Travel Loyalty News

Most destinations’ marketing campaigns lead with what is on offer, such as price, product, or infrastructure. But the travelers who are most likely to return want to know what is on offer to them personally. Should the focus be on marketing the destination as a product, or should marketing target the traveler?

Marriott built one of the most lucrative loyalty programs in travel. Hotel owners who fund the points want more of this year's expected billion-dollar windfall from the co-branded credit cards.

Accor's AI strategy spans discovery, distribution, loyalty, and operations, but its boldest bet is the one focused on people. The company believes automating the invisible half of hotel work is what will let the visible half feel more human.

Alaska is doing away with earning points on basic economy seats, but it thinks the installation of Starlink across its fleet will funnel more customer loyalty.

Delta is not hiking fees on its credit cards even as its competitors continue to increase annual fees and roll out premium travel credit cards in an increasingly saturated market.

After closing a merger with Sun Country, Allegiant CEO Greg Anderson is eyeing ways to strengthen the carrier’s credit card and loyalty programs.

Hyatt wants investors to place more value on its premium guests. The catch: much of its growth pipeline depends on its easier-to-scale Essentials brands.

Southwest's CEO says the airline "doesn't have to become Delta." But these and other changes keep pushing it in that direction.

Ten years after Hilton, Marriott, and other chains began coaxing travelers to book directly, online travel agencies still control roughly the same slice of the pie. Yet the chains have won the economics: lower commissions, better contract terms, and stronger loyalty programs.

Air India is using loyalty to turn Air India Express into a feeder for its long-haul ambitions, but Maharaja Club still lacks the credit-card economics that make global loyalty programs truly powerful.