program, which had offered a straightforward "stay 10 nights, get one free" benefit, to a more complicated offering as part of a broader Expedia OneKey program, they lost
