Rethinking Travel Loyalty and What Really Drives Brand Consistency

The term “loyalty” in travel typically brings to mind points, tiers, elite status and credit cards. These systems dominate the industry, and the points economy is massive. Yet true loyalty is more nuanced—especially in a market where 55% of leisure travelers took only one or two trips in the past year. Real brand consistency doesn’t always align with how suppliers define or reward loyalty.

To better understand the forces behind repeat travel behavior, Phocuswright conducted a study examining traveler attitudes toward consistency, brand relationships and how loyalty programs influence booking decisions. The findings, published in Beyond Points: Rethinking Loyalty and Brand Consistency in Travel, reveal where traveler perceptions diverge from the behaviors programs typically reward.

Generational differences further shape what loyalty means. The research highlights how Gen Z and other age groups think about consistent brand use and how their travel shopping habits differ from older generations.

Traveler perceptions of loyalty
Travelers often define loyalty differently than brands do. Many of the values travelers associate with loyalty are not typically rewarded by points programs or credit card incentives.

Loyalty programs tend to reward high spend and frequent use. But spending more than average is the least common way travelers express loyalty—only 16% ranked it among the most important indicators, though this view is slightly more popular among Gen Z and millennials. Likewise, only 22% consider loyalty tied to upgrades or buying ancillaries, a sentiment more favored by millennials.

Instead, the most common definition of loyalty is long-term use of a brand—53% ranked it highly. This view is particularly strong among baby boomers and the silent generation, who have had more time to build enduring relationships with brands.

Other top signals of loyalty include choosing the same brand whenever travel opportunities arise (48%, rising to 56% among older generations) and frequent brand use throughout the year. Super frequent travelers—those taking six or more leisure trips annually—are far more likely to define loyalty in terms of regular usage (50%) compared to infrequent travelers (39%). Brand evangelism also matters, with 41% seeing advocacy as a key expression of loyalty.

While 35% of travelers consider achieving high program status important, millennials place the greatest value on it. Yet status remains elusive: only 11% of leisure travelers took six or more trips last year, and among this group, 35% still feel they don’t travel enough to reach top tiers. Many travelers respect status but respond more to programs offering incremental, achievable rewards.

When asked what would drive more consistent brand use, price emerged as the clearest motivator. Competitive pricing and strong value—how the cost compares to the perceived quality—remain powerful and universal drivers of loyalty, especially during periods of economic uncertainty.

The findings reveal that true loyalty extends far beyond points, with travelers prioritizing long-term relationships, value and trust over spend-driven rewards.

Tags: phocuswire

Rethinking Travel Loyalty and What Really Drives Brand Consistency

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