Are Cobranded Travel Cards Rewarding Enough?

Cobranded travel rewards credit cards issued by airlines and hotels are popular with consumers, who receive points that they can use for free flights and hotel stays. And for travel suppliers, they solidify brand loyalty and increase consumer share of wallet significantly.

But the market is intensively competitive – the ten largest issuers in the US alone offer 140 different cobranded travel cards. Equally, generational and technology changes are emerging that will require travel suppliers to innovate like never before. We conducted an extensive survey of the US cobranded card market to find out what steps travel suppliers need to take to keep their cards in travelers’ pockets.

Cobranded Rewards Card Survey Highlights

In the future, would you consider applying for a cobranded card?

77%

of people
answered
yes

What new features would you be most interested in seeing in a new cobranded rewards card?

Preferences by age group

#1 preference		#2 preference
<25 35-39 50-59 60-65 >65	Ability to choose your own rewards from a list of options	30-34
30-34 40-49	Discounts on reservations with the cobranded merchant (e.g. discounted tickets, room rates)	35-39 50-59 60-65 >65
25-29	Elite-level qualifying miles or points	<25
	Upgrades to existing reservations	25-29
	Accrual benefits from other card issuer products (e.g. checking account, mortgage)	30-34