Banks and Credit Cards Now Lead Travel Loyalty, Survey Finds

When travelers were asked which loyalty schemes they find most rewarding, 32 percent chose credit cards and banks. Hotels came in second place, while airlines ranked third.

Online travel agencies earned the weakest response, with just 8 percent of travelers saying their loyalty programs are the most rewarding.

The findings come from a global survey of travel loyalty preferences. The results suggest that the long-running competitive focus on online travel agencies may have overlooked a challenge closer at hand.

Travel companies have spent years working to keep customers from defecting to online booking platforms. Yet the latest data indicates that financial institutions offering credit card rewards are now the programs that resonate most strongly with travelers.