Ten Top Lessons to learn at Co-brands and Travel Rewards 2025
Loyalty revenues have grown significantly important to airlines, hotels and travel companies and the biggest part of that comes from co-brands. Travel still continues to grow – with some domestic weaknesses in some markets – but there are other headwinds emerging. Whether it’s the tax man, regulators or increasing competition from non-card payments there is plenty to learn and prepare for. The co-brand and travel rewards event is a one stop shop, whether you are a loyalty program, an issuer or one of the many other players in a complex ecosystem, to connect with top presenters and industry peers.
Here are just ten of the topics and trends that the event, taking place in NYC on 28/29th of October will cover:
- AI and Big Data – often talked about, but who is using them to get more cards into more wallets (and how)?
- Personalisation – big data makes for smarter targeting
- Digital Wallets – threat or opportunity? What do wallets mean for co-brand uptake and use?
- New products – will co-branded debit make a splash?
- Co-branded Virtual Cards – coming soon in the B2B market. Are you ready?
- Reward Cost Management – unique experiences are great, but how do you manage redemption economics
- Promo Abuse and Fraud – with co-brands issuing the majority of miles and points how vulnerable is your program to misuse and fraud?
- Digitalisation – app first programs and integrating payment and rewards into one seamless experience
- Tech and Fintech – from RFP to digital wallet in 6 months? Fintech is rewriting the timeline
- Travel Platforms – is getting in on the redemption process – beyond the core loyalty program – the way to learn and/or grow margins?
This content-rich event is designed to maximise insight while minimising time away from the office.
If you are interested in speaking, please contact Michael Smith at Speakers@AiConnects.us
CO-BRAND & TRAVEL REWARDS 2025
Tuesday 28th October 2025
2:30pm- 3.00pm
Coffee, Registration and Networking Sponsored by Blind Loyalty
3.00pm – 3.30pm
Chairman:
– Michael Smith, Board Director, Ai Events
How to enter the US Co-brand market with a different proposition to miles
Stay tuned for the announcement of the major network speaking with their travel co-brand client!
3.30pm – 4.00pm
State of the Union Address: Where are co-brands and travel reward cards heading to?
Speaker to be announced
4.00pm – 5.00pm
The Famous Ai Events Lions’ Den: Innovative product pitches
Back by popular demand the Lions’ Den new products and service pitching contest returns to the Co-brand and Travel Rewards conference. The sessions is for innovative start-ups (or brand new products from estasblished players) pitch for 5 minutes each, and then take 5 minutes of questions from our experienced judges. Judges will choose a Best Product, while the audience will choose Best Pitch.
This is a paid for pitching session and last year it SOLD OUT! If you have a product that you would like to pitch, please email MSmith@AiConnects.us for more details.
Ringmaster and Lions (Judges)
– Michael Smith, Board Director, Ai Events (Ringmaster)
Pitchers
– Obsidian (invited)
Others to be announced
Are you brave enough to enter the Lions’ Den? It’s a paid for 5 minute sales pitch – drop Michael Smith an email @ Speakers@AiConnects.us for more details.
5.00pm – 7.00pm
Networking Reception Sponsored By Blind Loyalty
Charity Raffle benefiting Blind Loyalty
The Blind Loyalty Trust’s sole purpose is to offer hope and clarity through essential ophthalmology procedures to under-privileged patients requiring corneal transplant surgery.
Donors
About Blind Loyalty
About Blind Loyalty
CO-BRAND & TRAVEL REWARDS 2025
Wednesday 29th of October 2025
8.00am – 8.50am
Registration, Check-In and Breakfast
8.50am – 9.00am
9.00am – 9.25am
Case Study: Using redemption data to drive loyalty and spend
Speaker to be announced
9.25am – 9.50am
Lessons from launching a Co-brand card from RFP to Market in 6 months!
Speaker to be announced
9.50am – 10.15am
2025 Update: Love, Loyalty, and Lots of (co-brand) Cash – Too good to be true and how long will it last?
– Jay Sorensen, President, IdeaWorksCompany (invited)
10.15am – 10.45am
Networking and Coffee Break
10.45am – 11.15am
Next Generation Partnerships: Gen Z want experiences – is that the way for all market segements?
Speaker to be announced
11.15am – 11.40am
Will AI deliver Personalised Marketing – and if so how?
Speaker to be announced
11.40am – 12.30pm
Panel Session: Are Co-brand cards causing mileage and point inflation and will that kill the whole loyalty play?
Moderator
– Michael Smith, Board Advisor, Airline Information
Panellists
To be announced
12.30pm – 2.00pm
Lunch & Networking
2.00pm – 2.30pm
Fireside Chat: How to build fraud free promotions and why loyalty Account Take Over should be on your radar screen
– Chris Staab, Co-Founder, Loyalty Security Alliance
2.30pm – 3.00pm
How the latest loyalty research is impacting co-brands
– Rob Daniel , EVP, Bond Brand Loyalty (invited)
3.00pm – 3.30pm
Managing Redemption Costs
Speaker to be announced
3.30pm – 4.00pm
Coffee Break & Networking
4.00pm – 5.00pm
Panel Session: Digital and Account to Account Payments, Open Banking and Wallets: Threat or Opportunity for Co-brands?
5.00pm – 6.00pm
Networking Reception
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