With staggering global membership numbers surpassing one billion, hotel loyalty programs are no longer a travel perk but a fundamental force reshaping how we explore the world.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, Marriott Bonvoy reached 210 million members globally, a 15% increase from 2022
- Hilton Honors surpassed 190 million members by end of 2023, up 10% YoY
- IHG One Rewards grew to 140 million members in 2023, reflecting 12% annual growth
- In 2023, 62% of nights stayed by loyalty members vs 38% non-members globally
- Active loyalty members stayed 4.2 times per year on average in 2023
- 71% of loyalty members book direct via program apps in 2023
- In 2023, loyalty redemptions accounted for 28% of all hotel bookings globally
- Average points redeemed per stay was 45,000 in top programs 2023
- Free night redemptions surged 21% YoY to 150 million in 2023
- In 2023, loyalty programs generated $25B in incremental revenue for hotels
- Loyalty members spent 22% more per stay than non-members in 2023
- Direct bookings via loyalty channels worth $180B globally 2023
- 92% of loyalty members recommend their program in 2023 surveys
- Net Promoter Score for top programs averaged 68 in 2023
- 81% of members would stay loyal even without perks in 2023
Major hotel loyalty programs are thriving, with billions of members fueling record engagement and revenue.
Engagement Metrics
- In 2023, 62% of nights stayed by loyalty members vs 38% non-members globally
- Active loyalty members stayed 4.2 times per year on average in 2023
- 71% of loyalty members book direct via program apps in 2023
- Email open rates for hotel loyalty newsletters averaged 28% in 2023
- App engagement sessions per user reached 12 per month for top programs in 2023
- 45% of members redeemed points monthly in 2023
- Social media interactions with loyalty programs up 33% YoY in 2023
- Personalization drove 52% higher engagement rates in 2023 programs
- 67% of members used tier benefits at least once quarterly in 2023
- Mobile check-ins via loyalty apps hit 55% adoption in 2023
- Gamification features boosted engagement by 29% in 2023
- 39% of members participated in co-branded credit card usage in 2023
- Challenge-based earning increased nights stayed by 18% in 2023
- 84% retention rate for engaged loyalty members in 2023
- Partner ecosystem usage (airlines, cars) at 26% of members in 2023
- Push notification opt-in led to 41% higher bookings in 2023
- Elite members engaged 3.5x more than base level in 2023
- Leisure travelers showed 22% higher app usage than business in 2023
- 51% of members shared loyalty experiences on social media in 2023
- Feedback surveys response rate averaged 34% for loyalty members 2023
- Status match programs engaged 15% of competitive switchers in 2023
- Virtual events participation up 47% post-pandemic in 2023
- 73% of frequent users track points daily via apps in 2023
- Referral programs saw 12% member growth via invites in 2023
- Weekend stay bonuses claimed by 61% of members in 2023
- 28% of engagement comes from non-stay activities like dining in 2023
- Personal offers clicked 2.1x more than generic in 2023
Engagement Metrics Interpretation
While hotels are clearly winning the loyalty war by turning guests into app-obsessed, point-hoarding brand advocates who happily trade their data for personalized perks, the real magic is that this symbiotic relationship actually works, with members feeling valued enough to book direct, engage daily, and even boast about it on social media.
Financial Performance
- In 2023, loyalty programs generated $25B in incremental revenue for hotels
- Loyalty members spent 22% more per stay than non-members in 2023
- Direct bookings via loyalty channels worth $180B globally 2023
- Co-branded cards earned hotels $4.2B in fees in 2023
- Loyalty drove 15% margin uplift for top chains in 2023
- Redemption costs averaged $0.007 per point for hotels 2023
- Elite perks cost 8% of loyalty revenue but yield 35% loyalty 2023
- Program acquisition cost per member dropped to $12 in 2023
- Lifetime value of loyalty member averaged $5,200 in 2023
- 28% of ADR premium from loyalty repeat business in 2023
- Partner revenue sharing totaled $3.8B for hotels 2023
- Loyalty reduced OTA commissions by $12B industry-wide 2023
- Upsell revenue from loyalty members up 19% to $6.5B 2023
- Breakage rates contributed $2.1B unredeemed value 2023
- Personalization ROI at 5:1 for loyalty marketing 2023
- 17% RevPAR growth attributed to loyalty in recovering markets 2023
- Credit card partnerships generated 42% of new points issued 2023
- Loyalty program IT spend reached $1.9B globally 2023
- Net promoter score correlated to 12% revenue boost per point 2023
- Mid-market hotels gained $800M from loyalty expansion 2023
- 65% of loyalty revenue from top 20% of members in 2023
- Dynamic pricing in redemptions added $1.2B profit 2023
- Email campaigns ROI at $42 per $1 spent in loyalty 2023
- Loyalty reduced churn costs by $900M industry 2023
- Ancillary revenue from loyalties hit 24% of total 2023
Financial Performance Interpretation
Hotels have masterfully engineered an ecosystem where a little personal recognition translates into members voluntarily spending significantly more, generating tens of billions in pure profit while strategically cutting out expensive middlemen.
