Best Loyalty Programs for Travellers: What’s Worth Joining?

Loyalty programmes are a staple of modern travel, but not all schemes offer the same value. For frequent flyers, regular hotel guests or even occasional travellers, choosing the best loyalty programs can unlock free flights, upgrades, priority services and meaningful savings.

This guide focuses on travel loyalty programmes — airlines, hotels, car hire, credit cards and third-party booking platforms — and explains which types work best depending on how and why you travel.

Airline Loyalty Programs

Airline loyalty schemes are often the first programmes travellers think of, and they generally fall into two main categories.

Global Airline Alliances

Large airline alliances such as oneworld, Star Alliance and SkyTeam allow travellers to earn and redeem miles across multiple airlines within the same network.

Why they’re useful:

• Ideal for travellers flying internationally with different carriers

• Status benefits apply across partner airlines

• Easier to maintain status if you don’t stick to one airline

Tier benefits typically include:

• Priority check-in and boarding

• Lounge access

• Extra baggage allowance

• Fast-track security and immigration (where available)

Single-Airline Programs

Some airlines operate powerful standalone loyalty schemes, such as Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest and Singapore KrisFlyer.

Why they’re useful:

• Best value if you regularly fly the same airline

• Easier to redeem miles for free flights and upgrades on that specific carrier

• Strong premium cabin benefits

Higher-tier perks usually include:

• Complimentary or discounted upgrades

• Guaranteed seats on busy flights

• Lounge access for you and sometimes guests

• Priority customer service and flexible ticket handling

Hotel Loyalty Programs

Hotel loyalty schemes reward repeat stays and can be extremely valuable for both business and frequent leisure travellers.

Major Hotel Programs to Know

• Marriott Bonvoy – One of the largest hotel portfolios globally with multiple elite tiers

• Hilton Honors – Simple structure, generous perks and wide availability

• World of Hyatt – Smaller footprint but strong benefits for loyal guests

• ALL – Accor Live Limitless – Popular in Europe and Asia with flexible rewards

What do you gain as you move up the tiers? Beyond earning points for free nights, higher-tier hotel members often receive:

• Room upgrades (including suites, subject to availability)

• Late check-out and early check-in

• Complimentary breakfast or lounge access

• Bonus points on every stay

For business travellers staying regularly in major cities or leisure travellers sticking with one brand, hotel loyalty programmes can deliver consistent comfort and real cost savings.

Car Hire Loyalty Programs

Car rental loyalty schemes are often overlooked but can be surprisingly beneficial.

Major Car Hire Brands

• Enterprise

• Avis

• Hertz

• Sixt

Typical Benefits

• Faster pick-up and drop-off

• Priority service counters

• Free upgrades when available

• Occasional free rental days

Many car hire companies also partner with airlines and hotels. For example:

• Airline elite members may receive automatic status with certain car rental brands

• Points earned on car hire can sometimes be converted into airline miles or hotel points

Credit Card Reward Programs for Travellers

Credit card loyalty schemes vary widely depending on the issuing bank and card type, but many are designed specifically with travellers in mind.

Common Travel-Focused Benefits

• Points earned on everyday spending

• No or reduced foreign transaction fees

• Preferential exchange rates

• Complimentary travel insurance

Some cards allow points to be converted directly into airline miles or hotel points, making them a flexible addition to other loyalty schemes. While there are too many cards to cover individually, travel-focused credit cards can significantly boost the value of your existing loyalty memberships.

Third-Party Booking Website Loyalty Programs

For travellers who prefer independent hotels or locally owned accommodation, third-party platforms can offer some of the best loyalty programs.

Examples

• Booking.com Genius

• Expedia Rewards

Why They Make Sense

• Benefits apply across many different hotel brands

• Ideal for travellers who don’t stick to one chain

• Perks often include discounts, room upgrades and free breakfast

These programmes are especially useful for long-term travellers, backpackers or those deliberately avoiding large international hotel brands.

Business vs Leisure Travellers: Choosing the Right Program

The best loyalty programs depend heavily on why and how often you travel.

• Business travellers flying regularly between major cities benefit most from sticking to a specific airline and hotel chain

• Leisure travellers taking varied trips may gain more value from flexible programmes and third-party platforms

• Occasional travellers flying once every couple of years may find limited value in airline or hotel loyalty schemes

While most loyalty programmes are free to join, it’s worth remembering that you are sharing personal data. If you rarely use a brand, signing up may not be worthwhile.

Final Thoughts: What Are the Best Loyalty Programs?

There is no single answer to which are the best loyalty programs — the right choice depends on your travel habits, destinations and frequency.

Frequent business travellers will usually benefit from airline and hotel programmes with clear elite tiers. Leisure travellers, digital nomads and those staying in varied accommodation may find better value in booking platform loyalty schemes and flexible credit card rewards.

The key is to join fewer programmes, but use them well. When aligned with how you travel, loyalty schemes can genuinely enhance your journeys and reduce costs along the way.