5 Major Airline And Hotel Loyalty Program Changes For 2025
Airlines and hotels are constantly making updates to their loyalty programs, and for consumers, it feels like that means downgrading their benefits rather than improving what's on offer. While the barrage of changes can be hard to keep up with at times (particularly because some airlines make little advance warning of negative changes while trumpeting the positive ones), it is important to follow along so you won't be surprised on your next trip.
These are five of the biggest loyalty program changes in recent months and how you can make the best of them on your next trip.
United Airlines Boeing 737 departing Vancouver International Airport
Accessing a United Club just got a lot more expensive and a lot harder, unless you have a United co-branded credit card that comes with club access. The cost for lounge membership is increasing to $750 for individual access (or you can pay 94,000 miles) or $1,400 for All Access membership that allows you to bring a guest and also use other Star Alliance lounges. If you prefer to pay in miles, the cost is 140,00 miles for All Access membership.
The worst part about these changes is that members with the basic plan can no longer bring a guest and are no longer granted access to Star Alliance lounges as a club member.
United Clubs have been getting significant upgrades in recent years with new lounges opening in its major hubs like Denver and Chicago O'Hare. It has also been adding innovative grab-and-go lounges for travelers with short connections. Inside, the offering has grown to include hot buffets and upgraded menu choices.
United Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
The good news: Lounge access becomes much cheaper if you are approved for the United Club credit card, which has an annual fee of $695. This includes guest access, which is half the cost of paying for the All Access plan.
Also, these changes only apply to new members. If you already have a membership, these adjustments will only go into effect once your renewal year comes up.
While United co-branded credit cards are raising their annual fees, they also come with a bevy of new perks, especially for cards like the United Quest card. These include credits for travel credits for United and JSX flights, hotel stays, rideshare services and grocery deliveries, depending on the card.
'When forced with a choice between paying more for club access, or having the same access for less by having the credit card, many consumers are likely to obtain the credit card, which will help drive spending and loyalty to the brand,' says travel expert Jamie Larounis of UpgradedPoints.com.
A KLM Boring 737 in the SkyTeam livery
One of the three major alliances, SkyTeam has updated its lounge access rules for many of its member airlines and airports. This includes imposing a three-hours-before-departure time limit at your origination city. In other words, you can only enter a SkyTeam lounge (based on entry credentials like a premium cabin ticket or having SkyTeam Elite Plus status) within three hours of departure. If you are making a connection between flights, this restriction is waived.
SkyTeam founding member Delta Air Lines has long had this rule, and now its partners are imposing a similar restriction. The alliance's online lounge finder, which frequent travelers describe as not being a reliably updated resource when it comes to determining which airlines have access to which lounges in certain airports, still does not have the latest access details.
The rules for inviting a guest have also changed. Now, guests of a SkyTeam Elite Plus member must be traveling on the same flight.
Air Europa is a member of the SkyTeam alliance.
The good news: If you are traveling domestically on a SkyTeam airline, SkyTeam Elite Plus members now have access to many lounges. Previously, SkyTeam was the only alliance to withhold lounge access when on domestic itineraries. This applies to most members (except those traveling domestically in the U.S. on Delta or within Argentina on Aerolineas Argentinas).
'This is a meaningful shift in SkyTeam's lounge access policy,' says Business Traveler magazine's aviation director Enrique Perella. 'For the first time, most SkyTeam Elite Plus members can access lounges on domestic itineraries—a benefit long overdue.'
For example, if flying from Paris to Nice on Air France, SkyTeam Elite Plus members can now use an Air France lounge. Or if a top Air France elite status member is flying domestically on Delta within the U.S., they can use a Delta lounge.
American Airlines planes at Miami International Airport
American Airlines and World of Hyatt have removed several popular benefits from their reciprocal relationship: namely the opportunity to earn Hyatt points for every dollar spent on American and vice versa. There was also a shared elite status match for some program members that offered status in one program based on your status in another.
These perks were replaced with a la carte benefits that are now tiered by how much you spend with either brand. This includes being able to select a free World of Hyatt redemption night when reaching certain Loyalty Points awards with American or being able to select preferred seats with American or elite status when reaching certain travel thresholds with Hyatt.
World of Hyatt has also made annual updates to its award chart, which has increased the cost of many redemptions at popular hotels, but also reduced them at others.
Hotel du Palais in Biarritz, a famous luxury palace hotel, is part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt
The good news: World of Hyatt is the only hotel program to still use a transparent award chart, giving its members an easy-to-understand system when it comes to redeeming points. And when staying at new hotels in its program, members can earn bonus points for each stay. World of Hyatt will even give you bonus points for working out on a Peloton bike at participating hotels.
Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-300
After giving members more than a year's notice, Delta is making big changes to how members access its Sky Clubs. This follows entry restrictions added previously limiting members access to three hours before their first departure (waived during connections) and dropping the option to purchase a day pass at reception.
Now, those accessing the lounge using The Platinum Card from American Express can only visit ten times a year without paying an additional fee. Delta Reserve Cardholders can only visit 15 times a year without an extra fee. They can bring a guest, but have to pay a fee for them to enter.
Delta Airlines Boeing 767 airplane landing at Schiphol airport near Amsterdam.
Still, according to experts, lounges appear full. Delta has significantly upgraded the food, beverage and amenity roster, which means travelers are more inclined to spend their time there.
'We've still seen crowding issues even after Delta tightened access to its lounges,' says Larounis.
The good news: if you spend more than $75,000 a year on either card, you can visit as many times as you want when traveling Delta or a SkyTeam partner.
Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 airplanes at Atlanta Airport
The airline is making sweeping changes to its business model, eliminating free checked bags and adding assigned seats (including fees to select preferred seating).
'There's going to be a big drive towards status and obtaining the co-brand credit card, to help ease some of the potential costs associated with bag and seat fees,' says Larounis.
He believes that some changes are forthcoming with status benefits and more credit card perks that will further incentivize flyers to obtain status and apply for these credit cards.
Southwest still offers free checked bags to some travelers.
As of now, two free checked bags are still a perk for elite status members, credit cardholders and those that buy the highest fare. The airline is also adding a new basic economy fare with fewer frills and more restrictions.
Larounis adds, 'holding A-list status is going to be the new sweet spot to avoid having to pay these new fees, but of course not every flyer will be able to obtain this entry level status.'
The good news: Southwest still has one of the best perks in travel for frequent flyers with its Annual Companion pass that allows a second person to fly free and just pay the taxes.
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