Membership Statistics
- In 2023, Marriott Bonvoy reached 210 million members globally, a 15% increase from 2022
- Hilton Honors surpassed 190 million members by end of 2023, up 10% YoY
- IHG One Rewards grew to 140 million members in 2023, reflecting 12% annual growth
- Wyndham Rewards hit 115 million members in Q3 2023, with 18% YoY increase
- Choice Privileges reached 50 million members by mid-2023, growing 20% from prior year
- World of Hyatt enrolled 44 million members as of 2023, up 14% YoY
- Best Western Rewards had 32 million members in 2023, increasing 11% annually
- Accor ALL program amassed 110 million members by 2023 end, 13% growth
- Radisson Rewards now has 45 million members globally in 2023, up 16%
- Global hotel loyalty programs total 1.2 billion members in 2023
- US hotel loyalty penetration reached 65% of travelers in 2023
- 42% of millennials are enrolled in at least two hotel loyalty programs as of 2023
- Loyalty program sign-ups via mobile apps increased 25% in 2023 globally
- 78% of business travelers join hotel loyalty programs upon first stay in 2023
- Female membership in hotel programs grew 22% faster than male in 2023
- Asia-Pacific hotel loyalty memberships surged 28% in 2023 to 450 million
- Europe saw 9% YoY growth in hotel loyalty members reaching 300 million in 2023
- Latin America hotel loyalty base expanded 19% to 120 million members in 2023
- 55% of Gen Z joined a hotel loyalty program in their first travel year in 2023
- Corporate enrollments in hotel programs rose 17% in 2023
- 68% of loyalty members are repeat guests within first year post-enrollment in 2023
- Program membership density in luxury segment hit 72% in 2023
- Midscale hotels saw 14% membership growth vs 8% in luxury in 2023
- 31 million new members joined US hotel programs in 2023 alone
- Family travelers enrollment up 24% in hotel loyalties 2023
- Solo travelers represent 22% of new hotel loyalty sign-ups in 2023
- 76% of loyalty programs offer instant elite status upon joining in 2023
- Digital-only memberships grew 35% in hotel programs 2023
- 49% of members are international cross-enrollers in 2023
- Boutique hotel loyalties added 5.2 million members in 2023
Membership Statistics Interpretation
Despite the travel industry's astronomical one billion loyalty memberships, the real triumph is that programs have mastered the art of turning strangers into repeat guests by offering instant digital perks that everyone from Gen Z to corporate travelers finds irresistible.
Redemption Data
- In 2023, loyalty redemptions accounted for 28% of all hotel bookings globally
- Average points redeemed per stay was 45,000 in top programs 2023
- Free night redemptions surged 21% YoY to 150 million in 2023
- Upgrade redemptions made up 19% of all loyalty rewards in 2023
- Cash + points options used by 14% of redemptions in 2023
- Breakfast credits redeemed 2.3x more post-2022 in 2023
- Suite night awards claimed 8% of elite redemptions in 2023
- Experiential redemptions (concerts, tours) up 35% in 2023
- 67% of redemptions were for leisure stays vs 33% business in 2023
- Points expiry affected 4% of inactive accounts in 2023
- Family room redemptions increased 27% with kids travel boom 2023
- Late checkout redemptions averaged 22% of daily perks in 2023
- Partner airline redemptions from hotel points at 11% in 2023
- Digital gift cards redeemed for 7% of points value in 2023
- Resort fees waived via points for 16% of redemptions 2023
- Peak season redemptions dynamic priced 40% higher in 2023
- Millennials redeemed 1.8x more experiential rewards in 2023
- 52% redemption rate for elite tiers vs 21% base in 2023
- Points transferred to charities totaled $50M equivalent in 2023
- Early check-in slots redeemed by 29% of members quarterly 2023
- Spa credits claimed 13% of wellness-focused redemptions 2023
- Parking perks redeemed 9% amid urban travel rise 2023
- Bundle redemptions (room + flight) up 24% in 2023
- No blackout date redemptions fulfilled 95% of requests 2023
- Points for merchandise dropped to 3% of total redemptions 2023
Redemption Data Interpretation
While loyalty members increasingly play a game of "hotel tetris"—strategically stacking points for peak-season family suites, spa credits, and concert tickets—they are still quietly cashing in a small fortune on parking, resort fees, and charity, proving that even in the realm of free nights, the most valuable redemption is often the one that saves your sanity.
