US consumers are keen on travelling, however rising travel prices do complicate the economics of vacations. As a result, loyalty programs in the travel industry are more important than ever. Mintel’s market report analyses the current landscape of travel loyalty programs in the US, and how best to communicate and engage with the increasingly diverse demographics who use them.
Key Issues Covered in this Report
- Member demographics of various categories of travel loyalty programs (TLPs)
- What TLP members look for in both accruing and redeeming loyalty points
- Desirable features in a loyalty travel booking platform
- The best ways to communicate with TLP members
- How economic drivers and consumer behavior are affecting the loyalty program market
- How brands are capitalizing on current traveler trends, including the popularity of event-based travel
US Travel Loyalty Programs – Current Landscape
Almost four-quarters of US consumers belong to a travel loyalty program. Though this is a topline increase of just two percentage points over 2022, it belies the fact that over the same period enrollment by Gen Z and Millennials have risen by 20 and 10 percentage points, respectively. This is an important development as younger travelers have previously felt that they have been able to find lower prices by shopping around on their own, which has prevented many from building meaningful loyalty with a particular brand.
What’s Next For US TLPs?
TLPs need to more directly address the ways in which members interact with their program. Though almost two-thirds of TLP members are inclined to give a program a first look when planning travel, what they’re really looking for is a program that interacts meaningfully with their daily lives and established shopping patterns. On the redemption side, programs that meet traveler demand for event-based travel will find a more engaged membership base among younger travelers. Additionally, members look to reward booking platforms to be as streamlined, informative and personalized as possible.
Purchase the full report to discover more about what consumers want from a travel loyalty program, and how your business can succeed in providing it. Readers of this report may also be interested in Mintel’s US Vacation Plans and Priorities Market Report.
Expert Analysis from a Travel Industry Specialist
This report, written by Mike Gallinari, a leading senior travel and leisure analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current loyalty program trends in the US travel industry market and add expert context to the numbers.
Travel demand continues to remain strong. However, high demand and inflation have pushed prices higher, and these rising costs make TLPs all the more appealing.
Mike Gallinari
Senior Travel & Leisure Analyst
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- Key issues covered in this Report
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Executive Summary
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The Market
- Market context
- Market drivers
- Brand share and enrollment
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Consumer Insights
- Consumer fast facts
- Members and membership
- Graph 1: TLP membership, 2022-24
- Graph 2: TLP membership, by generation, 2024
- Graph 3: TLP membership, by race and Hispanic origin, 2024
- Graph 4: TLP membership, by HHI, 2024
- Preferred accrual methods
- Graph 5: preferred loyalty accrual methods, TLP members vs all, 2024
- Graph 6: TLP members attitudes toward point accrual, by number of trip types planned, 2024
- Graph 7: preferred loyalty accrual methods, by race and Hispanic origin, 2024
- Graph 8: attitudes toward losing loyalty status, by generation, 2024
- Preferred redemption options
- Graph 9: appealing loyalty redemption options, TLP members, 2024
- Graph 10: appealing loyalty redemption options, by generation, 2024
- Graph 11: event travel plans and desire to redeem points for events, by generation, 2024
- Booking on loyalty platforms
- Graph 12: desired loyalty booking platform features, 2024
- Graph 13: desired loyalty booking platform features, by generation, 2024
- Graph 14: desired loyalty booking platform features, by race and Hispanic origin, 2024
- Graph 15: desired loyalty booking platform features, by HHI, 2024
- Brand communication
- Graph 16: TLP perk information sources, by generation, 2024
- Graph 17: attitudes toward TLP communications, by generation, 2024
- Graph 18: TLP perk information sources, by race and Hispanic origin, 2024
- Graph 19: TLP perk information sources, by HHI, 2024
- Loyalty and brand opinion
- Graph 20: loyalty and brand impression, by generation, 2024
- Graph 21: loyalty and brand impression, by race and Hispanic origin, 2024
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Innovation and Marketing Trends
- Loyalty trends
- Launch activity and innovation
- Marketing and advertising
- Graph 22: hotel loyalty program online ad spend* in the past 12 months, 2023-24
- Graph 23: hotel loyalty program online ad impressions in the past 12 months, 2023-24
- Graph 24: hotel loyalty program online ad spend* in the last 12 months, by month, 2023-24
- Graph 25: online ad spend in the last 12 months across platform, by hotel loyalty program, 2023-24
- Graph 26: travel card marketing mix, percentage of overall spend, 2023-24
- Graph 27: travel co-brand marketing mix, percentage of overall spend, 2023-24
- Strategies and opportunities
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Appendix
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