Summer Travel Spending Elevates Rewards in Payment Choices

Travel companies entered the summer with a widening gap between resilient consumer demand and rising operating costs. Higher fuel prices squeezed airlines, while international hotel demand was uneven, yet U.S. travelers continued to spend on premium flights and lodging. That backdrop is giving loyalty programs and co-branded cards greater strategic weight: everyday purchases can fund future trips, turning rewards into a factor not only in brand choice but also in what consumers buy and how they pay.

American Airlines said on July 23 that second-quarter 2026 AAdvantage enrollment rose more than 30% from a year earlier, spending on its Citi co-branded card portfolio increased 8%, and premium passenger unit revenue climbed 13.4%. Based on the July 21 forward curve, it expects third-quarter fuel expense to rise $1.7 billion year on year. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts said on July 22 that U.S. RevPAR gained 2.2% even as global RevPAR fell 1%; Wyndham Rewards membership topped 126 million.