Key points:

  • Only 21% of prospective US credit card applicants consider travel rewards important, though this rises to 35% among higher-income Americans.
  • Travel reward seekers travel more frequently, with 29% taking three or more vacations a year, compared to 26% of passionate travelers.
  • They favor experience-driven trips such as city breaks, event travel, and spa getaways over sightseeing or camping.
  • Travel card seekers show strong hotel loyalty, especially to Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, and IHG Rewards, highlighting a reward-savvy mindset.

Travel rewards may not be top of mind for most prospective credit card applicants, but they hold meaningful sway among a specific subset of consumers. Just 21% of Americans who might apply for a credit card in the next 12 months say travel rewards are important to them — well behind cashback (52%), loyalty points (42%), grocery spending (30%), and welcome bonuses (29%).

But this preference climbs sharply among higher-income Americans, where 35% cite travel rewards as a key factor. Among this wealthier group, travel perks rank third overall, compared to seventh in the general market.

So, who are these travel reward seekers — and how do their travel behaviors and brand affinities differ from Americans who call themselves passionate travelers?

Travel reward seekers take trips more often than passionate travelers

Those drawn to travel rewards are already active travelers. More than half (56%) took one or two vacations in the past year, and nearly three in ten took three or more. That’s notably higher than the self-described passionate traveler segment, where 45% took one or two vacations and only 26% took three or more.

The takeaway: travel card seekers aren’t necessarily those dreaming about travel — they’re already out there doing it and are primed to benefit from the right rewards program.

What types of leisure trips do travel reward seekers take?

When it comes to preferred leisure trips, travel card seekers lean slightly more into experiences than pure relaxation. They over-index on city breaks (53% vs. 48%), event trips (29% vs. 25%), and spa getaways (21% vs. 15%). Even sailing, winter sports, and safaris see a modest uplift among them compared to passionate travelers.

Interestingly, the only major category where they lag is sightseeing (52% vs. 57%). They are also less likely to prefer camping or caravanning (16% vs 21%).

Hotel loyalty programs

Travel reward seekers are significantly more embedded in hotel loyalty ecosystems. One in three are members of Hilton Honors, compared to one in four among passionate travelers. They’re also more likely to belong to Marriott Bonvoy, IHG Rewards, and Best Western Rewards programs.

These brand ties indicate that travel card seekers are already attuned to optimizing rewards and accumulating value across stays, which could also make them prime targets for co-branded travel cards and hotel partnerships.

Destination preferences reveal a tilt toward familiarity

While passionate travelers tend to hold warmer impressions of a broader mix of destinations, travel card seekers skew toward accessible and recognizable markets. Italy tops their list (61%), ahead of Hawaii (49%) and California (48%).

While travel reward seekers tend to be less likely to have positive impressions across most destinations, these differences are particularly noticeable in long-haul or non-Western destinations such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia.

Methodology: YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data through rolling surveys, rather than a single limited questionnaire. The figures used in this analysis are drawn from responses collected between October 2024 and October 2025. Data is nationally representative of adults (18+) in the US and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race.

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