Satisfaction and Retention
- 92% of loyalty members recommend their program in 2023 surveys
- Net Promoter Score for top programs averaged 68 in 2023
- 81% of members would stay loyal even without perks in 2023
- Retention rate for elite tiers hit 94% in 2023
- CSAT scores for redemption process averaged 8.7/10 in 2023
- 76% satisfaction with mobile app features in 2023
- Complaints about points expiry dropped 40% after policy changes 2023
- 69% of members feel valued by personalized offers 2023
- Loyalty program satisfaction led to 2.4x repeat bookings 2023
- Gen Z retention improved 18% with experiential perks 2023
- 85% would switch programs for better status match in 2023
- Email satisfaction at 82% for relevant content 2023
- 91% loyalty to brands with sustainable rewards in 2023
- Post-stay surveys showed 79% delight with perks 2023
- 73% satisfaction with partner redemption options 2023
- Retention gap between luxury and budget closed to 5% in 2023
- 66% more likely to recommend after elite upgrade 2023
- App downtime affected only 2% satisfaction dip in 2023
- Family travelers 88% satisfied with kid perks 2023
- Business travelers retention at 89% with lounge access 2023
- 77% overall satisfaction with point earning speed 2023
- Negative reviews down 25% for programs with chat support 2023
- 84% loyalty sustained by community forums engagement 2023
- Personalization boosted CSAT by 15 points in 2023
- 95% retention for members using status challenges 2023
Satisfaction and Retention Interpretation
Hotel loyalty programs have successfully negotiated a fragile modern relationship where members will passionately endorse them yet quietly admit they'd stay even without the flowers, so long as the personalized attention and easy point redemptions keep coming.
Sources & References
- Reference 1NEWSnews.marriott.comVisit source
- Reference 2STORIESstories.hilton.comVisit source
- Reference 3IHGPLCihgplc.comVisit source
- Reference 4CORPORATEcorporate.wyndhamhotels.comVisit source
- Reference 5CHOICEHOTELSchoicehotels.comVisit source
- Reference 6NEWSROOMnewsroom.hyatt.comVisit source
- Reference 7BESTWESTERNbestwestern.comVisit source
- Reference 8GROUPgroup.accor.comVisit source
- Reference 9RADISSONHOTELGROUPradissonhotelgroup.comVisit source
- Reference 10STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 11PHOCUSWRIGHTphocuswright.comVisit source
- Reference 12SKIFTskift.comVisit source
- Reference 13DELOITTEwww2.deloitte.comVisit source
- Reference 14HOTELNEWSNOWhotelnewsnow.comVisit source
- Reference 15COLLIERScolliers.comVisit source
- Reference 16EUROMONITOReuromonitor.comVisit source
- Reference 17MCKINSEYmckinsey.comVisit source
- Reference 18GBTAgbta.orgVisit source
- Reference 19LOYALTY360loyalty360.orgVisit source
- Reference 20PWCpwc.comVisit source
- Reference 21STRstr.comVisit source
- Reference 22STRSTR.comVisit source
- Reference 23FAMILYTRAVELfamilytravel.orgVisit source
- Reference 24SOLO-TRAVEL-ASSOCsolo-travel-assoc.comVisit source
- Reference 25FREQUENTGUESTRfrequentguestr.comVisit source
- Reference 26DIGITALTRAVELdigitaltravel.comVisit source
- Reference 27OAGoag.comVisit source
- Reference 28BOUTIQUEHOTELNEWSboutiquehotelnews.comVisit source
- Reference 29DELOITTEdeloitte.comVisit source
- Reference 30APPSFLYERappsflyer.comVisit source
- Reference 31SOCIALBAKERSsocialbakers.comVisit source
- Reference 32GAMIFYgamify.comVisit source
- Reference 33NILSONREPORTnilsonreport.comVisit source
- Reference 34PARTNERMATRIXpartnermatrix.comVisit source
- Reference 35BRAZEbraze.comVisit source
- Reference 36HOOTSUITEhootsuite.comVisit source
- Reference 37QUALTRICSqualtrics.comVisit source
- Reference 38FLYERTALKflyertalk.comVisit source
- Reference 39CVENTcvent.comVisit source
- Reference 40REFERRALROCKreferralrock.comVisit source
- Reference 41OPEN-TABLEopen-table.comVisit source
- Reference 42SALESFORCEsalesforce.comVisit source
- Reference 43VIATORviator.comVisit source
- Reference 44GIFTCARDSgiftcards.comVisit source
- Reference 45REDCROSSredcross.orgVisit source
- Reference 46SPAFINDERspafinder.comVisit source
- Reference 47SPOTHEROspothero.comVisit source
- Reference 48EXPEDIAexpedia.comVisit source
- Reference 49AMERICANEXPRESSamericanexpress.comVisit source
- Reference 50GARTNERgartner.comVisit source
- Reference 51MAILCHIMPmailchimp.comVisit source
- Reference 52TRUSTPILOTtrustpilot.comVisit source