Loyalty & Rewards

Loyalty & Rewards
Royal Bank of Canada Makes Travel the New Test for Card Loyalty
April 06, 2026

The contest for customer loyalty among card issuing banks has moved well beyond points, as institutions confront a market where rewards have become routine and differentiation increasingly elusive. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to...

Loyalty & Rewards
Flex Credentials Give Retail Rewards a Second Act
April 02, 2026

A loyalty chief at a national retailer can spend an entire morning staring at the same questions. Do you put more money into points? Another discount? A richer store card offer? Or do you accept that the shopper you want is no longer building a...

Loyalty & Rewards
Durbin’s Airline Points Bill May Spur Shift to Flexible Rewards
March 27, 2026

Legislation aimed at airline loyalty programs may reshape how rewards work across the broader payments ecosystem. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required. yesSubscribe to our daily...

Loyalty & Rewards
Starbucks Rewards Backlash Highlights Retail’s Shift Away From Points-Based Loyalty
March 20, 2026

Starbucks overhauled its rewards program in this month, and customers noticed immediately. The coffee chain replaced its long-standing structure with a three-tier membership system sorting members into Green, Gold and Reserve categories based on Stars accumulated in 2025, according to Axios. The update took effect...

Loyalty & Rewards
Banks Shift Loyalty From Points to Everyday Payments
February 17, 2026

For decades, loyalty followed a familiar rhythm: Consumers earned points on credit card purchases and redeemed them later, often after months of accumulation. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no...

Loyalty & Rewards
Starbucks Brings Back Tiered Rewards Program
January 29, 2026

Starbucks is preparing to launch an updated version of its loyalty rewards program. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required. yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today. By...

Loyalty & Rewards
United Airlines Distinguishes Between Loyalty, Rewards Programs
January 21, 2026

United Airlines grew its loyalty revenue by promoting loyalty rather than rewards, an executive said Wednesday (Jan. 21) during the company’s fourth quarter earnings call. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content...

Loyalty & Rewards
Checkout Becomes the New Battleground for Loyalty Dollars
December 29, 2025

Watch: How Smart Basket Redesigns the Economics of Loyalty Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required. yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today. By completing this form,...

Loyalty & Rewards
Why 60% of Debit Card Users Have Become Merchant Loyalty Targets
December 22, 2025

For years, loyalty followed credit, but new data shows that rewards are now chasing spending habits shaped by caution rather than leverage. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional...